Head-to-head comparison
Pima Community College vs Arizona College-Glendale: which has better ROI?
Option A Tucson, AZ
Pima Community College
- Net price / year
- $3,405
- Earnings, 10 years
- $39,810
- 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 Pima Community College comes closer — median earnings $39,810 against a $13,620 total, vs $34,657 at Arizona College-Glendale. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Pima Community College | Arizona College-Glendale |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $3,405 | $27,919 |
| Total net cost | $13,620 | $111,676 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $39,810 | $34,657 |
| Median debt | $7,000 | $9,500 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$184,620 | -$385,736 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Pima Community College or Arizona College-Glendale?
Pima Community College, at $3,405 a year after aid versus $27,919 — a gap of $24,514 a year, or $98,056 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 Pima Community College or Arizona College-Glendale graduates earn more?
Pima Community College graduates report a median $39,810 ten years after entry, $5,153 more than the $34,657 at Arizona College-Glendale. 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, Pima Community College or Arizona College-Glendale?
Pima Community College: its completers carry a median $7,000 in federal loans versus $9,500 at Arizona College-Glendale, a difference of $2,500. 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?
85% of students finish at Arizona College-Glendale, against 28% at Pima 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.