Tucson, Arizona Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)
TL;DR
EDsmart Data analysis of 2024 College Scorecard data for Tucson, Arizona shows: median public in-state tuition $13,926 (+152.7% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $47,318 (-12.9% vs U.S.) employment-outcome proxy 84.3% working & not enrolled at 8 years median graduate debt $9,500 (-29.3% vs U.S.) 61,594 students enrolled statewide.
Key Facts
- Institutions in this profile: 18 campuses
- Total college enrollment: 61,594 students
- Median public in-state tuition: $13,926 (+152.7% vs U.S.)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $47,318 (-12.9% vs U.S.)
- Working & not enrolled (8-yr cohort proxy): 84.3% (-3.6 pp vs U.S.)
- Median net price: $19,831 (+99.0% vs U.S.)
- Median student debt at graduation: $9,500 (-29.3% vs U.S. $13,432); regional median $11,012
- Average completion rate (institutions in state): 67.5%
- Median first-year retention (full-time, 4-yr): 66.4%
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Overview
EDsmart Data summarizes higher-education outcomes for campuses in Tucson, Arizona—costs, debt, enrollment, completion, earnings, and standout institutions—against Arizona and U.S. medians from the College Scorecard.
Tucson vs Arizona & national benchmarks
Medians aggregate institution-level College Scorecard fields unless noted. Enrollment is total undergraduate headcount summed across reporting campuses.
| Geography | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion rate | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tucson, Arizona | $13,926 | $19,831 | $9,500 | 67.5% | 61,594 |
| Arizona (state median) | $2,358 | $11,852 | $9,500 | 38.6% | 511,703 |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,967 | $13,432 | 50.3% | 14,484,370 |
Earnings & employment outcomes: Tucson, Arizona vs benchmarks
Scorecard does not publish formal job-placement rates. We use the share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled (working ÷ working + not working) as a federal employment-outcome proxy. 2-yr and 3-yr default rates are federal cohort default shares (0–1 scale). We show 2-yr default as the primary benchmark; 3-yr default appears only when enough campuses report non-suppressed values (otherwise —). 3-yr repayment progress is the share of completers making progress on loans after 3 years. Sample: bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200. Medians pool campus-level values.
| Geography | Median earnings (10 yr) | Working & not enrolled (8 yr) | Retention (FT yr 1) | 2-yr default | 3-yr default | 3-yr repayment progress | Debt ÷ earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tucson, Arizona | $47,318 | 84.3% | 66.4% | 9.3% | — | 57.1% | 0.30 |
| Arizona (state median) | $50,719 | 81.6% | 71.4% | 7.1% | — | 64.8% | 0.35 |
| United States | $54,323 | 87.9% | 76.3% | 5.0% | — | 73.7% | 0.41 |
Other cities in Arizona (3+ campuses)
Other cities in the same state with at least three reporting campuses.
| City | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion | Enrollment | Earnings (10 yr) | Working (8 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tucson, Arizona | $13,926 | $19,831 | $9,500 | 67.5% | 61,594 | $47,318 | 84.3% |
| Phoenix | $10,888 | $21,291 | $9,500 | 28.8% | 191,486 | $42,186 | 79.0% |
| Tempe | $12,219 | $20,907 | $9,500 | 40.3% | 88,254 | $50,719 | 81.7% |
| Scottsdale | $2,808 | $22,586 | $9,500 | 8.7% | 59,711 | $62,668 | 87.8% |
| Flagstaff | $7,980 | $13,996 | $14,625 | 60.7% | 25,354 | $54,384 | 89.8% |
| Mesa | $7,290 | $21,957 | $9,500 | 15.6% | 17,626 | N/A | N/A |
| Glendale | $15,529 | $24,689 | $15,917 | 27.9% | 14,477 | $51,612 | 86.1% |
| Glendale | $15,529 | $24,689 | $15,917 | 27.9% | 14,477 | $51,612 | 86.1% |
| Chandler | $9,948 | $14,660 | $7,000 | 48.0% | 13,146 | $36,144 | 76.9% |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,967 | $13,432 | 50.3% | 14,484,370 | $54,323 | 87.9% |
Top 10 colleges in Tucson, Arizona by graduation rate (150% time)
Ranked by 150% time completion rate (4-year bachelor's-predominant institutions, enrollment ≥ 500). Higher rate = more students finishing within 150% of normal time.
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Rank 1, Graduation Rate, 67.5%, University of Arizona
University of Arizona
Top 10 colleges in Tucson, Arizona by employment outcome (8 yrs after entry, working & not enrolled)
Ranked by share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled — a federal outcome proxy, not a verified job-placement rate. Enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, Employment Outcome, 89.5%, University of Arizona
University of Arizona
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Rank 2, Employment Outcome, 79.2%, Arizona College of Nursing-Tucson
Arizona College of Nursing-Tucson
Top 10 most selective colleges in Tucson, Arizona (lowest admission rate)
Ranked by lowest admission rate (most selective first). Bachelor's-predominant four-year institutions with enrollment ≥ 500 and a reported admission rate.
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Rank 1, Admission Rate, 86.1%, University of Arizona
University of Arizona
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Rank 2, Admission Rate, 100.0%, Arizona College of Nursing-Tucson
Arizona College of Nursing-Tucson
Top 10 colleges in Tucson, Arizona by entry-level earnings (1 yr post-completion, program)
Ranked by median program-level earnings one year after completion (highest first). Enrollment ≥ 300; reflects completers in reported CIP programs, not all entrants.
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Rank 1, Entry-Level Earnings, $86,924, University of Arizona
University of Arizona
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Rank 2, Entry-Level Earnings, $85,169, Arizona College of Nursing-Tucson
Arizona College of Nursing-Tucson
Top 10 colleges in Tucson, Arizona by early-career earnings (4 yr post-completion, program)
Ranked by median program-level earnings four years after completion (highest first). Enrollment ≥ 300; program cohort, not institution-wide median.
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Rank 1, Early-Career Earnings, $120,031, University of Arizona
University of Arizona
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Rank 2, Early-Career Earnings, $87,378, Arizona College of Nursing-Tucson
Arizona College of Nursing-Tucson
Top 10 colleges in Tucson, Arizona by mid-career earnings (6 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings six years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, Mid-Career Earnings, $47,665, University of Arizona
University of Arizona
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Rank 2, Mid-Career Earnings, $32,840, Arizona College of Nursing-Tucson
Arizona College of Nursing-Tucson
Top 10 colleges in Tucson, Arizona by 8-year earnings (8 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings eight years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, 8-Yr Earnings, $55,966, University of Arizona
University of Arizona
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Rank 2, 8-Yr Earnings, $33,491, Arizona College of Nursing-Tucson
Arizona College of Nursing-Tucson
Top 10 colleges in Tucson, Arizona by long-term earnings (10 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings ten years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, 10-Yr Earnings, $59,979, University of Arizona
University of Arizona
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Rank 2, 10-Yr Earnings, $34,657, Arizona College of Nursing-Tucson
Arizona College of Nursing-Tucson
Top 10 colleges in Tucson, Arizona by 10-year ROI
Ranked by 10-year return on investment (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200 and a computed ROI in the EDsmart dataset.
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Rank 1, 10-Yr ROI, $193,598, University of Arizona
University of Arizona
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Rank 2, 10-Yr ROI, $24,282, Arizona College of Nursing-Tucson
Arizona College of Nursing-Tucson
Top 10 most affordable colleges in Tucson, Arizona (net price)
Ranked by lowest average net price (most affordable first). Uses overall net price, or mid-income bracket net price for public schools when available. Enrollment ≥ 300.
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Rank 1, Net Price, $16,674, University of Arizona
University of Arizona
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Rank 2, Net Price, $37,136, Arizona College of Nursing-Tucson
Arizona College of Nursing-Tucson
Top 10 colleges in Tucson, Arizona by first-year retention (full-time)
Ranked by first-year, full-time retention rate (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant four-year institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, First-Year Retention, 82.8%, University of Arizona
University of Arizona
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Rank 2, First-Year Retention, 50.0%, Arizona College of Nursing-Tucson
Arizona College of Nursing-Tucson
In-state tuition: Tucson, Arizona vs benchmarks
Sticker price
Tucson, Arizona median in-state tuition is $13,926, +152.7% vs the U.S. median.
Student debt: Tucson, Arizona vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Tucson, Arizona is $9,500 (-29.3% vs U.S. median $13,432). Regional median: $11,012.
Median earnings (10 years out): Tucson, Arizona vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in Tucson, Arizona center around $47,318 (-12.9% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: Tucson, Arizona vs benchmarks
Working & not enrolled
The share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled—our Scorecard employment proxy—is 84.3% at the median Tucson, Arizona campus (-3.6 pp vs U.S.).
Percent of 8-year cohort working and not enrolled (not a formal placement rate).
Analysis & insights
EDsmart Data aggregates institution-level College Scorecard data for this profile. Highlights below compare local medians to U.S. and regional benchmarks.
Costs & borrowing
Tucson, Arizona median public in-state tuition is $13,926, about +152.7% vs the national median. Versus the Southwest region, tuition is +277.8%.
Median graduate debt is $9,500 (-29.3% below the U.S. median of $13,432). Low sticker prices do not always mean low borrowing—living costs, time-to-degree, and aid mix matter.
Earnings, employment & retention
Among bachelor's-predominant campuses with ≥200 students, median 10-year earnings in Tucson, Arizona are $47,318, about -12.9% vs the U.S. campus median ($54,323).
The median campus reports 84.3% of its 8-year cohort as working and not enrolled—our closest federal proxy to a placement rate. The U.S. campus median is 87.9% (-3.6 pp). Formal job-placement statistics are not published in Scorecard; treat this as a comparative outcome indicator, not a hire guarantee.
First-year, full-time retention at the median campus is 66.4% vs a U.S. median of 76.3%—a leading indicator for completion and time-to-degree.
Loan repayment indicators at the median campus: 2-yr default 9.3% (U.S. 5.0%); 3-yr repayment progress 57.1% (U.S. 73.7%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Top employment-outcome campuses in this extract include University of Arizona (89.5%), Arizona College of Nursing-Tucson (79.2%)—useful anchors for local reporting on where graduates are most often working rather than still enrolled.
Completion & workforce context
Average institution-level completion rate across all sectors in Tucson, Arizona is 67.5% (national institution average about 50.3%).
FAQ
How many colleges are in Tucson?
EDsmart Data analysis: this city profile covers 18 campuses in Tucson, Arizona with College Scorecard cost or outcomes data.
How much does college cost in Tucson?
EDsmart Data analysis: median in-state tuition in Tucson is $13,926 and median net price is $19,831. For Arizona overall, medians are $2,358 and $11,852; U.S. medians are $5,512 and $9,967.
What do graduates earn in Tucson?
EDsmart Data analysis: median 10-year earnings for campuses in Tucson is $47,318 vs $50,719 for Arizona and $54,323 nationally.
What is student debt like for Tucson colleges?
EDsmart Data analysis: median completer debt in Tucson is $9,500 vs $9,500 for Arizona and $13,432 nationally.
What are the best colleges in Tucson?
EDsmart Data analysis: top campuses on this page include University of Arizona (graduation) and University of Arizona (10-yr earnings). See Top 10 lists for admission, affordability, and employment metrics.
Are there HBCUs, Hispanic-serving, tribal, or religious colleges in Tucson?
EDsmart Data analysis: among 18 campuses in Tucson, Arizona, 12 campuses with at least 25% Hispanic enrollment in College Scorecard demographics—a common Hispanic-serving institution (HSI) eligibility proxy; examples include Empire Beauty School-Tucson, Carrington College-Tucson, and Arizona Academy of Beauty.
Sources & related
- Arizona college profile
- All college profiles
- National benchmarks
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
- Download: JSON