Ashford University
San Diego, California · Private For-Profit
ROI Score: 6/100 · Poor Value
Ashford University, now operating as the University of Arizona Global Campus, scores a 6 out of 100 on CampusROI, one of the lowest scores in the dataset, and sits firmly in the Poor Value tier. The numbers tell a stark story: net price is $31,266 a year despite published tuition of $11,960, total four-year cost is about $125,064, the six-year completion rate is just 10.7%, median earnings stall at $34,000 after six years and barely move to $35,404 by year ten, median debt is $31,250, and the debt-to-earnings ratio is 0.919. The modeled payback period is 656.1 years, which is the algorithm's way of saying earnings essentially never recoup the cost. Repayment progress is weak: only 42% of borrowers are making progress at the three-year mark and just 37% by year seven. The combination of a net price that exceeds sticker tuition, a completion rate near one-in-ten, and a mostly online, working-adult enrollment profile means most students who borrow at Ashford end up with substantial debt and no degree. There is essentially no scenario in which this institution is a financially defensible choice for a traditional undergraduate.
The data raises concerns about Ashford University
These metrics fall below the thresholds most financial advisors recommend for a sound college investment. Review them carefully before committing.
- ROI Score6/100 - Poor Value tier (below 45). Most 4-year schools we track score 60 or higher.
- 6-year graduation rate10.7% - Well below the 60% national average. Non-completion is the fastest route to negative ROI.
- Payback period>50 years - Graduates earn at or near the level of high school completers — the cost may not recoup within a working career.
Ashford University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $11,960/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $11,960/yr |
| Average net price | $31,266/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $125,064 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $35,404 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $34,000 |
| Median debt at graduation | $31,250 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $331 |
| Estimated payback period | >50 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 10.7% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 20,152 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The sticker price at Ashford University is $11,960/year. But sticker price isn't what most students pay. After grants, scholarships, and financial aid, the average student pays a net price of $31,266/year, or roughly $125,064 over four years.
That net price varies significantly by family income. The lowest-income families (under $30,000/year) pay an average of $31,009/year, while families earning over $110,000 pay $33,593/year.
The median graduate leaves with $31,250 in federal loan debt, translating to an estimated monthly payment of $331 on a standard 10-year repayment plan. Against median earnings of $35,404 ten years out, the debt-to-earnings ratio is 0.92 - within the recommended range but worth monitoring.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $31,009 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $31,862 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $33,319 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $32,953 |
| $110,001+ | $33,593 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 face a net price of $31,009 per year. That is essentially the same as the institutional average and indicates almost no need-based discount. Four years totals about $124,000 against ten-year median earnings of $35,404. Pell-eligible students should treat Ashford as financially out of reach without employer tuition coverage and look at California community colleges or open-enrollment publics like Cal State Online instead.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income brackets show net prices of $31,862 ($30,001-$48,000) and $33,319 ($48,001-$75,000), which is a mild inversion: middle-income families pay more than the lowest bracket. This is consistent with a school that does not meaningfully discount and where institutional aid is effectively a flat sticker. There is no scenario in which a $33,000-per-year online degree from a school with a 10.7% completion rate is a sound use of middle-income family resources.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Households above $110,000 pay $33,593 a year, roughly $134,000 over four years. For full-pay families, the only path that justifies that spend is direct employer reimbursement that zeroes out the bill. Paying cash for an Ashford degree against a $35,404 ten-year median earnings figure is, on the numbers, a loss-making decision.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Ashford University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $71,782 | C |
| Teacher Education | $43,748 | F |
| Psychology | $48,325 | F |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | $53,801 | D |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $60,144 | D |
| Human Resources Management | $65,002 | D |
| Accounting | $61,522 | D |
| Behavioral Sciences | $45,157 | F |
| Finance and Financial Management | $64,426 | C+ |
| Sociology | $51,004 | D |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration is the flagship program with 1,783 graduates, by far the largest cohort. First-year earnings of $61,466 and four-year earnings of $71,782 against $35,861 in median debt produce a 0.583 debt-to-earnings ratio and a C ROI grade, which is actually the strongest defensible outcome on campus. The caveat is enormous selection bias: these are completers, and the program-level completion rate at Ashford is unlikely to resemble the institutional 10.7%. Students who do finish business at Ashford tend to be older working adults already employed in business roles.
Teacher Education
Teacher Education graduates 574 students with first-year earnings of just $33,594 and a high $41,274 in median debt, yielding a 1.229 debt-to-earnings ratio and an F ROI grade. Teaching salaries are structurally low and this program is loading graduates with debt loads that exceed annual starting pay. Prospective teachers in California would be financially better served by a CSU teaching credential program at a fraction of the cost.
Health and Medical Administrative Services
Health administration graduates 450 students with $45,459 in first-year earnings rising to $53,801 by year four against $44,878 in median debt. The 0.987 debt-to-earnings ratio is right at the danger threshold and produces a D ROI grade. This is one of the more popular pathways at Ashford because of healthcare's hiring volume, but the debt load is heavy enough that graduates spend the better part of a decade catching up.
Psychology
Psychology graduates 455 students with $38,524 in first-year earnings and $43,875 in median debt, producing a 1.139 debt-to-earnings ratio and an F ROI grade. Bachelor's psychology is a structurally weak credential financially across the entire higher-ed system; pairing that with a for-profit price tag makes Ashford one of the worst possible places to pursue this major. The credential only pays off with a funded graduate program in counseling or applied psychology, and Ashford's pre-doctoral preparation does not have the placement track record to justify the debt risk.
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Criminal Justice produces 383 graduates with $47,869 in first-year earnings and $37,625 in median debt, a 0.786 debt-to-earnings ratio, and a D ROI grade. Federal and state law enforcement pathways often have generous tuition reimbursement and recognize the credential, so the program functions reasonably for students whose employers pay the bill. For self-pay students, the debt-to-earnings math is poor.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 34.1% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 42.1% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 29.3% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 36.7% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Admissions Snapshot
| Enrollment | 20,152 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 32.1% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,113 |
Admission rate is not reported in current Scorecard data for Ashford. The school operates as an open-enrollment online institution, so selectivity in the traditional sense does not apply. The relevant filter is self-selection: anyone who can pay or borrow can enroll. That dynamic, paired with a 10.7% completion rate, is what drives the catastrophic ROI. There is no SAT or ACT screen and no academic benchmark to set expectations against.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Peers in the CampusROI dataset include Academy of Art University, University of Silicon Valley, Colorado Technical University Colorado Springs, Full Sail University, and Post University. These are largely for-profit or formerly for-profit institutions targeting non-traditional and online students. Ashford's ROI score of 6 is on the low end even within this group, driven primarily by its 10.7% completion rate. None of these peers post strong outcomes, but Ashford is closer to the bottom of the cohort than the top.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ashford University (this school) | 6 | $31,266 | $35,404 |
| University of Silicon Valley | 23 | $27,815 | $51,017 |
| Full Sail University | 13 | $38,875 | $38,219 |
| Post University | 12 | $21,634 | $38,696 |
| Academy of Art University | 10 | $40,613 | $39,008 |
| Colorado Technical University-Colorado Springs | 9 | $16,745 | $37,180 |
Who Thrives Here
Ashford enrolls about 20,152 students, with a Pell rate of 32.1%, almost entirely online, and oriented toward working adults. The traditional 18-year-old residential applicant is not the target population here. The only student for whom this school plausibly works is one whose employer pays full tuition through a partnership benefit, with no out-of-pocket cost and no borrowing, and who has the time-management skills to actually finish a degree at an institution where nine out of ten students do not. For Pell-eligible students paying out of pocket, the math does not work at any net price near $31,000.
The Verdict: The Numbers Don't Add Up
The financial data raises serious concerns about Ashford University. With a net cost of $31,266 per year and median graduate earnings of only $35,404 ten years out, the estimated payback period exceeds >50 years. For most students, the financial return does not justify the cost.
Areas of concern include weak earnings relative to cost and a 10.7% graduation rate and high debt relative to what graduates earn and concerning loan repayment rates and a long payback period.
Median debt of $31,250 against $35,404 in earnings is concerning. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.88 exceeds the commonly recommended threshold. Major choice is critical here.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.