Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott
Prescott, Arizona · Private Nonprofit · 76.6% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 76/100 · Strong Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott scores 76 (Strong Value). The 6.1-year payback period and $51,400 average 6-year earnings are respectable, and the 67.8% completion rate is adequate. Median debt is $23,666 with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.460. Engineering programs - particularly computer and electrical engineering - produce strong year-one earnings. The Air Transportation program (169 graduates) is the largest by volume and tells the story of aviation's front-loaded career: high four-year earnings but a slow early ramp as pilots work through regional carrier pay scales.
The median graduate earns $84,131 ten years after entry - well above the roughly $53,600 median across the schools we score.
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $44,149/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $44,149/yr |
| Average net price | $40,287/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $161,148 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $84,131 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $51,400 |
| Median debt at graduation | $23,666 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $251 |
| Estimated payback period | 6.1 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 67.8% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 3,218 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $44,149/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $40,287/year, or roughly $161,148 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $39,171/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $42,834/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $23,666, which works out to about $251 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($51,400) and comes to 0.46, which in our view is comfortably manageable.
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 | $39,171 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $37,924 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $37,346 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $37,587 |
| $110,001+ | $42,834 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay $39,171 net price per year - an extraordinarily high figure. The Pell rate of 18.3% suggests Embry-Riddle Prescott does not primarily serve low-income students, and the aid structure confirms that: low-income students receive minimal relief. This price point is not manageable for most low-income families.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income families ($48,001-$75,000) pay $37,346 per year - barely less than the lowest income band. Families in the $75,001-$110,000 bracket pay $37,587. The aid structure is essentially flat across all income bands below $110,000, which means the school's merit aid is doing most of the pricing work and need-based aid is limited.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning $110,000+ pay $42,834 per year - about $171,000 over four years. Against average 6-year earnings of $51,400 and a 6.1-year payback period, aerospace and computer engineering graduates can construct a reasonable case. Aviation students face a longer real-world payback given early-career pay scales.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Air Transportation | $90,495 | B |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | $95,552 | B |
| International Relations and National Security Studies | $75,520 | C+ |
| Mechanical Engineering | $96,331 | B |
| Security Science and Technology | $98,996 | B |
| Computer Engineering | $105,527 | B+ |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $83,749 | B+ |
| Clinical Psychology | $82,023 | C |
| Electrical Engineering | $99,450 | B+ |
| Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology | $76,421 | C |
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.
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering
Aerospace Engineering is Embry-Riddle Prescott's signature program and highest volume technical offering at 147 graduates. Year-one earnings are $75,483 and $95,552 at year four, with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.358 (ROI grade B). Graduates enter defense contractors, NASA, commercial aerospace, and satellite companies. The four-year figure of $95k reflects the aerospace industry's well-defined career progression. At a $40,287 net price, the debt-to-earnings is manageable but not exceptional.
Computer Engineering
Computer Engineering (32 graduates) earns $79,276 year-one and $105,527 at year four with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.330 (ROI grade B+). This is the campus's strongest ROI grade by earnings trajectory. Graduates from a technical school with a defense and aerospace focus enter software and hardware roles in defense, avionics, and commercial tech. The four-year trajectory to $105k is strong for the program type.
Air Transportation
Air Transportation is the largest program at 169 graduates with $54,827 year-one and $90,495 at year four (ROI grade B). The gap between year-one and year-four reflects regional airline pay structures: first officers earn in the $40,000-$60,000 range until they accumulate hours and upgrade to captain or move to major carriers. Median debt of $22,000 is workable, but students must finance years of below-median earnings before the four-year trajectory materializes.
International Relations and National Security Studies
The security studies program (92 graduates) earns $46,868 year-one and $75,520 at year four with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.489 (ROI grade C+). Graduates enter federal agencies, defense contractors, and policy organizations. The C+ grade reflects adequate but not strong returns - the program is sized appropriately for the government and contractor market but carries a net price that limits margin.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 71.0% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 76.9% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 74.1% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 77.7% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 76.6% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 560-690 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 580-680 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 24-29 |
| Enrollment | 3,218 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 18.3% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $10,066 |
Embry-Riddle Prescott's admission rate is 76.6%; the school selects for academic readiness in technical programs. SAT 560-690 Math mid-range is consistent with students who can handle calculus-based engineering curricula. The specialized mission means admissions decisions are implicitly about fit as much as academic profile.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott (this school) | 76 | $40,287 | $84,131 |
| University of Mary | 76 | $17,770 | $60,909 |
| Pacific Lutheran University | 76 | $19,589 | $66,990 |
| Bradley University | 75 | $22,719 | $66,852 |
| Prescott College | 30 | $22,583 | $42,359 |
| Arizona Christian University | 30 | $32,839 | $51,612 |
Who Thrives Here
Embry-Riddle Prescott admits 76.6% of applicants with SAT mid-ranges of 560-690 Math and 580-680 Reading, ACT 24-29 composite. At 3,218 students it is a focused institution in northern Arizona. Students targeting aerospace engineering, computer engineering, aviation, or security science get purpose-built programs with real labor market connections. Students who are not specifically committed to aviation, defense, or technical fields have limited program options here.
The Verdict: The Investment Pays Off
For most students, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott pays off. You'd pay about $40,287 a year after aid ($161,148 over four years), and the typical graduate earns $84,131 ten years after enrollment. That puts the payback - the time it takes for the earnings bump to cover what you spent - at roughly 6.1 years, a solid return.
What it has going for it: manageable debt relative to earnings.
Median debt of $23,666 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $51,400 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.46, under the 1.0 point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings. Your major matters a lot here: graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott: Common Questions
Is Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott worth it?
In our view, yes - for most students Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott pays off. It scores 76/100 on our ROI scale. You'd pay about $40,287 a year after aid ($161,148 over four years), and the typical graduate earns $84,131 ten years after enrollment, so the cost takes roughly 6.1 years to earn back.
How much does Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $40,287 a year, or roughly $161,148 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $84,131 ten years after enrolling, roughly $42,331 a year more than the median high-school graduate ($41,800, per NCES, 2022). That earnings gap is what has to cover the cost of the degree.
How long does it take to pay off Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about 6.1 years for Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $23,666, against average earnings of $51,400 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.46. In our view that is reasonable, though your major matters: higher-earning fields will see the better end of it.
What is the graduation rate at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott?
The six-year graduation rate is 67.8%, at or above the 64% national average for four-year schools (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
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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.