Prescott College
Prescott, Arizona · Private Nonprofit · 94.5% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 30/100 · Poor Value
Prescott College, a private nonprofit in Prescott, AZ, posts a 30 ROI score in the Poor Value tier. Sticker tuition is $35,685, but net price drops to $22,583 -- a meaningful $13,000 in average aid. The headline weakness is earnings: median six-year earnings are $28,500, rising to $42,359 by year 10. Payback period is 31.3 years and the earnings premium over high-school baseline is just 8.1%. Debt-to-earnings sits at 0.572 -- moderate, supported by a manageable $16,300 median debt -- and the completion rate is 55.6%, which is mid-pack for liberal-arts-style private nonprofits. The repayment rate is 62%, which is below average and signals that even graduates with relatively low debt are struggling to make full progress. With enrollment of just 219 and a 42% Pell rate, Prescott runs as a small, mission-driven (environmental/experiential) liberal arts college where the price-to-earnings math is challenging but the student-experience differentiation matters more than for a generic private nonprofit.
The data raises concerns about Prescott College
These metrics fall below the thresholds most financial advisors recommend for a sound college investment. Review them carefully before committing.
- ROI Score30/100 - Poor Value tier (below 45). Most 4-year schools we track score 60 or higher.
- Payback period31.3 years - Most 4-year schools we track have payback periods of 4-10 years.
Prescott College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $35,685/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $35,685/yr |
| Average net price | $22,583/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $90,332 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $42,359 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $28,500 |
| Median debt at graduation | $16,300 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $173 |
| Estimated payback period | 31.3 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 55.6% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 219 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The sticker price at Prescott College is $35,685/year. But sticker price isn't what most students pay. After grants, scholarships, and financial aid, the average student pays a net price of $22,583/year, or roughly $90,332 over four years.
That net price varies significantly by family income. The lowest-income families (under $30,000/year) pay an average of $22,542/year, while families earning over $110,000 pay $25,444/year.
The median graduate leaves with $16,300 in federal loan debt, translating to an estimated monthly payment of $173 on a standard 10-year repayment plan. Against median earnings of $42,359 ten years out, the debt-to-earnings ratio is 0.57 - 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 | $22,542 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $19,587 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $16,537 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $24,832 |
| $110,001+ | $25,444 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Households at $0-$30,000 pay $22,542 net -- nearly the same as the median net price, meaning low-income aid does not meaningfully reduce the cost. At $28,500 median early earnings, low-income families would carry a 4-year cost roughly 3x annual graduate income, a difficult ratio. The $30,001-$48,000 band pays slightly less ($19,587).
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Inverted brackets to flag: $48,001-$75,000 pays $16,537 -- the lowest net price of any income band, lower than what $0-$30,000 households pay. This reverse-progressive aid pattern is unusual and likely reflects merit-aid leverage at the upper-middle band. $75,001-$110,000 jumps to $24,832, the more typical middle-class price.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Households above $110,000 pay $25,444, the top bracket. With a 4-year cost over $100,000 against $42,359 ten-year median earnings, high-income families need to weigh the experiential-learning and small-cohort value as a premium -- because conventional ROI math at this price doesn't clear.
Earnings by Major
Top 1 most popular majors at Prescott College with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Psychology | $29,888 | F |
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.
Psychology
Psychology is the only reported program with 22 graduates, $29,888 median first-year earnings, no four-year earnings reported, $31,334 median debt, a 1.048 debt-to-earnings ratio, and an F ROI grade. The debt load is roughly $7,000 above what's typical for an undergraduate psychology program, and the early-career earnings are below the national psychology median. Career paths likely route through graduate school (clinical, social work, counseling) where the bachelor's serves as a launching point rather than a terminal credential -- but on first-job arithmetic alone, the program is a difficult sell.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 52.3% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 61.8% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 60.8% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 66.8% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 94.5% |
| Enrollment | 219 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 41.6% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $4,764 |
Admission rate is reported at 94.5%, which is essentially open admission. SAT and ACT scores are not reported -- Prescott is test-optional or test-blind by policy, consistent with its progressive academic posture. The combination of near-universal admission and a 55.6% completion rate means students self-select on values fit (environmental focus, experiential learning) rather than academic credentials, and roughly half persist to graduation.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Peer institutions in the data include Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott, Arizona Christian University, Yeshiva Gedolah Imrei Yosef D'Spinka, Kehilath Yakov Rabbinical Seminary, and Rabbinical College of America. The peer match is loose -- Embry-Riddle Prescott is a same-city peer with vastly stronger STEM ROI, while the religious institutions match on small enrollment but not on curriculum or population. Prescott's 30 score lands well below Embry-Riddle Prescott (typically Strong Value tier) and roughly at parity with the small religious peers.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prescott College (this school) | 30 | $22,583 | $42,359 |
| Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott | 76 | $40,287 | $84,131 |
| Kehilath Yakov Rabbinical Seminary | 33 | $3,822 | $36,442 |
| Yeshiva Gedolah Imrei Yosef D'spinka | 32 | $5,646 | $36,545 |
| Arizona Christian University | 30 | $32,839 | $51,612 |
| Rabbinical College of America | 30 | $15,628 | $34,990 |
Who Thrives Here
Prescott fits students drawn to environmental studies, social justice programs, and field-based experiential learning who can afford the $22,583 net price and who value those program differentiators above starting-salary maximization. Enrollment of 219 makes this an unusually small undergraduate community; 42% Pell rate signals significant low-income enrollment despite the high sticker. Outcomes look strongest for students leveraging the school's identity into nonprofit, conservation, or graduate-school pathways rather than direct private-sector employment.
The Verdict: The Numbers Don't Add Up
The financial data raises serious concerns about Prescott College. With a net cost of $22,583 per year and median graduate earnings of only $42,359 ten years out, the estimated payback period exceeds 31.3 years. For most students, the financial return does not justify the cost.
Areas of concern include weak earnings relative to cost and concerning loan repayment rates and a long payback period.
Median debt of $16,300 against $42,359 in earnings is reasonable, though major choice matters significantly. Students in higher-earning programs will see better returns.
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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.