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Sonoran Desert Institute tops our 2026 ranking of the best colleges for veterans in Arizona. The school's overall veterans score is 85.5 out of 100. Its affordability for veterans scores 100.0, alongside a 66.7 veteran-resources score.
by our College Data Analytics Team
If you’re a veteran, service member, or military-affiliated student looking for a college that has your back, you’ve come to the right place. This list highlights 90 schools ranked on how well they support veterans in Arizona, using our 2026 methodology.
This ranking is based on the factors that matter most to veteran and military-affiliated students: affordability and veteran financial benefits, academic quality, on-campus veteran resources and support services, veteran-friendly policies, and the size of the veteran student community. So you can compare your options, College Factual reviewed 90 colleges, drawing primarily on U.S. Department of Education data (IPEDS and College Scorecard). Learn more about our ranking methodology.
The right college for a veteran depends on what matters most to you. Refine the list by location, or explore our other rankings below.
Want to compare schools head to head? We built a tool called College Combat to build custom comparisons using the factors most important to you.
Explore the leading colleges for veterans below:
Sonoran Desert Institute tops our 2026 ranking of the best colleges for veterans in Arizona. The school's overall veterans score is 85.5 out of 100. Its affordability for veterans scores 100.0, alongside a 66.7 veteran-resources score.
Northern Arizona University came in at #2 on this year's Best Colleges for Veterans ranking in Arizona. The school's overall veterans score is 83.5 out of 100. Its affordability for veterans scores 100.0, and veteran resources 66.7.
A rank of #3 makes Arizona State University Campus Immersion one of the best colleges for veterans in Arizona. On our overall veterans measure, it scores 82.6 out of 100. On affordability for veterans it scores 100.0, and veteran resources 66.7.
GateWay Community College came in at #4 on this year's Best Colleges for Veterans ranking in Arizona. It scores 80.3 out of 100 for serving veteran and military students. On affordability for veterans it scores 100.0, with a veteran-resources score of 66.7.
A rank of #5 makes Pima Community College one of the best colleges for veterans in Arizona. On our overall veterans measure, it scores 80.2 out of 100. Veteran affordability scores 100.0, with a veteran-resources score of 66.7.
Mesa Community College landed the #6 spot in Arizona this year. The school's overall veterans score is 80.1 out of 100. Its affordability for veterans scores 100.0, with a veteran-resources score of 66.7.
DeVry University-Arizona earned the #7 position in Arizona. It scores 78.7 out of 100 for serving veteran and military students. Veteran affordability scores 100.0, and veteran resources 66.7.
Grand Canyon University earned the #8 position in Arizona. On our overall veterans measure, it scores 78.7 out of 100. Its affordability for veterans scores 100.0, with a veteran-resources score of 33.3.
University of Arizona landed the #9 spot in Arizona this year. University of Arizona scores 78.0 out of 100 for veteran support overall. On affordability for veterans it scores 100.0, alongside a 66.7 veteran-resources score.
Arizona Western College earned the #10 position in Arizona. On our overall veterans measure, it scores 77.5 out of 100. Veteran affordability scores 100.0, alongside a 66.7 veteran-resources score.
Bryan University came in at #11 in this year's ranking. It scores 77.3 out of 100 for serving veteran and military students. Veteran affordability scores 100.0, with a veteran-resources score of 66.7.
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott ranked #12 on our 2026 list of the best colleges for veterans. On our overall veterans measure, it scores 76.0 out of 100. On affordability for veterans it scores 64.3, with a veteran-resources score of 66.7.
Phoenix College landed the #13 spot in Arizona this year. On our overall veterans measure, it scores 75.8 out of 100. On affordability for veterans it scores 100.0, alongside a 66.7 veteran-resources score.
Glendale Community College came in at #14 in this year's ranking. Glendale Community College scores 75.1 out of 100 for veteran support overall. On affordability for veterans it scores 100.0, alongside a 66.7 veteran-resources score.
Chandler-Gilbert Community College placed #15 among the best colleges for veterans in Arizona. It scores 74.4 out of 100 for serving veteran and military students. On affordability for veterans it scores 100.0, with a veteran-resources score of 66.7.
Arizona College of Nursing-Tempe ranked #16 on our 2026 list of the best colleges for veterans. Arizona College of Nursing-Tempe scores 73.8 out of 100 for veteran support overall. On affordability for veterans it scores 100.0, and veteran resources 66.7.
Scottsdale Community College placed #17 among the best colleges for veterans in Arizona. The school's overall veterans score is 73.8 out of 100. On affordability for veterans it scores 100.0, with a veteran-resources score of 66.7.
Mohave Community College earned the #18 position in Arizona. It scores 73.6 out of 100 for serving veteran and military students. On affordability for veterans it scores 100.0, and veteran resources 66.7.
University of Advancing Technology earned the #19 position in Arizona. The school's overall veterans score is 72.9 out of 100. Its affordability for veterans scores 100.0, with a veteran-resources score of 33.3.
Rio Salado College earned the #20 position in Arizona. Rio Salado College scores 72.8 out of 100 for veteran support overall. Veteran affordability scores 100.0, alongside a 66.7 veteran-resources score.
Arizona College - Mesa came in at #21 in this year's ranking. Arizona College - Mesa scores 72.6 out of 100 for veteran support overall. Veteran affordability scores 100.0, with a veteran-resources score of 66.7.
American InterContinental University System came in at #22 in this year's ranking. American InterContinental University System scores 72.1 out of 100 for veteran support overall. Its affordability for veterans scores 100.0, and veteran resources 66.7.
Estrella Mountain Community College placed #23 among the best colleges for veterans in Arizona. Estrella Mountain Community College scores 71.9 out of 100 for veteran support overall. On affordability for veterans it scores 100.0, alongside a 66.7 veteran-resources score.
University of Phoenix-Arizona earned the #24 position in Arizona. The school's overall veterans score is 71.8 out of 100. Its affordability for veterans scores 100.0, and veteran resources 33.3.
Arizona College of Nursing-Phoenix landed the #25 spot in Arizona this year. On our overall veterans measure, it scores 70.7 out of 100. Its affordability for veterans scores 100.0, with a veteran-resources score of 66.7.
These colleges also placed near the top this year:
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
Our ranking weighs the factors that matter most to veteran and military-affiliated students: affordability and veteran financial benefits, academic quality, on-campus veteran resources and support services, veteran-friendly policies, and the size of the veteran student community.
The ranking above is published by College Factual, 2026 edition.
References
Read more about our data sources and methodologies.
