Grand Canyon University

Grand Canyon University is a private non-profit institution located in Phoenix, Arizona, with an enrollment of approximately 73,371 students. It admits a large share of applicants — its acceptance rate of 78.9% means that roughly four out of five people who apply are offered admission. Tuition is set at $17,850 per year and is the same for in-state and out-of-state students.

The average annual net price — the total estimated cost of attendance, including tuition, fees, and living expenses, after grant and scholarship aid is applied — is $22,472. This figure can exceed published tuition because it accounts for broader living costs. Nearly half of students (45.9%) receive Pell Grants, a federal aid program for lower-income students. About 53% of all students take out federal loans to help cover costs. Among students who completed a credential, the median federal student loan debt was $22,114. The three-year loan repayment rate — the share of borrowers whose loan balance is actually declining — stands at 35.2%, meaning the majority of borrowers are not yet reducing what they owe.

Grand Canyon University offers programs across a range of career-focused fields. Relevant areas of study for career changers and working adults include software development, biomedical and environmental engineering, mental health counseling, substance abuse counseling, and instructional design, among others.

The university's graduation rate is 43.5%, meaning fewer than half of students who begin a program complete one. The retention rate — the share of first-year students who return for a second year — is 72.1%. Median earnings 10 years after enrollment are $42,186. This figure is measured across all federally-aided students who enrolled, including those who left without completing a credential, so it reflects a broad population rather than graduates alone.