Sonoran Desert Institute
Tempe, AZ 85281
About Sonoran Desert Institute
Sonoran Desert Institute is a private for-profit trade school in Tempe, Arizona, serving roughly 5,435 students. Programs focus on certificates and workforce credentials that prepare students for skilled trades and technical careers. Typical net price after grant aid is about $20,678 for students who receive it, compared with published tuition near $12,200. Student demographics in federal data include White (71.3%) and Hispanic or Latino (13.8%) among the largest enrollment groups.
Key findings
- Sonoran Desert Institute charges 27% below the national private for-profit median tuition ($12,200).
- Versus the Arizona median, sticker tuition is 39% above.
- Completion within 150% of normal time is 33.12%.
Cost benchmarks
| Benchmark | Median Tuition | Median Net Price | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sonoran Desert Institute | $12,200 | $20,678 | 1 |
| Private For-profit (national median) | $16,637 | — | 477 |
| Arizona (state median) | $8,774 | $12,055 | 54 |
| Suburban (locale median) | $13,135 | $18,048 | 684 |
| United States (national median) | $11,900 | $17,156 | — |
Compares this campus to school-type, state, and locale medians plus a U.S. national median (College Scorecard–derived). Locale groups campuses by NCES locale type; state tuition is the median published tuition among campuses in that state.
How expensive is Sonoran Desert Institute really?
Key findings
- Sonoran Desert Institute charges 27% below the national private for-profit median tuition ($12,200).
- Versus the Arizona median, sticker tuition is 39% above.
Sonoran Desert Institute tuition
Published undergraduate tuition $12,200
Finding Sonoran Desert Institute charges 27% below the national private for-profit median tuition.
Evidence Published tuition is $12,200. That is 27% below the national private for-profit median ($16,637). Versus the Arizona median ($8,774), sticker tuition is 39% above. Versus the U.S. median ($11,900), sticker is 3% above.
Method Sticker tuition compared with Scorecard-derived medians by ownership, state, locale, and national rollups when available.
Interpretation Published tuition measures sticker price relative to private for-profit and geographic peers; it does not equal what undergraduates typically pay after aid.
Limitation Sticker comparisons omit room, board, and institutional aid; average net price and income-band net prices are the stronger signals of typical family cost.
Evidence: published tuition at Sonoran Desert Institute versus school-type, state, locale, and U.S. medians.
Evidence: average net price at Sonoran Desert Institute versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.
What undergraduates typically pay
Finding Average net price at Sonoran Desert Institute is $20,678.
Evidence College Scorecard average net price is $20,678 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). That is about $8,623 above the Arizona median net price. Versus suburban campuses, net price runs $2,630 above the locale median.
Method Average net price from College Scorecard; compared with state, locale, and U.S. medians from EDsmart aggregates.
Interpretation Average net price is a stronger institutional cost signal than published tuition because it incorporates grant aid.
Limitation The campus average masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average.
Key takeaway At Sonoran Desert Institute, average net price exceeds published tuition alone because net price uses a fuller cost-of-attendance base.
Sonoran Desert Institute: research record
Canonical EDsmart Data findings for Sonoran Desert Institute—costs, outcomes, admissions, and programs—with evidence and methodology notes.
Research findings
Interpretation
High completion indicates students finish programs at scale; it does not alone measure instructional quality or labor-market fit.
Financial profile
Annual tuition
$12,200
Avg. net price
$20,678
Net price by family income
| Income bracket | Avg. annual net price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $20,144 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $20,584 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $20,960 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $23,603 |
| $110,001+ | $25,204 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $48,800. See cost investigation.
Student outcomes
Share of first-year students returning the following fall.
Graduation rate and 10-year earnings are in the hero strip above; see Graduates for more.
What Sonoran Desert Institute is known for
Top program completions
- Gunsmithing/Gunsmith2,121
- Mechatronics, Robotics, and Automation Engineering Technology/Technician248
See earnings & programs for more.
Is Sonoran Desert Institute a good school?
Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.
Sonoran Desert Institute is a good school for those looking for high program completion rates.
EDsmart Data does not assign an opinion score; this framing summarizes the strongest Scorecard signals for this campus.
More from the data
Location, control, enrollment, and aid context for Sonoran Desert Institute.
Campus
Location
Tempe, AZ
City / state
- ZIP
- 85281
- NCES locale
- Suburb
Compared with Suburban campuses nationally, net price is 15% above the median for Suburban campuses ($18,048 median).
Control
Institution type
Private For-profit
Control
- Region
- Southwest
- Carnegie
- Special Focus Two-Year: Technical Professions
Size
Enrollment
5,435
Total enrollment
- Undergraduate
- 8,618
- Full-time share
- 58%
Student aid
Debt & aid
$9,500
Median federal loan debt
- Pell grant share
- 32.52%
Total Cost, Aid & Default
Total Cost of Attendance
Tuition vs average net price after aid for Sonoran Desert Institute.
Financial Aid by Income Level
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at Sonoran Desert Institute was 0.00%.
Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.
Tuition tracker
Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for Sonoran Desert Institute in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2016–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | $8,490 | $8,490 | — |
| 2017 | $8,490 | $8,490 | $13,124 |
| 2018 | $9,440 | $9,440 | $13,655 |
| 2019 | $9,440 | $9,440 | $14,802 |
| 2020 | $10,630 | $10,630 | $15,753 |
| 2021 | $10,950 | $10,950 | $17,373 |
| 2022 | $11,960 | $11,960 | $17,902 |
| 2023 | $12,280 | $12,280 | $19,921 |
Sticker tuition and net price over time
Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.
College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).
Net price by family income
Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).
Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.
How difficult is it to get in?
Acceptance Rate
Acceptance rate data is not available for this institution.
Admissions funnel data is not available for this institution.
Test Scores
Test score data is not available for this institution.
Score distribution is not available for this institution.
Academic Requirements
GPA requirements are not published by this institution. Contact the admissions office for specific academic requirements.
Estimated GPA range is not available for this institution.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
Sonoran Desert Institute reported total enrollment of about 5,435 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 98% male and 2% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes White (71.3%), Hispanic or Latino (13.8%), and Black or African American (5.7%). About 32.52% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 50.2% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
57.9% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at Sonoran Desert Institute in 2024 is 5,435 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 8,618 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
69.0%
2024 Retention Rate
Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall.
Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.
Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity
Largest share of total enrollment in our College Scorecard extract.
College Scorecard student demographics (total enrollment shares).
Do students complete their programs?
Time to Complete
24.32% 100% Completion Time
33.12% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 24.32% of students graduating from Sonoran Desert Institute completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Gunsmithing/Gunsmith: 98% male / 2% female
- Mechatronics, Robotics, and Automation Engineering Technology/Technician: 97% male / 3% female
IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).
Completions by Race & Ethnicity
Largest group by summed IPEDS award counts across reported programs.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
What do Sonoran Desert Institute graduates earn—and in which programs?
Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of Sonoran Desert Institute.
Evidence Median federal loan debt: $9,500. Average net price used in cost models: $20,678.
Method College Scorecard median earnings (10-year), median debt, and EDsmart ROI / payback models using campus net price.
Interpretation Institution-wide ROI and debt ratios summarize campus averages; program choice still drives individual outcomes.
Limitation Salary reflects median earnings ten years after entry; ROI is not program-specific.
Return on Investment
Debt and 4-year net cost vs. cumulative 10-year median earnings for Sonoran Desert Institute.
Top Programs by Completions
Largest 2 programs by IPEDS completions (3 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at Sonoran Desert Institute.
Employment Outcomes
Employment outcome data is not available for this institution.
Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for Sonoran Desert Institute graduates.
Institutional resources
Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for Sonoran Desert Institute—instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 5.5%
- Arizona median 50.1 pp below median (55.6%)
- Southwest median 54.3 pp below median (59.7%)
- U.S. median 52.5 pp below median (58.0%)
- Average faculty salary (monthly): $4,691
- Arizona median 0.65× the median ($7,187)
- Southwest median 0.66× the median ($7,078)
- U.S. median 0.62× the median ($7,615)
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $2,901
- Arizona median 0.51× the median ($5,643)
- Southwest median 0.51× the median ($5,699)
- U.S. median 0.40× the median ($7,288)
Instructional metrics from College Scorecard. Peer medians are campus-level; see the institutional financials deep dive. Detailed non-instructional staff counts are not included here.
Scorecard instructional metrics where reported.
Sonoran Desert Institute at a glance
Sonoran Desert Institute
Sonoran Desert Institute is a private for-profit institution in Tempe, AZ, classified as Special Focus Two-Year: Technical Professions.
- Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
- Gunsmithing/GunsmithMechatronics, Robotics, and Automation Engineering Technology/Technician
- Largest enrollment groups
- White or Caucasian71.3%Hispanic or Latino13.8%Black or African American5.7%
Schools near Sonoran Desert Institute
Other campuses in Tempe, AZ when available, plus nearby institutions in Arizona.
Similar schools
Peers matched by the same EDsmart outcomes grade (Grade D) within Arizona, then by similar ownership and admissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Sonoran Desert Institute located?
Sonoran Desert Institute is located in Tempe, AZ.
What is Sonoran Desert Institute's tuition?
Sonoran Desert Institute tuition (published undergraduate sticker price) is $12,200 in the latest College Scorecard data. Average net price after grant aid is $20,678 for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid.
How much does Sonoran Desert Institute cost?
Reported tuition is $12,200 and average net price is $20,678 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $13,984 annually.
What is the student body demographics at Sonoran Desert Institute?
Sonoran Desert Institute reports undergraduate enrollment of about 8,618 students, White (71.3%), Hispanic or Latino (13.8%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend Sonoran Desert Institute?
About 50.2% of students at Sonoran Desert Institute are first-generation college students.
What is the graduation rate at Sonoran Desert Institute?
The 150%-time completion rate is 33.1% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do Sonoran Desert Institute students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $9,500.
Is Sonoran Desert Institute public or private?
Sonoran Desert Institute is a private for-profit institution located in Tempe, AZ.
Is Sonoran Desert Institute an HBCU?
No. Sonoran Desert Institute is not flagged as an HBCU in the IPEDS institutional directory.
Is Sonoran Desert Institute a tribal college?
No. Sonoran Desert Institute is not flagged as a tribal college in IPEDS.
Is Sonoran Desert Institute a Hispanic-serving institution (HSI)?
Using a 25% Hispanic enrollment threshold on College Scorecard demographics, Sonoran Desert Institute does not meet that proxy (reported share 13.8%).
Is Sonoran Desert Institute religiously affiliated?
No religious affiliation is reported for Sonoran Desert Institute in IPEDS institutional characteristics.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
- Related geography & profiles
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology & Data Scope
This profile uses institution-level fields from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, merged with IPEDS directory attributes where needed for locale, ownership, and program completions.
Benchmark rows compare this campus to NCES locale-type medians (for example Suburban) from our processed location extract. Implied U.S. medians are derived from locale-vs-national percentage fields in that extract—not a separate national Scorecard table.