Phoenix College
- Graduation Rate
- 14% F
- Lower completion rate than most colleges
- Earnings (10yr)
- $40,870 C
- Roughly in line with national averages
- Net Price
- $12,055 B-
- 30% less than the typical college
- Enrollment
- 8,555
Bottom line: A C+ overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 19.2× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $19.2 over 20 years.
Every $1 spent returns $19.2 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $877,052.
What The Data Says
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A C+ overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.
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Graduation of 14% — 76% below the national average.
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Social mobility rate of 3.03% — an engine of upward economic mobility.
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Every $1 invested returns $19.2 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Why Phoenix College Matters
Phoenix College is a public college in Phoenix, AZ and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a strong record of moving students up the income ladder. The result: durable upward mobility for the students it enrolls.
Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.
Institutional Profile
- Institution Type
- Public College
- Carnegie Class
- Associate's College
- Enrollment
- 8,555
- Setting
- Urban
- Designations
- HSI
- Primary Strengths
- Health Professions, Visual & Performing Arts, Business & Marketing, Humanities
Why students choose Phoenix College
CollegeRanker Report Card
Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.
Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.
How we grade →Admissions
This school does not report a competitive admit rate — most qualified applicants are admitted.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $12,055 a year after grants and scholarships — 30% below the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $40,870 ten years after enrolling — 0% above the typical college, against $6,750 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 3.0% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 10% nationally for mobility. High social capital (0.77 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
Phoenix College serves over 8,500 students, making it one of the largest public community colleges in Arizona. The college has a diverse array of programs, with strong offerings in Health Professions, Business & Marketing, and Visual & Performing Arts. This variety allows students to choose pathways that align with their career goals and interests.
Data from Opportunity Insights reveals that community college attendees often experience improved economic mobility over time. While specific mobility rates for Phoenix College are not available, the college's commitment to accessible education can lead to better job opportunities and earnings potential. Graduates earn an average of $40,870 ten years after enrollment, which reflects the value of the programs offered.
The cost of attendance at Phoenix College is relatively low, with a net price of $12,055 and a median student debt of only $6,750. This makes it an attractive option for students looking to minimize debt while pursuing their education. Students who thrive here are often those seeking practical skills that lead directly to employment, particularly in high-demand fields.
Can I Get In?
How selective Phoenix College is — and how your numbers stack up.
Tool
Will I Be Accepted?
Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.
Academics & Admissions
Is It Hard to Get Into Phoenix College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Phoenix College, located in Phoenix, Arizona, enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 14%.
- Full-Time Faculty
- 100%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $10,170
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 12:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.61
- First-Gen Students
- 62%
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 Phoenix College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Phoenix 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 $12,055. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $11,172 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $6,750 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $2,358
- Out-of-State
- $8,958
- Avg Net Price
- $12,055
- Median Debt
- $6,750
- Pell Grant Rate
- 27%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 8%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $11,172
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $11,939
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $13,546
- Family Income $110K+
- $18,594
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 Phoenix College — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.
Graduate Outcomes
Is Phoenix College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Phoenix College report median earnings of $40,870, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $36,674
- 8 Years
- $38,024
- 10 Years
- $40,870
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.17x
- Earning > $25K
- 52%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (43)
- 7%
- 100% (43)
- 7%
- 100% (43)
- 7%
- 100% (43)
- 7%
How Phoenix Compares
Dot right of center = above national average.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.
The Mobility Equation
Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?
College ROI Calculator
Is Phoenix College Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Phoenix College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $12,055/year ($48,220 total). Graduates earn $40,870 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $925,272 in total earnings — a net gain of $877,052 (19.2× your investment). The median debt is $6,750, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 14% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $48,220
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $925,272
- Net Return
- $877,052
- ROI Multiple
- 19.2×
- Cost Per Year
- $12,055
- Median Debt
- $6,750
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 14%
Does It Change Lives?
Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?
Social Mobility
Data: Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card · 30M+ anonymized tax records
Does Phoenix College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Phoenix College is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 3.03%, among the highest in the country. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 16.6% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile, a high share that gives low-income students a real foothold. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 18.3% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $56,000, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 3.03%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 18.3%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 16.6%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $76,084
- today's $ (2015 cohort data)
Top Programs
The fields Phoenix 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.
- Health Professions 25% $68,691 early-career
- Visual & Performing Arts 20% $24,580 early-career
- Business & Marketing 13% $25,014 early-career
- Humanities 11%
- Computer Science & IT 10%
- Criminal Justice 5% $46,350 early-career
- Legal Studies 3% $40,390 early-career
- Mechanic & Repair Tech 2%
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.
Top Careers
Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for Phoenix College's most popular programs, ranked by median pay with our proprietary scorecard insights.
- CChief Executive Officer$189,520 · 3% growthAdaptable 64
- C+IT Manager$169,510 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- C+Cloud Architect$142,000 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- B-Site Reliability Engineer$140,000 · 20% growthAdaptable 52
- CSolutions Architect$138,000 · 12% growthAdaptable 52
- CHR Manager$136,350 · 5% growthAdaptable 64
- CPetroleum Engineer$135,690 · 2% growthResilient 72
- CSales Manager$135,160 · 4% growthAdaptable 64
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into Phoenix College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Phoenix College, located in Phoenix, Arizona, enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 14%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Phoenix College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Phoenix 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 $12,055. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $11,172 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $6,750 in federal student loans.
Is Phoenix College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Phoenix College report median earnings of $40,870, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
Does Phoenix College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Phoenix College is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 3.03%, among the highest in the country. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 16.6% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile, a high share that gives low-income students a real foothold. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 18.3% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $56,000, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is Phoenix College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs below average at Phoenix College. Its economic connectedness score is 0.77, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.04), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 3% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Phoenix College.
- Los Angeles Mission CollegeSylmar, CA · Close peer20% grad $39,834 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Glendale Community CollegeGlendale, AZ · Close peer15% grad $43,108 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar net price
- Delaware Technical Community College-TerryDover, DE · Close peer21% grad $41,448 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar net price
- Greenville Technical CollegeGreenville, SC · Close peer19% grad $39,473 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Mesa Community CollegeMesa, AZ · Close peer16% grad $44,034 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar net price
- Rio Salado CollegeTempe, AZ · Close peer6% grad $41,015 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · same state
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Phoenix College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs below average at Phoenix College. Its economic connectedness score is 0.77, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.04), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 3% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note