Public Associate Good 60/100

Paradise Valley Community College

See admissions data, costs, student outcomes, and academic programs, all verified from official US government sources.

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Phoenix, Arizona

About Paradise Valley Community College

Thinking about Paradise Valley Community College, a college in Arizona where more students graduate in Liberal Arts than anything else? The four things worth knowing are what it actually costs after aid, whether you would get in, whether students finish, and what they earn after they do.

Paradise Valley Community College is a public institution offering associate degrees based in Phoenix, Arizona. It enrolls 5,117 students (a large student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Every figure on this page is reported by the federal government, not supplied by the college, so it can be compared like for like against anywhere else you are looking.

Acceptance
—
Graduation
4.9%
Net Price
$12,180
Median Earnings (10yr)
$47,196
Enrollment
5,117
Student : Faculty
13:1

Accreditor Higher Learning Commission
Academic Calendar Semester

How It Measures Up

These four scores answer one question: compared with similar colleges, is this one worth the money? Each runs 0 to 100 and is judged only against its peer group (4-Year Open / Online), so a community college is never marked down for not being Harvard. Everything is computed from federal data. Nobody can pay to move a score, and a pillar with missing data is left unscored rather than guessed.

Good
60/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Open / Online
Outcomes 33
Value 62
Affordability 33
Selectivity —

Admissions & Acceptance Rate

Paradise Valley Community College does not report an acceptance rate. Schools that do not publish one are usually open-admission, but confirm with the admissions office before you assume it.

Acceptance Rate
—
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported

Cost & Financial Aid

Ignore the sticker price. What matters is the net price, which is what a typical family pays here after grants and scholarships come off. At $12,180 a year on average, it sits below what public colleges charge nationally. That still leaves most families a gap to cover, but a manageable one. Figures are College Scorecard 2023-24.

The average hides a wide spread by household income, so it is worth estimating what a family at your income would actually pay before treating this as the price.

Average Net Price
$12,180
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
18%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
7%
Borrowing to attend

Full Cost Breakdown

Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.

Tuition & Fees (in-state)
$2,358
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$8,958
Room & Board (off-campus)
$10,872
Books & Supplies
$1,104
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$11,304
Total Cost of Attendance
$18,375

Net Price by Family Income

Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.

  • Under $30,000
    $10,823
  • $30,001 – $48,000
    $12,187
  • $48,001 – $75,000
    $12,527
  • $75,001 – $110,000
    $15,318
  • Over $110,000
    $18,165

Debt at Graduation

Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.

$1,750
10% percentile
$2,250
25% percentile
$6,995
Median percentile
$9,128
75% percentile
$15,000
90% percentile

Median Debt by Student Type

Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.

GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $4,750 ↓ $2,245
No Pell $3,500 ↓ $3,495
Dependent students $3,500 ↓ $3,495
Independent students $4,563 ↓ $2,432
Female students $4,500 ↓ $2,495
Male students $4,000 ↓ $2,995
Pell recipients: 19.1% (1,339 students)No Pell: 14.1% (987 students)Dependent students: 14.1% (987 students)Independent students: 18.4% (1,286 students)Female students: 18.1% (1,269 students)Male students: 16.1% (1,128 students)Overall Median$6,995
Worth knowing: Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $4,175, less than completers ($6,995), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.

Graduation Rate & Retention

5% of students who start here finish within six years, and 65% come back after first year. Most students who start here do not finish. That is the single most important number on this page. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

Completion and earnings carry the most weight in this college's score, and how the UCD Score weighs each measure sets out exactly how they are combined.

6-Year Graduation Rate
5%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
65%
Returning for their second year
What this means: Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.

After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes

Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $47,196 a year, close to the national median. Typical for most colleges, so what you study will matter more than where. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.

Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$47,196
Earning > $25K
71%
10 yrs after entry

Earnings Growth After Graduation

Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.

$41,000$43,000$44,000$46,000$48,0006 yrs8 yrs10 yrs

Earnings by Demographic

Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.

By Gender

Female graduates
$36,900

Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.

Male graduates
$46,900

Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.


By Family Income at Entry

Family income (lowest third)
$35,600

Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.

Family income (middle third)
$45,200

Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.

Family income (highest third)
$48,500

Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.

The gender gap: Male graduates earn $10,000, about 21% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
What this means: Solid return on investment. Every dollar of net annual cost is matched by ~$3.9 of median earnings 10 years out.

Who Studies Here

Who you would actually be sitting next to: 5,117 students, a large student community. Worth knowing: 47% are the first in their family to go to college, and 68% study part-time, so many are working alongside classes.

Total Enrolled
5,117
Part-Time
68%
First-Generation
47%

Race & Ethnicity Breakdown

Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.

GroupShareStudents
White 50.6% 2,589
Hispanic 30.6% 1,564
Other 6.7% 345
Black 4.1% 210
Asian 3.5% 181
International 1.0% 52
White: 50.6% (2,589 students)Hispanic: 30.6% (1,564 students)Other: 6.7% (345 students)Black: 4.1% (210 students)Asian: 3.5% (181 students)International: 1.0% (52 students)Total5,117

Student Life & Campus Culture

Where students live, learn, and connect at Paradise Valley Community College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.

Setting
Large City Phoenix, Arizona
Housing
Commuter campus No on-campus housing
Adult Learners
35% of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAA athletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semester scheduling structure

What You Can Study

After that comes the national picture for Visual & Performing Arts graduates, which shows what the field pays across every college rather than just this one.

Paradise Valley Community College offers an extensive catalog of programs: 47 distinct programs across 19 majors. Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings. Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.

1 Program
6 Programs
5 Programs
8 Programs
2 Programs
6 Programs

Faculty & Resources

There are 13 students for every instructor here: about average, so expect a mix of small seminars and big lectures.

Student : Faculty
13:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$5,469
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Avg Faculty Salary
$92,540
9-month equivalent across all ranks

Faculty by Rank

100 instructional faculty across 1 ranks. The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.

Rank Faculty Count Share Avg Salary
No Rank 100 100% $92,540

Pros & Cons of Paradise Valley Community College

No college is right for everyone. Here is where Paradise Valley Community College is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.

Read against a single profile these cut both ways, which is why it helps to put two colleges side by side on the same measures rather than judging one in isolation.

PROS
  • Below-average net price
  • Reasonable class sizes
  • Low typical debt at graduation
  • First-gen-friendly student body
  • Flexible part-time enrollment options
CONS
  • Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
  • First-year retention is below typical
  • Predominantly serves middle- and upper-income families
  • No graduate programs offered at this institution
  • Mostly part-time student body, less full-time campus feel
Best for: Based on the data, Paradise Valley Community College is a fit for working adults or students needing part-time study options.

Frequently Asked Questions about Paradise Valley Community College

The questions families ask most about Paradise Valley Community College, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.

How much does Paradise Valley Community College cost?
Budget around $12,180 a year. That is the net price, what families typically pay once grants and scholarships come off, not the sticker price. Your own figure depends on household income, so treat this as a midpoint rather than a quote. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Paradise Valley Community College worth it?
On the numbers, yes: solid return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $47,196 a year against a net price of $12,180, about 3.9 dollars of earnings for every dollar of annual cost. That ratio ignores whether you finish and what you study, which matter just as much. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Paradise Valley Community College known for?
Mostly Liberal Arts, Fine Arts, Nursing. Those are the fields where it awards the most degrees, which is a better guide to where the teaching strength sits than any reputation ranking. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What do Paradise Valley Community College graduates earn?
About $47,196 a year, measured ten years after students first enrolled. Half earn more and half earn less, and what you study moves that figure far more than where you study. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Paradise Valley Community College accredited?
Yes. Paradise Valley Community College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
How many students attend Paradise Valley Community College?
5,117 students. Big enough for a wide course catalogue without feeling anonymous. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at Paradise Valley Community College?
5% finish within six years. That means most students do not finish in six years. Ask the school directly what support exists for students who fall behind. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is Paradise Valley Community College a public or private college?
It is Public. Public, so in-state students usually pay materially less than everyone else.
Where is Paradise Valley Community College located?
Paradise Valley Community College is located in Phoenix, Arizona.
What programs does Paradise Valley Community College offer?
47 different programs, most commonly Liberal Arts, Fine Arts, Nursing. If the subject you want is not among them, check the full list before applying rather than assuming it is offered.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Paradise Valley Community College?
13 students per instructor. About average, so a mix of seminars and larger lectures. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

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