Head-to-head comparison
Arizona College of Nursing-Tempe vs Pima Medical Institute-Mesa: 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 Mesa, AZ
Pima Medical Institute-Mesa
- Net price / year
- $21,461
- Earnings, 10 years
- $38,673
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Pima Medical Institute-Mesa comes closer — median earnings $38,673 against a $42,922 total, vs $34,657 at Arizona College of Nursing-Tempe. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Arizona College of Nursing-Tempe | Pima Medical Institute-Mesa |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $31,681 | $21,461 |
| Total net cost | $126,724 | $42,922 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $34,657 | $38,673 |
| Median debt | $9,500 | $9,500 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$400,784 | -$236,662 |
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 Pima Medical Institute-Mesa?
Pima Medical Institute-Mesa, at $21,461 a year after aid versus $31,681 — a gap of $10,220 a year, or $83,802 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 Pima Medical Institute-Mesa graduates earn more?
Pima Medical Institute-Mesa graduates report a median $38,673 ten years after entry, $4,016 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 Pima Medical Institute-Mesa?
Completers at both borrow a median $9,500, so neither school has the debt advantage. That figure covers federal loans of students who finished — borrowers who leave early are not counted, and private loans sit outside it.
The short answer
Which graduates more of its students?
89% of students finish at Arizona College of Nursing-Tempe, against 67% at Pima Medical Institute-Mesa. 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.