Highest 20-Year ROI Colleges in Arizona
The biggest 20-year net financial gain over a high-school-only earner — tuition and debt already subtracted. Our tax-verified answer to the 20-year ROI question, from IRS-linked federal earnings rather than self-reported surveys.
Showing Arizona
Clear state| # | College | Type | 20-yr net gain | 5-yr earnings | Net price | Median debt | 10-yr ROI | DR Rating | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chamberlain University-Arizona Phoenix, AZ | For-profit | $787,353 | $92,768 | $40,096 | $20,919 | +184% | Strong return | |
| 2 | Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott Prescott, AZ | Private | $726,208 | $89,799 | $40,287 | $23,666 | +164% | Strong return | |
| 3 | University of Advancing Technology Tempe, AZ | For-profit | $565,553 | $79,507 | $28,522 | $28,812 | +177% | Strong return | |
| 4 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion Tempe, AZ | Public | $393,446 | $68,021 | $14,967 | $19,500 | +244% | Strong return | |
| 5 | Sonoran Desert Institute Tempe, AZ | For-profit | $389,822 | $66,732 | $20,678 | $9,500 | +385% | Strong return | |
| 6 | University of Arizona Tucson, AZ | Public | $351,594 | $66,272 | $16,674 | $19,620 | +188% | Strong return | |
| 7 | Paradise Valley Community College Phoenix, AZ | Public | $316,571 | $63,392 | $12,180 | $6,995 | +259% | Strong return | |
| 8 | University of Phoenix-Arizona Phoenix, AZ | For-profit | $282,162 | $62,387 | $13,520 | $31,553 | +165% | Strong return | |
| 9 | Eastern Arizona College Thatcher, AZ | Public | $237,032 | $58,691 | $9,197 | — | +272% | Strong return | |
| 10 | Chandler-Gilbert Community College Chandler, AZ | Public | $231,225 | $59,234 | $12,726 | $7,000 | +166% | Strong return | |
| 11 | Coconino Community College Flagstaff, AZ | Public | $220,353 | $57,604 | $13,996 | $10,250 | +297% | Strong return | |
| 12 | Northern Arizona University Flagstaff, AZ | Public | $199,264 | $58,141 | $14,158 | $19,000 | +107% | Strong return | |
| 13 | Grand Canyon University Phoenix, AZ | Private | $143,133 | $57,054 | $22,472 | $22,114 | +23% | Break-even | |
| 14 | Rio Salado College Tempe, AZ | Public | $128,114 | $53,247 | $8,341 | $9,500 | +124% | Strong return | |
| 15 | Universal Technical Institute of Arizona Inc Avondale, AZ | For-profit | $126,076 | $54,588 | $30,451 | $13,124 | +46% | Break-even | |
| 16 | Refrigeration School Inc Phoenix, AZ | For-profit | $121,650 | $53,935 | $27,025 | $8,233 | +57% | Break-even | |
| 17 | Mesa Community College Mesa, AZ | Public | $57,229 | $50,424 | $12,132 | $7,473 | +6% | Break-even | |
| 18 | Pima Community College Tucson, AZ | Public | $56,839 | $48,310 | $3,405 | $7,000 | +254% | Strong return | |
| 19 | Phoenix College Phoenix, AZ | Public | $49,740 | $50,021 | $12,055 | $6,750 | -1% | Poor return | |
| 20 | American InterContinental University System Chandler, AZ | For-profit | $32,835 | $50,241 | $15,172 | $31,000 | -27% | Poor return | |
| 21 | Glendale Community College Glendale, AZ | Public | $28,584 | $48,886 | $11,650 | $6,960 | -21% | Poor return | |
| 22 | GateWay Community College Phoenix, AZ | Public | $13,004 | $48,441 | $13,339 | $6,750 | -38% | Poor return | |
| 23 | GateWay Community College-Central City Phoenix, AZ | Public | $12,562 | $46,473 | $14,438 | $6,750 | -13% | Poor return | |
| 24 | Central Arizona College Coolidge, AZ | Public | $8,896 | $46,570 | $4,714 | $10,010 | -30% | Poor return | |
| 25 | South Mountain Community College Phoenix, AZ | Public | $2,525 | $47,828 | $12,780 | $8,000 | -48% | Poor return | |
| 26 | Universal Technical Institute-Phoenix Avondale, AZ | For-profit | $-7,839 | $47,333 | $24,863 | $13,097 | -57% | Poor return | |
| 27 | Yavapai College Prescott, AZ | Public | $-11,772 | $46,312 | $8,683 | $9,000 | -66% | Poor return | |
| 28 | Ottawa University-Surprise Surprise, AZ | Private | $-22,887 | $50,926 | $33,393 | $21,500 | -58% | Poor return | |
| 29 | Estrella Mountain Community College Avondale, AZ | Public | $-27,361 | $44,994 | $12,254 | $7,500 | -100% | Poor return | |
| 30 | Arizona Western College Yuma, AZ | Public | $-27,645 | $44,604 | $8,983 | $4,826 | -120% | Poor return | |
| 31 | Cochise County Community College District Sierra Vista, AZ | Public | $-76,656 | $42,876 | $7,929 | $6,750 | -162% | Poor return | |
| 32 | Pima Medical Institute-Mesa Mesa, AZ | For-profit | $-90,104 | $42,814 | $21,461 | $9,500 | -147% | Poor return | |
| 33 | Scottsdale Community College Scottsdale, AZ | Public | $-106,279 | $42,499 | $13,336 | $8,000 | -145% | Poor return | |
| 34 | The University of Arizona Global Campus Chandler, AZ | Public | $-110,992 | $46,273 | $31,266 | $31,250 | -91% | Poor return | |
| 35 | Miller-Motte College-Arizona Automotive Institute Glendale, AZ | For-profit | $-147,358 | $40,068 | $21,459 | $15,917 | -201% | Poor return | |
| 36 | Mohave Community College Kingman, AZ | Public | $-202,783 | $35,635 | $5,974 | $9,700 | -705% | Poor return | |
| 37 | Conservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences Tempe, AZ | For-profit | $-212,511 | $35,676 | $22,990 | $8,344 | -458% | Poor return | |
| 38 | Bryan University Tempe, AZ | For-profit | $-240,824 | $37,490 | $20,834 | $20,000 | -183% | Poor return | |
| 39 | Pima Medical Institute-Phoenix Phoenix, AZ | For-profit | $-251,693 | $34,871 | $23,004 | $8,521 | -306% | Poor return | |
| 40 | Dine College Tsaile, AZ | Public | $-282,648 | $32,079 | $6,057 | — | -633% | Poor return | |
| 41 | Brookline College-Phoenix Phoenix, AZ | For-profit | $-296,770 | $36,349 | $30,072 | $9,500 | -170% | Poor return | |
| 42 | Carrington College-Mesa Mesa, AZ | For-profit | $-307,896 | $34,666 | $48,877 | $9,500 | -202% | Poor return | |
| 43 | Carrington College-Tucson Tucson, AZ | For-profit | $-317,848 | $32,679 | $33,983 | $9,500 | -273% | Poor return | |
| 44 | UEI College-Phoenix Phoenix, AZ | For-profit | $-322,996 | $30,666 | $32,854 | $9,500 | -495% | Poor return | |
| 45 | UEI College-Mesa Mesa, AZ | For-profit | $-325,533 | $30,666 | $35,391 | $9,500 | -469% | Poor return | |
| 46 | Arizona College of Nursing-Tempe Tempe, AZ | For-profit | $-356,786 | $33,670 | $31,681 | $9,500 | -187% | Poor return | |
| 47 | Alturas Cosmetology of Arizona LLC Chandler, AZ | For-profit | $-404,564 | $25,548 | $13,257 | $6,221 | -1,353% | Poor return | |
| 48 | Southwest Institute of Healing Arts Tempe, AZ | For-profit | $-439,128 | $27,605 | $43,883 | $9,500 | -291% | Poor return |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. ROI is computed by Degree Return — see how. Read the methodology. Data as of 2024.
Top-Rated Colleges (DR Rating)Best ROI Colleges in the U.S.Best Value CollegesBest Colleges for Economic MobilityHighest-Earning CollegesLowest-Debt CollegesLowest Net-Price CollegesBest-Rated Majors (DR Rating)Highest-Paying MajorsBest ROI MajorsLowest-Debt MajorsFastest-Growing Majors by Job OutlookMajors With the Most Job Openings