Tuition at the Sonoran Desert Institute rose by 9.2% for the 2022-23 school year, based on the latest available information, according to the latest disclosure from the National Center for Education Statistics.
Students enrolled at the two-year private for-profit institution paid $11,960 this year, an increase of $1,010 from the $10,950 charged in the 2021-22 academic year.
Approximately 4% of the undergraduate students at the school are residents of Arizona, while about 96% come from other states.
Data indicates that 37% of full-time undergraduates who began studies at the Sonoran Desert Institute in 2022-23 received some form of student financial aid. A total of 244 students were awarded grants or scholarships amounting to $1.2 million, and 210 students took out loans exceeding $1.5 million.
Across all undergraduate students, 1,090 received grants or scholarships totaling $4.8 million. Additionally, 917 students borrowed $6.9 million in federal student loans.
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.
The following data includes only full-time students who began an undergraduate program at the the Sonoran Desert Institute in the 2022-23 school year.
| Type of Aid | Number of students awarded aid | Percent awarded aid | Total amount of aid awarded | Average amount of aid per student |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Federal grants | 242 | 31% | $1.2 million | $4,754 |
| State / local grant or scholarship | 0 | 0% | $0 | $0 |
| Institutional grants or scholarships | 0 | 0% | $0 | $0 |
| Grant or scholarship aid total | 244 | 31% | $1.2 million | $4,788 |
| Federal student loans | 210 | 27% | $1.5 million | $7,364 |
| Other student loans | 0 | 0% | $0 | $0 |
| Student loan aid | 210 | 27% | $1.5 million | $7,364 |
| Total student aid | 292 | 37% | $2.7 million | $9,296 |
Information in this story was obtained from the National Center for Education Statistics. The source data can be found here.
