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Paradise Valley Community College

Public Phoenix, AZ · Urban · Southwest · 80% data
B Value B- Affordability B- Earnings
Graduation Rate
19% F
Lower completion rate than most colleges
Earnings (10yr)
$47,196 B-
Roughly in line with national averages
Net Price
$12,180 B-
29% less than the typical college
Enrollment
5,117
Earnings +16% vs avg
Graduation -66% vs avg
Net Price +-29% vs avg

Bottom line: A C+ overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 22.4× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $22.4 over 20 years.

22.4× return on investment

Every $1 spent returns $22.4 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,044,926.

What The Data Says

  1. A C+ overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.

  2. Graduation of 19% — 66% below the national average.

  3. Every $1 invested returns $22.4 over 20 years — an exceptional return.

Why Paradise Valley Community College Matters

Paradise Valley Community College is a public college in Phoenix, AZ and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network. The result: graduate earnings well above the typical college.

Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.

Institutional Profile

Institution Type
Public College
Carnegie Class
Associate's College
Enrollment
5,117
Setting
Urban
Primary Strengths
Health Professions, Visual & Performing Arts, Business & Marketing, Humanities

Why students choose Paradise Valley Community College

Influential alumni network
High cross-class social capital and reach
Strength in Health Professions
Its most-awarded field of study

CollegeRanker Report Card

Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.

C+
Top 44% overall
B-
Earnings
$47,196 median
B
Value
3.9× net price
B-
Affordability
$12,180/yr net
F
Graduation
19% graduate
B-
Diversity
0.65 index

Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.

How we grade →

Overview

At Paradise Valley Community College, around 5,117 students find a place that suits those eager to explore fields like Health Professions, Visual & Performing Arts, Business & Marketing, Humanities, and Computer Science & IT. This college is ideal for individuals looking for a more intimate learning environment where they can dive deep into specific areas of interest. The focus here is on practical skills and real-world applications, making it a good fit for students who appreciate hands-on learning.

Looking beyond graduation, students at Paradise Valley can expect to earn about $47,196 within ten years of completing their studies. This number gives a clear picture of the potential financial payoff for those who put in the work. While the college has a graduation rate of 19%, it’s essential to consider that education is a journey, and many students may take time to complete their degrees or move into the workforce sooner.

When it comes to the cost of attending, the net price after aid sits around $12,180, with a median debt of $6,995 for graduates. This manageable debt level is encouraging for those worried about financial burdens after college. Students who thrive here typically appreciate the community atmosphere and are motivated to engage with their studies, paving the way for personal and professional growth.

Rankings

Can I Get In?

How selective Paradise Valley Community College is — and how your numbers stack up.

Tool

Will I Be Accepted?

Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.

3.0
Test Score
1050
21

Academics & Admissions

Is It Hard to Get Into Paradise Valley Community College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

As a public institution in Phoenix, Arizona, Paradise Valley Community College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 19%.

Full-Time Faculty
100%
Faculty Salary (mo)
$10,730
Student–Faculty Ratio
11:1
Diversity Index
0.65
First-Gen Students
47%

Can I Afford It?

What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.

Cost & Financial Aid

How Much Does It Cost to Attend Paradise Valley Community College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Paradise Valley Community College is $8,958, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $12,180. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $10,823 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $6,995 in federal student loans.

In-State Tuition
$2,358
Out-of-State
$8,958
Avg Net Price
$12,180
Median Debt
$6,995
Pell Grant Rate
18%
Federal Loan Rate
7%

What Families Actually Pay

Family Income $0–$30K
$10,823
Family Income $30K–$48K
$12,187
Family Income $48K–$75K
$12,527
Family Income $110K+
$18,165

What Happens After?

Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.

Students Like You

Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at Paradise Valley Community College — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.

Compare schools in the full simulator →Sources: College Scorecard, Common Data Set, Opportunity Insights · today's dollars (CPI-adjusted) · descriptive, not predictive

Graduate Outcomes

Is Paradise Valley Community College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Paradise Valley Community College earn a median of $47,196, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.

6 Years After Entry
$41,597
8 Years
$44,838
10 Years
$47,196
Debt-to-Earnings
0.15x
Earning > $25K
55%

Earnings Trajectory

$41,597 6yr $44,838 8yr $47,196 10yr

Graduation by Timeframe

100% (52)
10%
100% (52)
10%
100% (52)
10%
100% (52)
10%

How Paradise Compares

Dot right of center = above national average.

NATIONAL AVGGraduation19%Earnings 10yr$47KNet Price$12KMedian Debt$7KPell Grant Rate18%

Net Price by Family Income

What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.

$11K$0-30K$12K$30-48K$13K$48-75K$18K$110K+

College ROI Calculator

Is Paradise Valley Community College Worth It?

A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.

Yes — for most students, Paradise Valley Community College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $12,180/year ($48,720 total). Graduates earn $47,196 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,093,646 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,044,926 (22.4× your investment). The median debt is $6,995, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 19% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.

Total Cost (4yr)
$48,720
Projected 20yr Earnings
$1,093,646
Net Return
$1,044,926
ROI Multiple
22.4×
Cost Per Year
$12,180
Median Debt
$6,995
Debt Payback
Less than 1 yr
Graduation Rate
19%

Does It Change Lives?

Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?

Social Capital

Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas

How Connected Is Paradise Valley Community College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Paradise Valley Community College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.32, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.03), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 4% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Economic Connectedness
1.32
Cross-class friendships
Friending Bias
0.03
Lower = more inclusive
Volunteering Rate
4.1%
Support Ratio
0.94
Community support

Research Note

267%
Low-income students at colleges in the top quartile of economic connectedness are 267% more likely to reach the top income quintile than peers at the least-connected schools.
Data from CollegeRanker’s review of 5,745 U.S. colleges (n=1,503). Quartile comparison of mean bottom-quintile success rate, split by economic connectedness (Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas × Mobility Report Card).

Top Programs

The fields Paradise Valley Community College awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.

Early-career median earnings by major (typically 1–2 years after completion, bachelor's level where available), in today's dollars (CPI-adjusted). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard field of study. Distinct from the school-wide 10-year median; suppressed for small programs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is It Hard to Get Into Paradise Valley Community College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

As a public institution in Phoenix, Arizona, Paradise Valley Community College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 19%.

How Much Does It Cost to Attend Paradise Valley Community College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Paradise Valley Community College is $8,958, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $12,180. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $10,823 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $6,995 in federal student loans.

Is Paradise Valley Community College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Paradise Valley Community College earn a median of $47,196, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.

How Connected Is Paradise Valley Community College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Paradise Valley Community College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.32, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.03), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 4% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Similar Schools

Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Paradise Valley Community College.

The State of American Higher Education Outcomes for 2026 — report cover Download PDF

The 2026 Annual Report

The State of American Higher Education Outcomes

Every state graded on what graduates earn, how far they climb, and what college really costs — the hidden geography of economic mobility, in one report.

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