Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Arizona College of Nursing-Phoenix

Arizona College of Nursing-Phoenix places its graduates at $85,169 in their first year—well above the national median of $74,888 and landing them in the 84th percentile nationwide. That's solid performance, particularly for a school with open admission serving a majority first-generation student population (53% receive Pell grants). However, the $51,854 in median debt is nearly double both the national and Arizona program medians, which sits in the concerning 5th percentile for debt burden. Within Arizona, this program ranks in the 60th percentile for earnings, meaning graduates earn more than most Arizona nursing programs but trail the top performers by $7,000-$13,000.

The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.61 means graduates owe roughly seven months of their first-year salary—manageable for a nursing career, but they're paying a premium compared to peers at other Arizona schools who graduate with around $32,000 in debt. The earnings are strong enough to service this debt, but families should understand they're paying nearly $20,000 more than the state average for outcomes that, while good, don't reach the top tier.

For students who need the flexibility of Arizona College's model and can secure these earnings quickly after graduation, the investment pencils out. But if your child can gain admission to Grand Canyon or University of Phoenix, they'd likely graduate with similar or lower debt while accessing notably higher earning potential.