Leading the list is Midwestern University Glendale, our #1 graduate school in Arizona. This private not-for-profit school is set in Glendale, AZ. Early-career graduates earn a median of $98,281.
With all of the graduate school options in Arizona, it can be hard to know where to start. Our ranking highlights **11** schools by overall quality and student outcomes, using our 2027 methodology.
So you can compare your options, College Factual evaluated 11 graduate schools using more than 20 objective factors such as graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, and per-student spending, drawing primarily on U.S. Department of Education data (IPEDS and College Scorecard). Learn more about our ranking methodology.
The top-ranked graduate schools span the following early-career salary range:
Learn more about these excellent graduate schools below:
Leading the list is Midwestern University Glendale, our #1 graduate school in Arizona. This private not-for-profit school is set in Glendale, AZ. Early-career graduates earn a median of $98,281.
The strong outcomes at Arizona State University earned it the #2 place in Arizona. Located in Tempe, AZ, Arizona State University is a public institution. The six-year graduation rate is 68%. In-state tuition and fees run about $12,223, compared with $33,139 for out-of-state students. Early-career graduates earn a median of $55,876. Graduates carry a median of $21,842 in student loans.
The strong outcomes at University Of Arizona earned it the #3 place in Arizona. University Of Arizona is a public school based in Tucson, AZ. The six-year graduation rate is 68%. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,573, while out-of-state students pay about $39,903. Early-career graduates earn a median of $50,834. Students borrow a median of $21,861 to complete a degree here.
Northern Arizona University came in at #4 on this year's Best Graduate Schools ranking in Arizona. This public school is set in Flagstaff, AZ. Northern Arizona University graduates 61% of students within six years. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,619, compared with $20,044 for out-of-state students. Northern Arizona University graduates report median early-career earnings of $47,056. Typical student debt is $21,645.
A rank of #5 makes Arizona State University Skysong one of the top graduate schools in Arizona. Arizona State University Skysong is a public school based in Scottsdale, AZ. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,627, while out-of-state students pay about $13,925. Graduates go on to earn a median of $55,394 early in their careers. Graduates carry a median of $22,870 in student loans.
Grand Canyon University did well this year, earning the #6 position. Located in Phoenix, AZ, Grand Canyon University is a private not-for-profit institution. The six-year graduation rate is 44%. In-state tuition and fees average $18,508. A year after graduating, students earn a median of $56,285. Students borrow a median of $30,027 to complete a degree here.
Prescott College placed #7 among the best graduate schools in Arizona. Based in Prescott, AZ, Prescott College is a private not-for-profit institution. Roughly 56% of students complete a degree within six years here. In-state tuition and fees run about $34,490. Graduates go on to earn a median of $42,966 early in their careers. The median student debt is $27,230.
University Of Phoenix Arizona did well this year, earning the #8 position. Based in Phoenix, AZ, University Of Phoenix Arizona is a private for-profit institution. Roughly 16% of students complete a degree within six years here. In-state tuition and fees run about $9,552. Graduates go on to earn a median of $60,453 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $35,323 to complete a degree here.
American Intercontinental University Online placed #9 among the best graduate schools in Arizona. This private for-profit school is set in Chandler, AZ. American Intercontinental University Online posts a six-year graduation rate of 6%. In-state tuition and fees run about $12,397. A year after graduating, students earn a median of $43,008. American Intercontinental University Online students take on a median of $39,107 in debt.
Ashford University landed the #10 spot in Arizona this year. Set in Chandler, AZ, Ashford University is a public institution. Roughly 10% of students complete a degree within six years here. In-state tuition and fees run about $11,960. Early-career graduates earn a median of $48,441. Ashford University students take on a median of $39,515 in debt.
Aspen University placed #11 among the best graduate schools in Arizona. Set in Phoenix, AZ, Aspen University is a private for-profit institution. Aspen University posts a six-year graduation rate of 27%. In-state tuition and fees run about $6,870. Early-career graduates earn a median of $69,902. Typical student debt is $36,946.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked graduate schools only.
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Rankings consider a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and per-student spending drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
References
More about our data sources and methodologies.