by our College Data Analytics Team
With all of the graduate school options in Arizona, narrowing things down is no easy task. We have ranked **8** schools by overall quality and student outcomes, using our 2026 methodology.
So you can compare your options, College Factual analyzed 8 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:
Here are the top-ranked graduate schools:
Our analysis found Arizona State University to be the best graduate school in Arizona. Arizona State University is a public school based in Tempe, AZ. Roughly 68% of students complete a degree within six years here. In-state tuition and fees run about $12,223, while out-of-state students pay about $33,139. Graduates go on to earn a median of $55,876 early in their careers. Typical student debt is $21,842.
A rank of #2 makes University Of Arizona one of the top graduate schools in Arizona. University Of Arizona is a public school based in Tucson, AZ. The six-year graduation rate is 68%. In-state tuition and fees run about $13,573, with out-of-state students paying around $39,903. Graduates go on to earn a median of $50,834 early in their careers. The median student debt is $21,861.
Northern Arizona University came in at #3 on this year's Best Graduate Schools ranking in Arizona. Located in Flagstaff, AZ, Northern Arizona University is a public institution. About 61% of students finish within six years. In-state tuition and fees average $12,619, with out-of-state students paying around $20,044. Early-career graduates earn a median of $47,056. Students borrow a median of $21,645 to complete a degree here.
You'll be in good company at Arizona State University Skysong, which ranked #4 this year. Arizona State University Skysong is a public school based in Scottsdale, AZ. Students from in state pay about $11,627 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $13,925. Median early-career earnings reach $55,793. Graduates carry a median of $23,742 in student loans.
Grand Canyon University came in at #5 on this year's Best Graduate Schools ranking in Arizona. Based in Phoenix, AZ, Grand Canyon University is a private for-profit institution. Grand Canyon University graduates 44% of students within six years. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $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.
University Of Phoenix Arizona landed the #6 spot in Arizona this year. Set in Phoenix, AZ, University Of Phoenix Arizona is a private for-profit institution. About 16% of students finish within six years. In-state tuition and fees run about $9,552. Median early-career earnings reach $60,453. Graduates carry a median of $35,323 in student loans.
American Intercontinental University Online landed the #7 spot in Arizona this year. American Intercontinental University Online is a private for-profit school based in Chandler, AZ. American Intercontinental University Online posts a six-year graduation rate of 6%. Students from in state pay about $12,397 in tuition and fees. Graduates go on to earn a median of $43,008 early in their careers. The median student debt is $39,107.
Aspen University came in at #8 in this year's ranking. Based 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. Aspen University graduates report median early-career earnings of $69,902. The median 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), 2026 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
See our data sources and methodologies.