Head-to-head comparison
Rio Salado College vs Arizona College of Nursing-Tempe: which has better ROI?
Option A Tempe, AZ
Rio Salado College
- Net price / year
- $8,341
- Earnings, 10 years
- $41,015
- 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 Rio Salado College comes closer — median earnings $41,015 against a $33,364 total, vs $34,657 at Arizona College of Nursing-Tempe. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Rio Salado College | Arizona College of Nursing-Tempe |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $8,341 | $31,681 |
| Total net cost | $33,364 | $126,724 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $41,015 | $34,657 |
| Median debt | $9,500 | $9,500 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$180,264 | -$400,784 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Rio Salado College or Arizona College of Nursing-Tempe?
Rio Salado College, at $8,341 a year after aid versus $31,681 — a gap of $23,340 a year, or $93,360 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 Rio Salado College or Arizona College of Nursing-Tempe graduates earn more?
Rio Salado College graduates report a median $41,015 ten years after entry, $6,358 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, Rio Salado College or Arizona College of Nursing-Tempe?
Completers at both borrow a median $9,500, so neither school has the debt advantage. That figure covers federal loans of students who finished — borrowers who leave early are not counted, and private loans sit outside it.
The short answer
Which graduates more of its students?
89% of students finish at Arizona College of Nursing-Tempe, against 9% at Rio Salado 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.