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2024 Best Colleges in Arizona

26 Colleges
$41,771 Avg Salary*
34% Avg 4-Year Grad Rate*

There are lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. College Factual has developed its Top Arizona Colleges ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

After analyzing 26 schools in Arizona, we came up with our list of those that offered the highest quality education. Instead of depending on subjective information, we focus on over 20 objective factors to determine this ranking. These factors include such things as student-to-faculty ratio, average graduate earnings, and graduation rate.

See what other factors we include in our ranking methodology.

One Size Does Not Fit All

We've developed a number of other tools and rankings to help you make your college decision. Start by filtering this list by location or field of study and then explore our other rankings that feature schools great for different groups of students such as veterans or returnings adults.

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We've created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. If you're torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another!

Top Colleges in Arizona

Learn more about these excellent schools below:

1

Our analysis found University of Phoenix - Arizona to be the best school for overall quality in Arizona in this year’s ranking. University of Phoenix - Arizona is a large private for-profit school located in Phoenix, Arizona that handed out 29,877 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from UOPX - Arizona is $39,382 during the early years of their career.

Full University of Phoenix - Arizona Report

2

A rank of #2 on our Best Colleges in Arizona list means Arizona State University - Tempe is a great place for students working on their bachelor’s degree. Arizona State University - Tempe is a large public school located in Tempe, Arizona that handed out 21,156 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. During the early years of their career, graduates from ASU - Tempe make an average of $55,749 a year.

Full Arizona State University - Tempe Report

3
University of Arizona crest
University of Arizona
Tucson, Arizona

A rank of #3 on our Best Colleges in Arizona list means University of Arizona is a great place for students working on their bachelor’s degree. University of Arizona is a public institution located in Tucson, Arizona. The school has a large population, and it awarded 11,808 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from University of Arizona make an average of $55,205 per year during the early years of their career.

Read More…

4
Grand Canyon University crest
Grand Canyon University
Phoenix, Arizona

The excellent bachelor’s degree programs at Grand Canyon University helped the school earn the #4 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools in Arizona. Grand Canyon University is located in Phoenix, Arizona and has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 29,176 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergradutates.

Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Grand Canyon University go into careers with an average salary of $39,783 during the early years of their career.

Read More…

5
NAU crest
Northern Arizona University
Flagstaff, Arizona

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Northern Arizona University. It ranked #5 on our 2024 Best Colleges in Arizona list. This large public school is located in Flagstaff, Arizona, and it awarded 8,583 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The low student loan default rate of 4.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from NAU is $46,950 during the early years of their career.

Read full report on Northern Arizona University

6

With a ranking of #6, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Prescott did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges in Arizona list. Embry-Riddle Prescott is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Prescott, Arizona. It awarded 628 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1% Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Embry-Riddle Prescott make an average of $77,768 per year during the early years of their career.

Read full report on Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Prescott

7

GateWay Community College landed the #7 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in Arizona ranking. GateWay Community College is a public institution located in Phoenix, Arizona. The school has a small population, and it awarded 1,313 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from GateWay Community College is $42,020 during the early years of their career.

Read full report on GateWay Community College

8

Arizona State University - Skysong did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges in Arizona ranking, coming in at #8.Scottsdale, Arizona is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 12,598 students in 2020-2021.

The low student loan default rate of 4.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from ASU - Skysong is $55,749 during the early years of their career.

Read More…

9

With a ranking of #9, Mesa Community College did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges in Arizona list. This fairly large public school is located in Mesa, Arizona, and it awarded 3,084 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Mesa Community College go into careers with an average salary of $40,763 during the early years of their career.

Read full report on Mesa Community College

10
Pinal County Community College crest
Central Arizona College
Coolidge, Arizona

Central Arizona College did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges in Arizona ranking, coming in at #10. Pinal County Community College is a public institution located in Coolidge, Arizona. The school has a small population, and it awarded 1,164 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

During the early years of their career, graduates from Pinal County Community College make an average of $34,165 a year.

Read More…

11
Rio Salado College crest
Rio Salado College
Tempe, Arizona

Rio Salado College landed the #11 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in Arizona ranking. Located in Tempe, Arizona, the fairly large public school handed out 4,161 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Rio Salado College is $40,941 during the early years of their career.

Read full report on Rio Salado College

12

American InterContinental University - Online did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges in Arizona ranking, coming in at #12. This fairly large private for-profit school is located in Chandler, Arizona, and it awarded 4,440 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from AIU Online go into careers with an average salary of $36,551 during the early years of their career.

Read More…

13

Cochise County Community College District landed the #13 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in Arizona ranking. Located in Sierra Vista, Arizona, the small public school handed out 1,952 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The low student loan default rate of 4.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Cochise College go into careers with an average salary of $32,656 during the early years of their career.

Read More…

14
Pima County Community College District crest
Pima Community College
Tucson, Arizona

With a ranking of #14, Pima Community College did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges in Arizona list. Pima County Community College District is a fairly large public school situated in Tucson, Arizona. It awarded 3,708 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

During the early years of their career, graduates from Pima County Community College District make an average of $35,828 a year.

Full Pima Community College Report

15
Eastern Arizona College crest
Eastern Arizona College
Thatcher, Arizona

With a ranking of #15, Eastern Arizona College did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges in Arizona list. Located in Thatcher, Arizona, the small public school handed out 734 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Eastern Arizona College go into careers with an average salary of $34,529 during the early years of their career.

Full Eastern Arizona College Report

16
Phoenix College crest
Phoenix College
Phoenix, Arizona

Phoenix College landed the #16 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in Arizona ranking. Located in Phoenix, Arizona, the medium-sized public school handed out 1,943 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

During the early years of their career, graduates from Phoenix College make an average of $36,477 a year.

Read More…

17

Chandler-Gilbert Community College came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in Arizona ranking. Located in Chandler, Arizona, the fairly large public school awarded 2,366 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.

During the early years of their career, graduates from Chandler-Gilbert Community College make an average of $44,705 a year.

Read More…

18

Glendale Community College did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges in Arizona ranking, coming in at #18. This fairly large public school is located in Glendale, Arizona, and it awarded 3,667 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Glendale Community College make an average of $40,144 per year during the early years of their career.

Read More…

19

Estrella Mountain Community College landed the #19 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in Arizona ranking. Estrella Mountain Community College is a public institution located in Avondale, Arizona. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 2,295 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Estrella Mountain Community College is $37,580 during the early years of their career.

Read full report on Estrella Mountain Community College

20
Scottsdale Community College crest
Scottsdale Community College
Scottsdale, Arizona

Scottsdale Community College came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in Arizona ranking. Scottsdale Community College is a medium-sized public school located in Scottsdale, Arizona that handed out 1,350 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Scottsdale Community College is $43,007 during the early years of their career.

Read More…

21
Yavapai College crest
Yavapai College
Prescott, Arizona

Yavapai College did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges in Arizona ranking, coming in at #21. This medium-sized public school is located in Prescott, Arizona, and it awarded 1,950 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

During the early years of their career, graduates from Yavapai College make an average of $34,014 a year.

Read full report on Yavapai College

22
MCC crest
Mohave Community College
Kingman, Arizona

Mohave Community College ranked #22 on this year’s Best Colleges in Arizona list.Kingman, Arizona is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 919 students in 2020-2021.

Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $31,007 during the early years of their career..

Read More…

23

Arizona Western College landed the #23 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in Arizona ranking. AWC is a public institution located in Yuma, Arizona. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 1,637 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $32,346 during the early years of their career..

Read More…

24
Aspen University crest
Aspen University
Phoenix, Arizona

Aspen University ranked #24 on this year’s Best Colleges in Arizona list. This medium-sized private for-profit school is located in Phoenix, Arizona, and it awarded 2,187 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The student-to-faculty rate of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read full report on Aspen University

25
Coconino Community College crest
Coconino Community College
Flagstaff, Arizona

With a ranking of #25, Coconino Community College did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges in Arizona list. Coconino Community College is a small public school situated in Flagstaff, Arizona. It awarded 687 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Coconino Community College go into careers with an average salary of $35,173 during the early years of their career.

Read full report on Coconino Community College

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Notes and References

Footnotes

*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.

References

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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