Grand Canyon University
Phoenix, Arizona · Private For-Profit · 78.9% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 25/100 · Poor Value
Grand Canyon University, a massive private-for-profit Christian university with 73,371 students (the bulk online), scores 25 (Poor Value tier). The institutional scale is staggering: 3,721 nursing graduates, 1,595 business administration graduates, 1,069 teacher education graduates, and 1,014 human services graduates per year. Tuition of $17,850 is moderate, but average net price is actually higher at $22,472 - reflecting limited institutional aid and that net price includes room/board for the residential cohort. Four-year cost runs $89,888. Median earnings six years out are $36,000 with only modest growth to $42,186 by year ten - a flat earnings curve that signals graduates aren't seeing the wage acceleration typical of strong-ROI degrees. Median federal debt of $22,114 looks reasonable, but five-year repayment rate of just 35.9% is genuinely alarming - barely a third of borrowers are reducing principal at the five-year mark. The 32-year payback period is among the longest in this batch. Completion rate of 43.5% is weak and reflects the heavy online-student mix. The honest read: GCU's nursing program (3,721 grads at B+ ROI, $92,781 starting earnings) is genuinely strong and singlehandedly props up institutional aggregates. The much larger non-nursing cohort - especially teacher education ($47,180 debt with F grade), human services, social work, and ministry - face debt-to-earnings ratios that produce structural payback failure. Several programs post F grades with debt-to-earnings ratios above 1.0.
The data raises concerns about Grand Canyon University
These metrics fall below the thresholds most financial advisors recommend for a sound college investment. Review them carefully before committing.
- ROI Score25/100 - Poor Value tier (below 45). Most 4-year schools we track score 60 or higher.
- Payback period32 years - Most 4-year schools we track have payback periods of 4-10 years.
Grand Canyon University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $17,850/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $17,850/yr |
| Average net price | $22,472/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $89,888 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $42,186 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $36,000 |
| Median debt at graduation | $22,114 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $234 |
| Estimated payback period | 32 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 43.5% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 73,371 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The sticker price at Grand Canyon University is $17,850/year. But sticker price isn't what most students pay. After grants, scholarships, and financial aid, the average student pays a net price of $22,472/year, or roughly $89,888 over four years.
That net price varies significantly by family income. The lowest-income families (under $30,000/year) pay an average of $18,557/year, while families earning over $110,000 pay $25,701/year.
The median graduate leaves with $22,114 in federal loan debt, translating to an estimated monthly payment of $234 on a standard 10-year repayment plan. Against median earnings of $42,186 ten years out, the debt-to-earnings ratio is 0.61 - 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 | $18,557 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $18,763 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $21,712 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $24,471 |
| $110,001+ | $25,701 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay $18,557 net annually, totaling about $74,228 over four years. The discount off published net price is small. With Pell aid plus federal loans, low-income students at GCU often borrow above the median, particularly in non-nursing programs where the 35.9% five-year repayment rate signals real distress. Low-income families should run the numbers carefully against in-state Arizona publics.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income families ($48,001-$75,000) pay $21,712 per year, about $86,848 over four years - close to full sticker. Aid grading is shallow; this bracket pays only modestly less than high-income peers. Outside of nursing, the financial math for this bracket is hard to defend.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
High-income families ($110,001+) pay $25,701 per year, totaling $102,804 across four years - exceeding the published 4-year cost figure, reflecting that the institutional total assumes some discounting. For high-income families, GCU should be evaluated only on programmatic fit (nursing, specific business tracks) rather than as a general value play.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Grand Canyon University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | $103,884 | B+ |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $65,828 | C |
| Teacher Education | $49,531 | D |
| Human Services, General | $48,766 | D |
| Special Education and Teaching | $50,892 | F |
| Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions | $51,490 | F |
| Community Organization and Advocacy | $46,973 | F |
| Social Work | $53,716 | D |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | $60,328 | D |
| Marketing | $60,303 | 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.
Registered Nursing
Nursing is GCU's flagship program and one of the largest BSN cohorts in the country at 3,721 graduates per year. Median 1-year earnings of $92,781, $103,884 at 4 years, $25,500 in median debt, and a 0.275 debt-to-earnings ratio earn a B+ grade - genuinely strong outcomes. The Arizona and broader Mountain West healthcare market plus structural BSN demand make this program the school's clear ROI win. Students who finish the nursing track here see fast payback and reliable career trajectories.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business is GCU's second-largest program at 1,595 graduates with $53,770 starting, $65,828 at 4 years, $29,916 in median debt, and a 0.56 debt-to-earnings ratio for a C grade. Earnings are workable for online and adult learners advancing within existing careers, but for traditional undergraduates the math is tighter. The scale (1,595 grads) means GCU is producing a meaningful share of the regional MBA-prep workforce.
Teacher Education
Teacher Education is GCU's third-largest program at 1,069 graduates - and the data is sobering: $40,682 starting, $49,531 at 4 years, $36,334 in median debt (well above school average), and a 0.89 debt-to-earnings ratio for a D grade. The high debt load combined with constrained teacher salaries produces structural payback challenges. Mission-aligned candidates should consider lower-cost teacher-prep paths.
Special Education and Teaching
Special Education produces 600 graduates with $43,258 starting, $50,892 at 4 years, $47,180 in median debt - an extraordinarily high debt load - and a 1.09 debt-to-earnings ratio for an F grade. Special education is critical workforce, but this debt level relative to earnings produces a structural payback failure. The data is a serious warning for prospective students; lower-cost public alternatives produce dramatically better ROI for the same career path.
Human Services, General
Human Services graduates 1,014 students per year - GCU's fourth-largest program - with $35,433 starting, $48,766 at 4 years, $30,509 in median debt, and a 0.86 debt-to-earnings ratio for a D grade. The combination of low post-graduation wages in social services and meaningful debt loads produces difficult payback math. Mission-driven students should weigh this against community-college pathways that produce credentials at much lower cost.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 60.3% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 64.8% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 35.9% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 37.1% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 78.9% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 488-533 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 518-580 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 20-22 |
| Enrollment | 73,371 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 45.9% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,563 |
GCU admits 78.9% of applicants. SAT mid-range (Math 488-533, Reading 518-580) and ACT composite of 20-22 reflect a student body skewing toward the academic middle. The 43.5% completion rate is far below what the academic profile predicts and is dominated by the school's massive online cohort, which has structurally lower persistence than residential students. For prospective residential students at the Phoenix campus, the on-the-ground completion rate is meaningfully higher than the institutional aggregate suggests.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
GCU's peer set is telling: University of Advancing Technology, Arizona College of Nursing-Tempe, Full Sail, Capella, and Colorado Technical - all for-profit or specialty privates serving primarily online or non-traditional students. Within this cohort, GCU's nursing program is the standout (Arizona College of Nursing posts solid outcomes too). Capella and Colorado Tech post weaker overall outcomes. Full Sail concentrates in arts/media with similar payback challenges. The cohort as a whole is one where institutional ROI scores run weak and program selection matters disproportionately.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Canyon University (this school) | 25 | $22,472 | $42,186 |
| Strayer University-Florida | 24 | $16,064 | $40,092 |
| Herzing University-Kenosha | 23 | $23,066 | $36,909 |
| DeVry University-Ohio | 23 | $25,001 | $45,987 |
| Johnson & Wales University-Online | 21 | $20,252 | $43,418 |
| DeVry University-Florida | 21 | $29,477 | $45,987 |
Who Thrives Here
GCU fits two very different students: the residential undergraduate at the large Phoenix campus seeking faith-based community, and the working adult online student seeking degree completion. Pell rate of 46% indicates a working-class student body. The fit case is strong for nursing applicants who finish - the BSN program is genuinely high-quality and the labor-market output is excellent. For non-nursing programs, especially the ministry, human services, and teacher education tracks, the financial math is genuinely problematic. Online students should weigh GCU against in-state public alternatives that offer materially better completion and outcomes.
The Verdict: The Numbers Don't Add Up
The financial data raises serious concerns about Grand Canyon University. With a net cost of $22,472 per year and median graduate earnings of only $42,186 ten years out, the estimated payback period exceeds 32 years. For most students, the financial return does not justify the cost.
Areas of concern include weak earnings relative to cost and a 43.5% graduation rate and concerning loan repayment rates and a long payback period.
Median debt of $22,114 against $42,186 in earnings is reasonable, though major choice matters significantly. Students in higher-earning programs will see better returns.
NewsletterCollege decisions are better with data.
New analyses, updated school profiles, and tools - when there’s something worth acting on.
Rankings & Links
Guides & Tools
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.