Head-to-head comparison
Phoenix College vs Paradise Valley Community College: which has better ROI?
Option A Phoenix, AZ
Phoenix College
- Net price / year
- $12,055
- Earnings, 10 years
- $40,870
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Phoenix, AZ
Paradise Valley Community College
- Net price / year
- $12,180
- Earnings, 10 years
- $47,196
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Paradise Valley Community College comes closer — median earnings $47,196 against a $48,720 total, vs $40,870 at Phoenix College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Phoenix College | Paradise Valley Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $12,055 | $12,180 |
| Total net cost | $48,220 | $48,720 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $40,870 | $47,196 |
| Median debt | $6,750 | $6,995 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$198,020 | -$72,000 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Phoenix College or Paradise Valley Community College?
Phoenix College, at $12,055 a year after aid versus $12,180 — a gap of $125 a year, or $500 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 Phoenix College or Paradise Valley Community College graduates earn more?
Paradise Valley Community College graduates report a median $47,196 ten years after entry, $6,326 more than the $40,870 at Phoenix 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 leaves students with less debt, Phoenix College or Paradise Valley Community College?
Phoenix College: its completers carry a median $6,750 in federal loans versus $6,995 at Paradise Valley Community College, a difference of $245. 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?
19% of students finish at Paradise Valley Community College, against 14% at Phoenix 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.