Head-to-head comparison
Arizona College of Nursing-Tempe vs Conservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences: which has better ROI?
Option A Tempe, AZ
Arizona College of Nursing-Tempe
- Net price / year
- $31,681
- Earnings, 10 years
- $34,657
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Tempe, AZ
Conservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences
- Net price / year
- $22,990
- Earnings, 10 years
- $37,429
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Conservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences comes closer — median earnings $37,429 against a $91,960 total, vs $34,657 at Arizona College of Nursing-Tempe. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Arizona College of Nursing-Tempe | Conservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $31,681 | $22,990 |
| Total net cost | $126,724 | $91,960 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $34,657 | $37,429 |
| Median debt | $9,500 | $8,344 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$400,784 | -$310,580 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Arizona College of Nursing-Tempe or Conservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences?
Conservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences, at $22,990 a year after aid versus $31,681 — a gap of $8,691 a year, or $34,764 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
The short answer
Do Arizona College of Nursing-Tempe or Conservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences graduates earn more?
Conservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences graduates report a median $37,429 ten years after entry, $2,772 more than the $34,657 at Arizona College of Nursing-Tempe. Both are institution-wide medians from federal tax records, so a high-paying major at the lower school can beat the average at the higher one.
The short answer
Which leaves students with less debt, Arizona College of Nursing-Tempe or Conservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences?
Conservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences: its completers carry a median $8,344 in federal loans versus $9,500 at Arizona College of Nursing-Tempe, a difference of $1,156. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.
The short answer
Which graduates more of its students?
89% of students finish at Arizona College of Nursing-Tempe, against 39% at Conservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences. Completion matters to the ROI arithmetic because a degree that is never finished still carries its cost and its debt, but earns none of the graduate premium above the $48,360 high-school baseline.