10-yr median earnings
$42,186
Federal aid recipients only
Private Nonprofit · Phoenix, Arizona
Grand Canyon University
Grand Canyon University is a private nonprofit institution in Phoenix, Arizona. as a private nonprofit, published Scorecard outcomes cover federal-aid recipients at this campus — endowment and sticker price sit outside those cohort fields.
- $42,186
- 10-yr median earnings
- 78.9%
- Acceptance rate
- $22,472
- Avg net price / yr
- 43.3%
- 150%-time completion
The verdict
Grand Canyon University pairs above-median former-student earnings with a moderately open admit.
According to the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
- Top 46%
- former-student earnings, US
- 78.9%
- acceptance rate
- 43.3%
- 150%-time completion
- -11%
- earnings, 6→10 yrs
City: Large
Carnegie: Doctoral/Prof
Institution data retrieved July 2026; field-of-study data retrieved March 2026.
How to read this Grand Canyon University profile
Figures above come from IPEDS institution records published through the College Scorecard (retrieved July 2026 for institution fields; March 2026 for field-of-study). Peer groups and cost cohorts follow IPEDS ownership sector, Carnegie class ("Doctoral/Professional Universities"), and locale, not an editorial shortlist.
Average net price subtracts grant and scholarship aid from cost of attendance for full-time, first-time undergraduate Title IV recipients. It is a defined cohort average, not a personalized price; income-band fields add context but do not replace the school's current net-price calculator.
Earnings use Treasury-linked records for federally aided former students who were working and not enrolled in the measurement year (completers and noncompleters). IPEDS completion and retention use separate first-time, full-time cohorts, so those denominators are not the earnings cohort. Read cost, completion, and earnings as distinct historical measures, not a causal verdict or individual forecast.
College Value Score
F
College Value Score
39/100
Grand Canyon University
A 6-metric composite of earnings, cost, and completion outcomes benchmarked against every reporting US college, not a ranking of teaching quality, campus life, or fit for any individual student. See the full methodology.
Earnings C-
$42,186
10-year median former-student earnings
Net Price F
$22,472
Average annual cost after grants and aid
Completion Rate F
43.3%
Completion within 150% of normal time
Debt F
$22,114
Median federal debt at graduation
Loan Repayment C+
64.8%
Borrowers repaying loans within 3 years
Retention F
72.0%
First-year students returning for year two
Each axis is the percentile score shown in the breakdown at left; the shape shows this school's overall profile at a glance.
Avg net price
$22,472
After grants and scholarships
150%-time completion
43.3%
Full-time, first-time cohort
150%-time completion vs portal median (57.1%) 43.3%
Four-year-institution cohort
College ROI Quadrant - Grand Canyon University vs peers
Each dot is a college plotted by 10-year median earnings (x-axis) vs average net price (y-axis), colored by completion within 150% of normal time. Bottom-right = high earnings/lower price; top-left = lower earnings/higher price.
How Grand Canyon University ranks nationally
Where this school's former-student earnings fall within the full national distribution of every US college that reports to the College Scorecard, not just its peer set.
Grand Canyon University: former-student earnings vs. every US college
10-year median earnings, College Scorecard
$42,186 Top 46% higher than 54% of 5,103 US colleges
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US colleges. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard · Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals
| Metric | Grand Canyon University | National rank | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-yr median earnings | $42,186 | #2341 of 5103 | 54th |
| Average net price | $22,472 | #3548 of 5020 | 29th (lower is better) |
| 150%-time completion | 43.3% | #3434 of 4858 | 29th |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 73,371 | #4 of 5462 | 100th |
National ranks count every operating US college reporting each metric to the College Scorecard, separate from the earnings histogram above.
Quick Facts
73,371
Undergraduate enrollment
78.9%
Acceptance rate
1,077
SAT average
43.3%
150%-time completion
$42,186
10-yr median earnings
72.0%
First-year retention
How Grand Canyon University ranks in Arizona
State rank among 99 reporting Arizona colleges with College Scorecard data, a separate lens from the national distribution above.
| Metric | Grand Canyon University | State rank | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-yr median earnings | $42,186 | #43 of 99 | 57th |
| Average net price | $22,472 | #56 of 87 | 36th (lower is better) |
| 150%-time completion | 43.3% | #51 of 85 | 40th |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 73,371 | #2 of 98 | 98th |
Highest former-student earnings in Arizona
| # | School | 10-yr earnings | Net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chamberlain University-Arizona | $92,405 | $40,096 |
| 2 | Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott | $84,131 | $40,287 |
| 3 | Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science - Arizona | $79,652 | - |
| 4 | Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science - Arizona | $79,652 | - |
| 5 | Alliant International University - Phoenix | $66,666 | - |
| 6 | Jersey College - Tucson | $66,087 | - |
| 7 | Jersey College - Mesa | $66,087 | - |
| 8 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion | $62,668 | $14,967 |
| 9 | Arizona State University Digital Immersion | $62,668 | - |
| 10 | Arizona State University-West Valley | $62,668 | - |
| 11 | Arizona State University-Polytechnic | $62,668 | - |
| 12 | Arizona State University-Downtown Phoenix | $62,668 | - |
| 43 | Grand Canyon UniversityThis school | $42,186 | $22,472 |
Admissions
| Admission Rate | 78.9% |
| SAT Average | 1,077 |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 488 – 533 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 518 – 580 |
| ACT (25th-75th) | 20 – 22 |
Costs & Financial Aid
Net price by family income at Grand Canyon University
Average annual net price after grants; Title IV recipient cohort by income bracket
- $0 – $30k
$0 – $30k
$18,557 net price / yr
- $30k – $48k
$30k – $48k
$18,763 net price / yr
- $48k – $75k
$48k – $75k
$21,712 net price / yr
- $110k+
$110k+
$25,701 net price / yr
What this shows Need-based aid pulls net price down at lower brackets at Grand Canyon University - compare the bar for your income band, not the overall average alone.
Tuition & Net Price
| In-State Tuition | $17,850 |
| Out-of-State Tuition | $17,850 |
| Average Net Price | $22,472 |
45.9%
Pell Grant Rate
53.0%
Federal Loan Rate
$22,114
Median Debt
$234/mo
Monthly Payment
Net price at Grand Canyon University swings rather than trends
Across 11 reported years between 2013 and 2023, the average net price here has ranged from $19,797 to $28,309 without settling into a rise or a fall. Comparing only the first and last years would read as -22.5%, but the years in between do not follow that line, so the honest summary is the range rather than a trend. Budget against the upper end, not the average.
Lowest year
$19,797
Highest year
$28,309
Most recent (2023)
$21,931
11 reported years. Nominal dollars, not adjusted for inflation.
2013 · $28,3092023 · $21,931
Over the same years, enrollment went +98.1% (34,643 → 68,619 students).
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, per-year fields (2013–2023). Net price is the average cost after grant and scholarship aid for federally-aided undergraduates.
Student Demographics
Race & ethnicity
Student body at a glance
74.3%
Female
47.4%
First Generation
Outcomes
72.0%
Retention Rate
$47,280
Median Earnings (6yr)
59.6%
Earning Over $25K
64.8%
Loan Repayment, Completers (3yr)
Outcomes & debt snapshot
| Measure | Cohort / horizon | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Completion within 150% of normal time | First-time, full-time | 43.3% |
| First-year retention | First-time, full-time freshmen | 72.0% |
| Median earnings | 6 years after entry | $47,280 |
| Median earnings | 10 years after entry | $42,186 |
| Share earning over $25,000 | Working, not enrolled | 59.6% |
| Loan repayment rate | Completers, 3 years after leaving | 64.8% |
| Median federal student debt | At completion | $22,114 |
| Estimated monthly payment | Standard 10-year plan | $234/mo |
Programs & Earnings
Field-of-study summary by credential
| Credential | Programs | Award count | Avg earnings | Top earnings | Avg debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 42 | 13,967 | $59,351 | $103,884 | $26,710 |
| Master's | 23 | 13,774 | $73,602 | $123,688 | $30,779 |
| Doctoral | 5 | 780 | $100,865 | $150,205 | $65,834 |
| Graduate Certificate | 5 | 263 | $80,911 | $140,016 | $33,322 |
| Level 99 | 5 | 0 | $94,781 | $108,103 | - |
| First Professional | 1 | 0 | $46,690 | $46,690 | $57,618 |
Top programs at Grand Canyon University by completer earnings
Median earnings of program completers, College Scorecard field-of-study file
- Registered Nursing, Nursin…
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
$150,205 median earnings
- Registered Nursing, Nursin…
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
$140,016 median earnings
- Registered Nursing, Nursin…
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
$123,688 median earnings
- Business Administration, M…
Business Administration, Management and Operations
$108,103 median earnings
- Computer and Information S…
Computer and Information Sciences, General
$107,641 median earnings
- Registered Nursing, Nursin…
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
$105,793 median earnings
- Registered Nursing, Nursin…
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
$103,884 median earnings
- Psychology, General
Psychology, General
$94,079 median earnings
What this shows The highest-earning programs at a school are not necessarily its most popular ones - a small specialized program can post strong median earnings without reflecting the outcome most students here actually see.
Nearby Schools
Explore Data-Matched Colleges
Independent Scorecard matches among reporting colleges — not recommendations from the institution or a counselor.
Similar Enrollment and Sector
Other Private Nonprofit institutions closest in reported enrollment, preferring the same Carnegie classification.
Similar Reported Net Price
Other Private Nonprofit institutions with the nearest reported average net price.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the acceptance rate at Grand Canyon University? ▼
Grand Canyon University is a private nonprofit institution in Phoenix, Arizona. The acceptance rate is 78.9%. The average SAT score is 1,077. Undergraduate enrollment is 73,371 students.
How much do Grand Canyon University former students earn? ▼
Federally aided former students at Grand Canyon University who were working and not enrolled had median earnings of $42,186 ten years after entry; the cohort is not limited to graduates. Six years after entry, the corresponding median is $47,280.
How much does Grand Canyon University cost? ▼
The average net price at Grand Canyon University is $22,472. In-state tuition is $17,850 and out-of-state tuition is $17,850. Median student debt at graduation is $22,114.
What is the graduation rate at Grand Canyon University? ▼
Grand Canyon University has a 43.3% completion rate within 150% of normal time at a four-year institution (typically six years for a bachelor’s program). The first-year retention rate is 72.0%.
Is Grand Canyon University worth the student debt? ▼
The median student debt at Grand Canyon University is $22,114, while former students earn a median of $42,186 ten years after enrollment. That debt represents about 52% of those annual earnings. Among borrowers who completed their program, 64.8% are repaying their loans within 3 years. Estimated monthly loan payment is $234.
Sources & methodology
Private-nonprofit profiles emphasize Scorecard cost-after-aid and completion alongside IPEDS Carnegie class. Endowment, gifts, and sticker price are not Scorecard fields on this page.
Figures are the Mar–Jul 2026 federal retrievals. Nonprofit campuses vary widely in aid practice — net price here is the Title-IV-recipient cohort average, not an individual award letter. Read the full methodology for how the data is sourced, computed, and verified.
- College Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education - former-student earnings, cost & completion (collegescorecard.ed.gov).
- IPEDS, National Center for Education Statistics - enrollment, admissions, Carnegie class & demographics (nces.ed.gov/ipeds).
- U.S. Treasury / IRS earnings linkage - median earnings 6 & 10 years after enrollment for federal-aid recipients (irs.gov).
- College Scorecard, Field of Study - program-level (credential) earnings & debt (collegescorecard.ed.gov).
- Federal Student Aid (Title IV / NSLDS) - U.S. Department of Education - net price, student debt & aid-recipient repayment outcomes (studentaid.gov).
Where to go next from Grand Canyon University
- Compare Grand Canyon University against schools with similar outcomes at a lower average net price.Find similar schools that cost less
- Browse every reporting college in Arizona side by side.Browse Arizona
- See how fields of study differ on former-student earnings and debt.Explore programs
Nonprofit Scorecard medians describe federal-aid recipients who were working and not enrolled — they are not sticker-price ROI and not advice.
Every figure on PlainCollege is rendered directly from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard data, no number is typed in by an editor. Private-nonprofit profiles compile Scorecard net-price and earnings cohorts with IPEDS structure fields — no editor-typed figures. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error on this page. Review the public data changelog. Data current as of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals.