Business/Commerce at DeVry University-Arizona

DeVry University-Arizona's associate's in business delivers strong first-year earnings of $43,716—outperforming both the national median by nearly $7,000 and the Arizona median by over $6,000. Among Arizona's 18 business programs at this level, it ranks in the 60th percentile, placing it comfortably in the upper half of in-state options. Nationally, it performs even better, landing in the 82nd percentile.

The challenge is cost. At $30,444 in median debt, graduates carry more than double the national typical burden for this credential and 50% more than Arizona's state median. While the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.70 is manageable—meaning graduates earn enough to reasonably handle repayment—families should recognize they're paying a premium. This becomes stark when comparing to Pima Community College, where graduates earn $31,107 with presumably far less debt, though the $12,000 earnings advantage at DeVry does help justify some of the cost difference.

For a family where the student needs the structure and support of a private institution (over half of students here receive Pell grants), the earnings outcome makes this viable despite the debt load. But if your child can succeed at a community college, the value proposition shifts considerably—you'd be paying substantially more for an earnings boost that, while real, may not offset the long-term debt burden.