Arizona State University vs. University of Arizona

Arizona families often treat these as one school with two campuses, but they ask different things of you. Arizona State sprawls through Tempe and into Phoenix, tens of thousands of undergraduates deep, the kind of place where you build your own crowd or get lost trying. Sun Devil culture runs on scale and ambition, and Barrett gives the high achievers a smaller college tucked inside the machine. Drive two hours south to Tucson and the University of Arizona feels older and more rooted, a desert campus under the Santa Catalinas where the astronomy and planetary-science programs draw people from across the world. Wildcat traditions hold tighter here, and the two trade the Territorial Cup every fall in the oldest rivalry trophy in the sport. Both bake. If a specific science like astronomy or planetary research pulls you, Tucson rewards that focus.

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Arizona StateTempe, AZ

Acceptance rate

Overall acceptance rate, plus the in-state and out-of-state admit rates the school reports separately.

ASU CDSIn-state vs. out-of-state admit rates from ASU CDS (Fall 2025).
88.4%acceptance rate
Applied
69,617
Admitted
61,533
Enrolled
13,665

Admit rate by residency

% admitted
In-state90.0%
18,291 admitted of 20,323 applicants
Out-of-state87.2%
35,233 admitted of 40,388 applicants
International89.9%
8,009 admitted of 8,906 applicants

Early admissions

Arizona State does not offer an Early Decision or Early Action plan; all applicants apply through Regular Decision.

Early Decision
Not offered
Early Action
Not offered
Restrictive EA
Not offered

Standardized tests

Arizona State is currently test-optional — you may apply without submitting scores.

SAT Accepted?

ACT Accepted?

Test Optional?

Score ranges not published yet

Arizona State has not published SAT or ACT score ranges for its most recent admitted class.

Class rank

Where Arizona State's enrolled first-years placed in their high school graduating class.

Top tenth of class29.9%
Top quarter of class60.3%
Top half of class87.1%

Based on the 52% of enrolled students who reported a class rank. Arizona State does not publish an average GPA.

Admissions factors

How Arizona State weighs each part of your application.

→ Importance

Rigor of High School Record

Academic GPA

Standardized Test Scores

Application Essay

Recommendations

Extracurricular Activities

Character / Personal Qualities

Talent / Ability

First Generation

Level of Applicant's Interest

Class Rank

Volunteer Work

Work Experience

Geographical Residence

State Residency

Alumni Relation

Racial / Ethnic Status

Religious Affiliation

Cost of attendance

Estimated full-time annual cost from Arizona State's Common Data Set. Only tuition changes with residency.

$36,114
In-State
$58,306
Out-of-State
In-StateOut-of-State
Tuition & Fees
$12,975$35,167
Room & Board
$17,754$17,754
Other Expenses
$5,385$5,385
Total
$36,114$58,306

What families actually pay

$0–30k~$9k
$30–48k~$11k
$48–75k~$17k
$75–110k~$20k
$110k+~$24k

Average net price — what was left to pay after grant aid — for students receiving federal financial aid, covering in-state students only.

% of undergrads with Pell grants29%

Source: College Scorecard (2026)

Financial aid

Need-based aid statistics for full-time first-year students.

Receiving Aid
54%
Avg. Package
$19,469
Avg. Need Met
62%

Popular majors

Bachelor's degrees awarded in the past year by academic major.

Business & Marketing
Engineering & Computing
Sciences & Health
Social Sciences & Psych
Arts & Communication
Education
Other
Business
23.8%
Engineering
18.5%
Sciences
18.9%
Social Sci
13.9%
Arts & Comm
11.7%
Education
4.2%
Other
9%

Student-faculty ratio

The number of students for every one faculty member, indicating the average level of access students have to instructional staff.

18:1

Student outcomes

First-years who return87%
Graduate within six years69%
Median earnings, 4 yrs after graduation~$67k
Median federal loan debt at graduation~$20k

Median yearly income of former students who received federal aid, across every major, measured four years after graduating (2017–18 and 2018–19 graduates, earnings measured 2022–2023). Debt covers federal loans of students who completed.

Source: College Scorecard (2026)

Programs

Arizona State’s most popular programs and median pay after graduation. Income data from the US Department of Education’s College Scorecard.

Show all 38 programs

Median pay data is measured from graduates who received federal student aid.

Source: College Scorecard (2026) · IPEDS (2023-24) · ABET

Campus life

On-campus housing and Greek life participation rates.

First-Years On Campus
68%
In Fraternities
8%
In Sororities
12%

Place

How the federal government classifies the area around the campus, and what a normal year of weather looks like there.

Setting
Midsize city
Location
Tempe, AZ

Average temperature

Monthly high and low, °F
7139J
7441F
8046M
8751A
9559M
10467J
10676J
10575A
10169S
9156O
7945N
6938D
Snow a year
0 in
Precipitation a year
9 in
Days at 90°F or above
179
Days below 32°F
10

Thirty-year averages, measured at the nearest weather station rather than on campus — they describe the area, not the campus.

Source: IPEDS (HD2024) · NOAA 1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals, TEMPE ASU, AZ US station, 0.9 mi from campus

Enrollment by gender

51%
49%
Male
33,091
Female
31,571

Student diversity

Racial and ethnic breakdown of enrolled undergraduate students.

White39%
Hispanic28%
Other17.6%
Asian and Pacific Islander9.6%
Black4.7%
Native American1.1%
ArizonaTucson, AZ

Acceptance rate

Overall acceptance rate, plus the in-state and out-of-state admit rates the school reports separately.

Arizona CDSIn-state vs. out-of-state admit rates from Arizona CDS (Fall 2025).
83.5%acceptance rate
Applied
56,376
Admitted
47,080
Enrolled
7,492

Admit rate by residency

% admitted
In-state88.8%
13,461 admitted of 15,165 applicants
Out-of-state90.4%
29,119 admitted of 32,195 applicants
International49.9%
4,500 admitted of 9,016 applicants

Early action

Arizona offers non-binding Early Action — an earlier decision with no commitment to enroll.

Fall 2027 datesEarly Action is published on Arizona's own Fall 2027 dates page. Arizona's 2025-2026 Common Data Set, which is cited for its other figures, does not report it.
Early Decision
Not offered
Early Action
Non-binding
Restrictive EA
Not offered

Standardized tests

Arizona is currently test-optional — you may apply without submitting scores.

SAT Accepted?

ACT Accepted?

Test Optional?

SAT Scores

4001600
25th Percentile
1090
50th Percentile
1220
75th Percentile
1320

ACT Scores

136
25th Percentile
20
50th Percentile
24
75th Percentile
28

Class rank

Where Arizona's enrolled first-years placed in their high school graduating class.

Top tenth of class33%
Top quarter of class62%
Top half of class88%

Based on the 37% of enrolled students who reported a class rank. Arizona does not publish an average GPA.

Admissions factors

How Arizona weighs each part of your application.

→ Importance

Rigor of High School Record

Academic GPA

Standardized Test Scores

Application Essay

Recommendations

Extracurricular Activities

Character / Personal Qualities

Talent / Ability

First Generation

Level of Applicant's Interest

Class Rank

Volunteer Work

Work Experience

Geographical Residence

State Residency

Alumni Relation

Racial / Ethnic Status

Religious Affiliation

Cost of attendance

Estimated full-time annual cost from Arizona's Common Data Set. Only tuition changes with residency.

$36,706
In-State
$65,868
Out-of-State
In-StateOut-of-State
Tuition & Fees
$13,906$43,068
Room & Board
$17,300$17,300
Other Expenses
$5,500$5,500
Total
$36,706$65,868

What families actually pay

$0–30k~$13k
$30–48k~$15k
$48–75k~$16k
$75–110k~$20k
$110k+~$22k

Average net price — what was left to pay after grant aid — for students receiving federal financial aid, covering in-state students only.

% of undergrads with Pell grants25.7%

Source: College Scorecard (2026)

Financial aid

Need-based aid statistics for full-time first-year students.

Receiving Aid
51%
Avg. Package
$18,400
Avg. Need Met
60%

Popular majors

Bachelor's degrees awarded in the past year by academic major.

Business & Marketing
Biological & Life Sciences
Health Professions
Psychology
Engineering
Computing
Social Sciences
Other
Business
17%
Life Sci
10%
Health
9%
Psychology
8%
Engineering
7%
Computing
5%
Social Sci
4%
Other
40%

Student-faculty ratio

The number of students for every one faculty member, indicating the average level of access students have to instructional staff.

19:1

Student outcomes

First-years who return83%
Graduate within six years71%
Median earnings, 4 yrs after graduation~$67k
Median federal loan debt at graduation~$20k

Median yearly income of former students who received federal aid, across every major, measured four years after graduating (2017–18 and 2018–19 graduates, earnings measured 2022–2023). Debt covers federal loans of students who completed.

Source: College Scorecard (2026)

Programs

Arizona’s most popular programs and median pay after graduation. Income data from the US Department of Education’s College Scorecard.

  • Psychology

    486 degrees (2023-24)

    ~$52kmedian pay, 4 yrs after graduation~$20k median debt
  • Nursing

    233 degrees (2023-24)

    ~$89kmedian pay, 4 yrs after graduation~$22k median debt
  • Computer Science

    226 degrees (2023-24)

    ~$117kmedian pay, 4 yrs after graduation~$22k median debt
  • Communication & Media Studies

    217 degrees (2023-24)

    ~$73kmedian pay, 4 yrs after graduation~$19k median debt
  • Finance

    209 degrees (2023-24)

    ~$101kmedian pay, 4 yrs after graduation~$20k median debt
Show all 38 programs

Median pay data is measured from graduates who received federal student aid.

Source: College Scorecard (2026) · IPEDS (2023-24) · ABET

Campus life

On-campus housing and Greek life participation rates.

First-Years On Campus
62%
In Fraternities
12%
In Sororities
20%

Place

How the federal government classifies the area around the campus, and what a normal year of weather looks like there.

Setting
Large city
Location
Tucson, AZ

Average temperature

Monthly high and low, °F
6642J
6945F
7650M
8356A
9164M
10173J
10077J
9876A
9572S
8660O
7550N
6542D
Snow a year
0 in
Precipitation a year
12 in
Days at 90°F or above
155
Days below 32°F
5

Thirty-year averages, measured at the nearest weather station rather than on campus — they describe the area, not the campus.

Source: IPEDS (HD2024) · NOAA 1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals, TUCSON WFO, AZ US station, 0.3 mi from campus

Enrollment by gender

45%
55%
Male
19,632
Female
23,662

Student diversity

Racial and ethnic breakdown of enrolled undergraduate students.

White44.8%
Hispanic29%
Other14.9%
Asian and Pacific Islander5%
Black4.8%
Native American1.6%

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Arizona State vs. Arizona: frequently asked questions

Both are broadly accessible, with University of Arizona slightly more selective on the headline rate. Arizona admitted about 83.5% of applicants in its most recent cycle, while Arizona State admitted about 88.4%. Neither is a long shot for a prepared in-state applicant, and both lean hardest on your GPA and the rigor of your coursework.

Arizona State is the cheaper sticker for non-residents: about $35,167 in tuition and fees versus $43,068 at University of Arizona, a gap near $8,000 a year before aid. The aid picture runs close, though. Arizona State meets about 62% of demonstrated need with an average package near $19,469; Arizona meets about 60% with a package near $18,400.

Arizona State carries the larger engineering and computing pipeline. Those fields account for roughly 18% of its bachelor's degrees, drawing on the Ira A. Fulton Schools, whereas at University of Arizona engineering and computing together land closer to 12% of degrees. Arizona counters with a national reputation in astronomy and planetary science, so the right pick tracks the specific field you want.

Arizona State is substantially larger, enrolling about 64,662 undergraduates to Arizona's 43,294. Both rank among the biggest public universities in the country, but Arizona State's Tempe-and-Phoenix footprint and online programs push its total well past Tucson's. Expect large lecture sections at either, with honors colleges (Barrett at Arizona State) carving out smaller communities.

University of Arizona pulls a larger out-of-state share, about 36% of first-years versus 28% at Arizona State. Residency barely moves your odds at either school: in the most recent cycle Arizona admitted about 90% of out-of-state applicants, and Arizona State about 87%, both close to their in-state rates. The real residency effect is on price, not admission.

University of Arizona graduates a slightly higher share within six years, about 71% versus 69% at Arizona State. The two sit close enough that the difference shouldn't drive your decision on its own. Arizona State edges ahead on first-year retention, keeping about 87% of students through to sophomore year against Arizona's 83%.

Source: Arizona State University Common Data Set 2025-2026. Figures transcribed 2026-06-07. Esslo aggregates publicly reported data and is not affiliated with Arizona State. Banner photo by Beyond My Ken, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Source: University of Arizona Common Data Set 2025-2026. Figures transcribed 2026-06-10. Esslo aggregates publicly reported data and is not affiliated with Arizona. Banner photo by Baah Thomas, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0).