Colleges that pay for themselves fastest in Arizona

Colleges ranked by how many years of extra earnings, above a high school graduate’s, cover four years of net price.

Colleges that pay for themselves fastest in Arizona3 schools

3 schools qualify, ranked by payback years.

How this list is made

Schools in Arizona.
Accredited four-year undergraduate colleges.
Academic Excellence grade B+ or better (the top 35% of rated colleges).
Has median earnings ten years after enrolling and a net price from federal data (College Scorecard), and those earnings are above a high school graduate’s ($48,360 a year: median weekly earnings of $930 for full-time workers with a high school diploma, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2024).
Each school needs a complete Compass Score, so every row shows a rating.
Payback years = four years of net price ÷ (earnings − a high school graduate’s earnings). Ordered by payback years, fewest first. A simple estimate: it leaves out interest, taxes and earnings growth.

Updated Oct. 20, 2026. Methodology. Spot an error? Send a correction.

School	Net price a year	Median debt	Earnings 10 years out	Graduation rate
Arizona State University Campus Immersion	$14,967	$19,500	$62,668	68%
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott	$40,287	$23,666	$84,131	68%
University of Arizona	$16,674	$19,620	$59,979	68%

Net price is the average yearly cost after grants. Federal data (College Scorecard). “—” means the school reports no figure.