Head-to-head comparison
Central Arizona College vs Arizona College of Nursing-Tempe: which has better ROI?
Option A Coolidge, AZ
Central Arizona College
- Net price / year
- $4,714
- Earnings, 10 years
- $40,513
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Tempe, AZ
Arizona College of Nursing-Tempe
- Net price / year
- $31,681
- Earnings, 10 years
- $34,657
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Central Arizona College comes closer — median earnings $40,513 against a $18,856 total, vs $34,657 at Arizona College of Nursing-Tempe. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Central Arizona College | Arizona College of Nursing-Tempe |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $4,714 | $31,681 |
| Total net cost | $18,856 | $126,724 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $40,513 | $34,657 |
| Median debt | $10,010 | $9,500 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$175,796 | -$400,784 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Central Arizona College or Arizona College of Nursing-Tempe?
Central Arizona College, at $4,714 a year after aid versus $31,681 — a gap of $26,967 a year, or $107,868 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 Central Arizona College or Arizona College of Nursing-Tempe graduates earn more?
Central Arizona College graduates report a median $40,513 ten years after entry, $5,856 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, Central Arizona College or Arizona College of Nursing-Tempe?
Arizona College of Nursing-Tempe: its completers carry a median $9,500 in federal loans versus $10,010 at Central Arizona College, a difference of $510. 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 27% at Central Arizona 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.