Data shows that students paid $19,861 on average to attend higher education courses at the time, $1,049 more than the previous school year.
Among the 14 institutions in the county, Carrington College-Tucson stood out with the highest tuition fees, reaching an average of $56,410. Brookline College-Tucson followed with an average of $31,150 per year. Tohono O'odham Community College students were offered the lowest annual tuition fees at $932.
At the time, a total of $107.4 million in grants or scholarships were awarded to full-time undergraduates who started at the Pima County universities in the 2022-23 school year. Additionally, federal student loans reached $19.7 million.
Currently there are 14 higher education institutions in Pima County, including Brookline College-Tucson, Arizona College of Nursing-Tucson, and Carrington College-Tucson.
Undergraduate education costs have seen a significant increase over the past few decades. Data shows a 169% rise in the average total cost, including tuition, fees, room, and board, between 1980 and 2020.
According to a 2023 College Board report, in-state students at public universities paid an average of $11,260, while out-of-state students paid $29,150 in the 2023-24 academic year.
Meanwhile, student loan debt has steadily increased over the last 30 years, reaching $1.75 trillion in 2024, averaging a total of $28,950 per borrower. Federal loans make up 92% of the debt, with over half of students at both public and private four-year colleges graduating with student loans.
Available data sometimes exceeds 100% due to rounding and administrative calculations.
| Institution | Number of Students Receiving Grants | Total Amount of Grants Received | Average Amount of Grant Per Student | Number of Students Receiving Loans | Total Amount of Loans Received | Average Amount of Loans Per Student |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HDS Truck Driving Institute | 193 | $798,500 | $4,137 | 15 | $115,575 | $7,705 |
| Carrington College-Tucson | 190 | $857,130 | $4,511 | 195 | $1,379,155 | $7,073 |
| Pure Aesthetics Natural Skincare School | 5 | $19,603 | $3,921 | 0 | $0 | $0 |
| Empire Beauty School-Tucson | 79 | $292,399 | $3,701 | 81 | $513,246 | $6,336 |
| Pima Community College | 684 | $3,943,647 | $5,766 | 68 | $218,728 | $3,217 |
| Brookline College-Tucson | 55 | $279,700 | $5,085 | 47 | $273,203 | $5,813 |
| Tucson College of Beauty | 60 | $270,252 | $4,504 | 66 | $349,998 | $5,303 |
| Arizona College of Nursing-Tucson | 0 | $0 | $0 | 0 | $0 | $0 |
| Arizona School of Integrative Studies | 66 | $186,833 | $2,831 | 58 | $299,032 | $5,156 |
| Tohono O'odham Community College | 42 | $181,098 | $4,312 | 0 | $0 | $0 |
| Pima Medical Institute-Tucson | 332 | $1,689,508 | $5,089 | 405 | $3,494,513 | $8,628 |
| Arizona Academy of Beauty | 16 | $93,334 | $5,833 | 15 | $64,926 | $4,328 |
| University of Arizona | 5,972 | $98,603,808 | $16,511 | 1,708 | $12,782,744 | $7,484 |
| Aveda Institute-Tucson | 38 | $152,062 | $4,002 | 39 | $189,619 | $4,862 |
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