Head-to-head comparison
Arizona College of Nursing-Tempe vs Tohono O'odham Community College: 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 Sells, AZ
Tohono O'odham Community College
- Net price / year
- $4,233
- Earnings, 10 years
- $39,229
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Tohono O'odham Community College comes closer — median earnings $39,229 against a $8,466 total, vs $34,657 at Arizona College of Nursing-Tempe. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Arizona College of Nursing-Tempe | Tohono O'odham Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $31,681 | $4,233 |
| Total net cost | $126,724 | $8,466 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $34,657 | $39,229 |
| Median debt | $9,500 | — |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$400,784 | -$191,086 |
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 Tohono O'odham Community College?
Tohono O'odham Community College, at $4,233 a year after aid versus $31,681 — a gap of $27,448 a year, or $118,258 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 Tohono O'odham Community College graduates earn more?
Tohono O'odham Community College graduates report a median $39,229 ten years after entry, $4,572 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 graduates more of its students?
89% of students finish at Arizona College of Nursing-Tempe, against 34% at Tohono O'odham Community College. 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.