Before we start our cost analysis of all the colleges in Arizona let’s quickly review how the districts are set up.
Key Takeaways
Like all community colleges, those in Arizona cost much less than a private college or public university. All community colleges in the state have shared goals of access and service leading to open admissions and affordable tuition. Community colleges offer a path to higher education and eventually quick employment opportunities by making education accessible to Americans who can not afford it otherwise. This article is your complete guide to the average education costs of all community colleges in Arizona.
Unlike other educational institutions, community colleges are much more in tune with the growing demands of the workforce in their communities. This enables them to turn out students who are job-ready for in-demand positions at a fast pace.
These colleges are fully accredited by the Higher Learning Commission for this purpose and are the most common entry point for underserved students in a community.
The ultimate goal of these institutions is to bridge the gap between employers and potential employees by arming the latter with the knowledge to successfully execute the duties assigned to them.
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College districts in Arizona
There are a total of 10 college districts in Arizona with over 61 locations divided into campuses and learning centers accommodating 297,000+ credited Arizona students.
These are the college districts:
- Arizona Western
- Central Arizona College
- Cochise College
- Coconino Community College
- Eastern Arizona College
- Maricopa Community Colleges
- Mohave Community College
- Northland Pioneer College
- Pima Community College
- Yavapai College
Arizona Western College
Covering Yuma and La Paz, Arizona, AWC (Arizona Western College) is a public community college offering associate degrees, occupational certificates, and transfer degrees.
The college offers over 100 degrees and certificates in person and online. Its associate degrees include Arts (AA), Science (AS), Business (ABus) and Applied Science (AAS).
If you graduate from Arizona Western you can easily transfer to one of the three in-state universities governed by the Arizona Board of Regents, which includes Arizona State University in Tempe, Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, or the University of Arizona in Tucson.
Average Annual Cost - $10,165
Cost includes tuition, living costs, books and supplies, and fees minus the average grants and scholarships for federal financial aid recipients.
Note: Midpoint for Certificate schools is: $14,806
Median Earnings - $32,346
Note: Midpoint for Certificate Schools: $27,754
Locations
Arizona Western College has 12 locations across 10,000 square miles, 2-county service area. It hosts all three state universities on its main campus for face-to-face classes.
Central Arizona College
CAC has been serving and educating the communities of Pinal County since 1969. The college provides educational, cultural, economic, as well as personal growth opportunities.
Central Arizona College offers a wide range of academic degrees and certificates along with career training and personal enrichment classes. University transfer and online courses, continuing education classes, and workshops are also offered, offering personal and professional growth opportunities for the surrounding community.
Average Annual Cost - $6,260
Cost includes tuition, living costs, books and supplies, and fees minus the average grants and scholarships for federal financial aid recipients.
Note: Midpoint for Certificate schools is: $14,806
Median Earnings - $34,165
Note: Midpoint for Certificate Schools: $27,754
Locations
Cochise College
Serving the residents of Cochise County, the Cochise College is a two-year public institution. Located in the southern Arizona area, the college has a surrounding panoramic view of five different mountain ranges.
One great advantage is that graduates from Cochise College can transfer seamlessly to all three Arizona four-year universities. Besides the degree program, Cochise also offers more than 50 workforce development and certificate programs that can get you immediate industry jobs or help build your career.
The college claims to have been recognized nationwide for its low cost, return on investment, and high success rates of its students.
Average Annual Cost - $6,228
Cost includes tuition, living costs, books and supplies, and fees minus the average grants and scholarships for federal financial aid recipients.
Note: Midpoint for 2-yr Schools: $8,430
Median Earnings - $32,656
Note: Midpoint for 2-yr Schools: $36,066
Locations
Coconino Community College
If you are in the Northern part of Arizona, then Coconino Community College (CCC) is a public community college serving Coconino County in your area.
With more than 7,500 students enrolling every year, Coconino Community College is committed to providing quality education with affordable tuition to the surrounding communities.
Average Annual Cost - $13,835
Cost includes tuition, living costs, books and supplies, and fees minus the average grants and scholarships for federal financial aid recipients.
Note: Midpoint for 2-yr Schools: $8,430
Median Earnings - $35,173
Note: Midpoint for 2-yr Schools: $36,066
Locations
Eastern Arizona College
Claiming to be the oldest and most beautiful college in Arizona, Eastern Arizona College is nestled in the Gila Valley surrounded by scenic mountain ranges. With a long scholarly heritage and tradition, the college is an ideal place to start the journey to higher education.
With a tradition of academic excellence and an enviable track record of student success, EAC is fully accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and staffed by friendly and qualified faculty.
Average Annual Cost - $6,195
Cost includes tuition, living costs, books and supplies, and fees minus the average grants and scholarships for federal financial aid recipients.
Note: Midpoint for Certificate schools is: $14,806
Median Earnings - $34,529
Note: Midpoint for Certificate Schools: $27,754
Locations
Maricopa Community Colleges
Founded in 1920 as a single college, Maricopa Community Colleges now include 10 regional accredited colleges across the Maricopa County. These colleges serve more than 100,000 students between them.
Maricopa Community Colleges offer degrees, certificates, and workforce skills training programs that have been impacting positively throughout these communities. The instructors are friendly and qualified.
Average Annual Cost - $8,779*
Cost includes tuition, living costs, books and supplies, and fees minus the average grants and scholarships for federal financial aid recipients.
Note: Midpoint for Certificate schools is: $14,806
By Family Income
Depending on the federal, state, or institutional grant aid available, students in your income bracket may pay more or less than the overall average costs.
Note: Maricopa Community Colleges are a group of colleges each with its own tuition charges. Figures here are the average of all 10 colleges.
Median Earnings - $39,978*
Note: Midpoint for Certificate Schools: $27,754
*average median earning of all 10 colleges
Locations
Mohave Community College
A community college serving more than 6,000 students annually, Mohave has attractive in-state tuition of $81 per credit hour. MCC is primarily focused in the northwest portion of the state of Arizona as well as the neighboring communities in California, Nevada, and Utah.
With four campuses the college also has a popular online degree program called MCC Online.
Mohave Community College offers more than 80 two-year associate’s degree courses as well as 40 other programs with certification. The quality of education is at par with any respectable state educational institution helping you to transfer to a bachelor’s or higher degree program.
Average Annual Cost - $8,986
Cost includes tuition, living costs, books and supplies, and fees minus the average grants and scholarships for federal financial aid recipients.
Note: Midpoint for Certificate schools is: $14,806
Median Earnings - $31,007
Note: Midpoint for Certificate Schools: $27,754
Locations
Northland Pioneer College
A public community college focused on the northeastern part of Arizona, Northland Pioneer College (NPC) is a public community college serving four of the largest Navajo County communities: Snowflake, Show Low, Holbrook, and Winslow.
The college also partners with communities in Apache County, Arizona, and is governed by the Navajo County Community College District which is America’s 2nd largest community college service area – 21,158 square miles (54,800 km2).
Average Annual Cost - $8,749
Cost includes tuition, living costs, books and supplies, and fees minus the average grants and scholarships for federal financial aid recipients.
Note: Midpoint for Certificate schools is: $14,80
Median Earnings - $29,093
Note: Midpoint for Certificate Schools: $27,754
Location
Pima Community College
One of the biggest multi-campus community colleges in the nation, Pima Community College is a fully accredited institution by the Higher Learning Commission.
PCC primarily serves the Tucson metropolitan area with a college district comprising of five campuses, four education centers and not to mention, several adult education learning centers.
Pima offers both traditional and online programs for more than 144 programs. Besides degree and certificate courses, these also include workforce training, non-credit personal interest classes and post-baccalaureate certificates.
Average Annual Cost - $3,583
Cost includes tuition, living costs, books and supplies, and fees minus the average grants and scholarships for federal financial aid recipients.
Note: Midpoint for Certificate schools is: $14,806
Median Earnings - $35,828
Note: Midpoint for Certificate Schools: $27,754
Locations
Yavapai College
The Yavapai county area is covered by Yavapai College which provides educational, technical school education, economic development, and cultural enrichment opportunities and resources. It does this through six campuses and centers throughout the district.
Yavapai has invested a lot in its online learning programs and offers more than 40% of its courses online.
Average Annual Cost - $6,965
Cost includes tuition, living costs, books and supplies, and fees minus the average grants and scholarships for federal financial aid recipients.
Note: Midpoint for Certificate schools is: $14,806
Median Earnings - $34,014
Note: Midpoint for Certificate Schools: $27,754
Locations
Final Word
The community colleges of Arizona are a great place to get your career started or even to move forward in your career. There are a host of community colleges that serve the purpose of giving education to people who struggle financially.
This community college education, in terms of quality, is at par with any other college. This is the right time as the job market bounces back, to get an education so you can advance in your career.
This guide shows you the average cost of education at community colleges throughout Arizona state to help you make an informed decision. If you want to build your career or simply start your first job, Unmudl is the right place to start with an excellent list of courses from community colleges.
Frequently Asked Questions
