Head-to-head comparison
Southern Careers Institute-Austin vs Arizona College of Nursing-Dallas: which has better ROI?
Option A Austin, TX
Southern Careers Institute-Austin
- Net price / year
- $25,660
- Earnings, 10 years
- $27,035
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Dallas, TX
Arizona College of Nursing-Dallas
- Net price / year
- $38,488
- Earnings, 10 years
- $34,657
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Arizona College of Nursing-Dallas comes closer — median earnings $34,657 against a $153,952 total, vs $27,035 at Southern Careers Institute-Austin. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Southern Careers Institute-Austin | Arizona College of Nursing-Dallas |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $25,660 | $38,488 |
| Total net cost | $102,640 | $153,952 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $27,035 | $34,657 |
| Median debt | $8,708 | $9,500 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$529,140 | -$428,012 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Southern Careers Institute-Austin or Arizona College of Nursing-Dallas?
Southern Careers Institute-Austin, at $25,660 a year after aid versus $38,488 — a gap of $12,828 a year, or $51,312 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 Southern Careers Institute-Austin or Arizona College of Nursing-Dallas graduates earn more?
Arizona College of Nursing-Dallas graduates report a median $34,657 ten years after entry, $7,622 more than the $27,035 at Southern Careers Institute-Austin. 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, Southern Careers Institute-Austin or Arizona College of Nursing-Dallas?
Southern Careers Institute-Austin: its completers carry a median $8,708 in federal loans versus $9,500 at Arizona College of Nursing-Dallas, a difference of $792. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.