U of A vs. ASU

Should I go to University of Arizona or Arizona State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if U of A or ASU is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
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University of Arizona vs. Arizona State University comparison
University of Arizona Arizona State University College 3 College 4
University of Arizona Arizona State University
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Overview

 U of A ASU
Location Tucson, AZ Tempe, AZ
Setting Large City Midsize City
Enrollment 53,001 79,593
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #269 #384
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website arizona.edu asu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 U of A ASU
Tuition (In State) $11,871 $11,308
Tuition (Out of State) $39,340 $31,450
Room & Board $14,400 $16,091
Avg Net Price $18,144 $16,401
Avg Grant Aid $16,511 $11,992
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 89%

Admission

 U of A ASU
Applied 56,466 68,840
Admitted 48,369 62,084
Acceptance Rate 85.7% 90.2%
Enrolled % 18.9% 22.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.48 3.54
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very High Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/30 21/28
SAT Range 1160/1420 1100/1320
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline

Academics

 U of A ASU
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (16%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (5%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Communication (7%)

Outcomes

 U of A ASU
Graduation Rate 61% 57%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $54,000 $52,600
Making Student Loan Payments 66% 57%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,000 $20,278
Median Loan Payment $196 $209

Diversity

 U of A ASU
% Men 10% 10%
% Women 11% 8%
Racial Diversity High High
HBCU No No
% White 52% 52%
% Black 4% 4%
% Hispanic 25% 19%
% Native American 1% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 6% 12%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 U of A ASU
% In-State 50% 61%
% Out-of-State 44% 32%

Campus

 U of A ASU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Arizona State University is larger than than U of A based on total student enrollment (79,593 students vs. 53,001 students)

U of A vs. ASU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, U of A or ASU?

  • University of Arizona is 5% more expensive to attend than ASU for in-state tuition ($11,871.00 vs. $11,308.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 25.1% higher at U of A than Arizona State University ($39,340.00 vs. $31,450.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Arizona State University than U of A ($16,401 vs. $18,144)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Arizona are 11.7% lower than costs at Arizona State University ($14,400 vs. $16,091)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Arizona than Arizona State University (97% vs. 89%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Arizona students is 37.7% larger than aid received Arizona State University ($16,511 vs. $11,992)

U of A vs. ASU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, U of A or ASU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between ASU or U of A .

  • Accepted freshman ASU students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.54) than students at U of A (3.48)
  • ASU has a higher acceptance rate (90.2%) than U of A (85.7%)

U of A vs. ASU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, U of A or ASU? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between ASU and U of A.

  • The graduation rate at U of A is higher than Arizona State University (61% vs. 57%)
  • Graduates from University of Arizona earn on average $1,400 more per year than ASU graduates after ten years. ($54,000 vs. $52,600)
  • University of Arizona students graduate with a $1,278 lower median federal student loan debt than ASU graduates. ($19,000 vs. $20,278)
  • U of A graduates are paying $13 less per month on federal student loans than ASU graduates. ($196 vs. $209)
  • More U of A graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ASU students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 57%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/