Public
Accredited · Higher Learning Commission
Phoenix, Arizona
Paradise Valley Community College — Admission Snapshot 2026
A complete at-a-glance picture of every metric that matters for your 2026 application
$19,032Annual Cost
$47,196Grad Salary
18.7%Pell Grant
Selectivity
Open Enrollment
Institution Type
Public
Campus
Main Campus
Accredited By
Higher Learning Commission
SAT Middle 50%
-40–30
Avg Net Price
$13,478
Need-Based Aid
18.7% receive Pell
Paradise Valley Community College serves north Phoenix and Scottsdale from its 100-acre campus and Black Mountain satellite location. Established in 1985, PVCC has grown into a comprehensive institution offering 100+ degree and certificate programs to over 10,000 students annually. The campus features the 'Center for the Performing Arts,' the 'KSC Science Building' with rooftop observatory, and the 'Union Hills' workforce development center.
PVCC excels in unique programs like forensic science, film production, and sustainability that reflect Arizona workforce needs. The college's 'Honors Program' provides enhanced academic opportunities with guaranteed university transfer. PVCC maintains strong partnerships with Mayo Clinic and the Scottsdale Police Department through customized training. The college's 'MAPP' (My Academic Pathway Plan) system guides students from enrollment through graduation. PVCC's commitment to sustainability includes xeriscaped grounds and solar installations across campus.
Paradise Valley Community College Acceptance Rate
Admission at Paradise Valley Community College is inclusive by design: 100% of applicants who meet basic eligibility are accepted.
What to Expect
- Eligibility First: A high school diploma or GED typically clears the main bar.
- Plan Ahead for Placement: Placement tests can shape which courses you start in — worth preparing for.
Selectivity at a Glance
Open Enrollment
Selectivity scale: Open Enrollment — rate not reported
Most Selective (0%)Open Enrollment (100%)
A GPA a bit under the average isn't disqualifying at this tier — a solid test score or clear leadership record can offset it.
Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard (Nov 2025).
Paradise Valley Community College Application Deadlines & Admission Dates 2026
Paradise Valley Community College follows a Rolling Admissions policy, meaning applications are reviewed as they arrive and there is no single fixed deadline.
Key Admission Dates
Rolling Admissions — Apply Anytime
Paradise Valley Community College reviews applications continuously throughout the year. Seats and scholarships are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, so applying early gives you a significant advantage for both admission and financial aid.
💡 The scholarship deadline (FAFSA Priority: 2026/04/01) often falls before the regular admission deadline. Submit your application and FAFSA early to be considered for maximum aid.
Deadlines are verified from official institutional sources but may change each cycle. Always confirm final dates on the official website.
Check Your Admission Chances at Paradise Valley Community College
Admission Chance Predictor
Built from Paradise Valley Community College's own verified admissions data — adjust the sliders below
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Calculating Profile...
Adjust the sliders to see how every decimal point affects your outcome.
Your SAT Score 1200
Your Unweighted GPA 3.00
⚠️ Note: Predicting based on regional averages as this institution does not publicly report full score datasets.
Calculated via College Portal's Human-Intelligence (HI) Methodology & Editorial Standards. Verified by Sohaib Ahmad Khan.
Paradise Valley Community College Test Requirements
Scores aren't just a formality at Paradise Valley Community College — landing within or above the 2026 admitted class's middle 50% keeps you fully competitive, even where submission is optional.
Can I Get Into Paradise Valley Community College Without SAT or ACT?
Paradise Valley Community College's test-score policy isn't published. As a default, submit your score only if it's at or above the state/national average — a below-average score can work against you.
Your 2026 Admissions Roadmap for Paradise Valley Community College
Inclusive Strategy: Success & Transfer
Paradise Valley Community College's open-access model means the real strategic decisions happen after enrollment: course planning, advising, and whether to transfer later.
Choose the Traditional Program or CEP deliberately - they're structurally different pathways to different outcomes
PVCC offers both a Traditional Program (leading to an AAS only, with transfer to a university afterward if desired) and a Concurrent Enrollment Program (CEP), which lets you earn your AAS and a partner university's BSN simultaneously. If a BSN is your real goal, CEP is the more direct route, but if not placed, CEP applicants must reapply every single cycle (versus every two years for Traditional applicants) - understand this reapplication-frequency tradeoff before choosing which application to submit, since it affects how often you're back in the applicant pool if not placed the first time.
Score above the exact HESI A2 threshold on a single attempt - there is no averaging across retakes
MaricopaNursing requires 80% or higher in English Composition and 75% or higher in Math on the HESI A2, and these scores must be satisfied on a single attempt of the test - not accumulated as your best-ever section scores across multiple sittings. Treat your first HESI attempt as the one that has to clear both bars simultaneously; a strong English score on one attempt and a strong Math score on a different attempt won't combine to qualify you.
Get your AZ DPS Level One Fingerprint Clearance Card moving 8-10 weeks before you need it - applications are rejected without it upfront
Program applications will not be accepted without a copy of an Arizona Department of Public Safety Level One Fingerprint Clearance Card already in hand - this isn't a "complete it after admission" item, and the DPS itself says to allow 8-10 weeks for processing. Start this specific bureaucratic process (not the HESI, not coursework) the moment you decide nursing is your direction, since it has the longest external lead time of any single requirement and can't be expedited by working harder academically.
Note that the Nurse Assistant (NA) requirement is temporarily paused - use the window, but don't assume it's permanent
Effective July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2027, MaricopaNursing has paused its Nurse Assisting (NA) certification requirement for RN program applications - a genuine, dated, temporary policy change. If you're applying in this window, you can skip building CNA experience specifically to satisfy this requirement (though real healthcare exposure still strengthens an application generally); but if your planning extends past June 2027, don't assume the pause continues, and check MaricopaNursing's current policy before finalizing a multi-year plan around its absence.
Expert Insight:
Because PVCC nursing operates on a district-wide MaricopaNursing system spanning eight colleges with one shared application intake period (specifically April 6-May 28, 2026 for Fall 2026/Spring 2027 block one), applicants sometimes miss that offers roll out gradually - first email acceptances go out the week of June 18, but offers continue being sent for up to two weeks after that as seats fill, and applicants not placed aren't notified until the week of July 13. Treat "no email yet" in late June as normal, not as an automatic rejection signal, and don't make alternate enrollment decisions prematurely based on early silence.
Paradise Valley Community College Profile
Full Name
Paradise Valley Community College
City
Phoenix
State
Arizona
ZIP Code
85032
Type
Public
Campus
Main Campus
Official Website
Accredited By
Higher Learning Commission (NCACHE)
Is a Paradise Valley Community College Degree Worth It?
Whether Paradise Valley Community College is worth it depends less on its reputation and more on your program choice, financial aid package, and career goals — here's the data to weigh it against.
Admitted students' families report a median household income around $69,800, and graduates see a 2.77% unemployment rate.
How much does a degree from Paradise Valley Community College Cost?
Listed tuition runs $19,032/year at Paradise Valley Community College; factor in Pell and federal grant aid and most students land closer to $13,478.
At Paradise Valley Community College, 18.7% receive a Pell Grant and 6.8% carry federal loans. Filing FAFSA early and naming Paradise Valley Community College on it improves your shot at both.
How much does a Paradise Valley Community College Graduate earn?
Ten years out from enrollment, Paradise Valley Community College graduates report a median income of $47,196, about 16% above the U.S. median graduate income.
Degree Programs at Paradise Valley Community College
Associate Degree Programs
Frequently Asked Questions About Paradise Valley Community College Admissions
Paradise Valley Community College graduates earn a lower median salary of $47,196/year, especially outside technical fields.
Tuition at Paradise Valley Community College is relatively affordable, around $19,032/year.
18.7% receive a Pell Grant here, below the ~35% national average — Paradise Valley Community College skews toward higher-income students, though merit aid may still be worth checking.
Paradise Valley Community College follows Rolling Admissions — applications are reviewed year-round, so applying early is your best strategy.
For priority financial aid consideration, get your FAFSA in before FAFSA Priority: 2026/04/01 — that's Paradise Valley Community College's scholarship priority date.
Transferring in is a well-trodden path here. Line up your transcripts, recommendations, and a strong personal statement before applying.
The biggest levers are academic performance, a clear extracurricular focus, and essays that stand out — plus a solid test score where the school considers one.