Head-to-head comparison
Northland Pioneer College vs Arizona College-Glendale: which has better ROI?
Option A Holbrook, AZ
Northland Pioneer College
- Net price / year
- $9,240
- Earnings, 10 years
- $34,199
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Glendale, AZ
Arizona College-Glendale
- Net price / year
- $27,919
- Earnings, 10 years
- $34,657
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Northland Pioneer College comes closer — median earnings $34,199 against a $36,960 total, vs $34,657 at Arizona College-Glendale. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Northland Pioneer College | Arizona College-Glendale |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $9,240 | $27,919 |
| Total net cost | $36,960 | $111,676 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $34,199 | $34,657 |
| Median debt | — | $9,500 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$320,180 | -$385,736 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Northland Pioneer College or Arizona College-Glendale?
Northland Pioneer College, at $9,240 a year after aid versus $27,919 — a gap of $18,679 a year, or $74,716 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 Northland Pioneer College or Arizona College-Glendale graduates earn more?
Arizona College-Glendale graduates report a median $34,657 ten years after entry, $458 more than the $34,199 at Northland Pioneer College. 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?
85% of students finish at Arizona College-Glendale, against 22% at Northland Pioneer 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.