UNLV vs. ASU vs. U of A

Should I go to University of Nevada Las Vegas or Arizona State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UNLV 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 Nevada Las Vegas vs. Arizona State University vs. University of Arizona comparison
University of Nevada Las Vegas Arizona State University University of Arizona College 4
University of Nevada Las Vegas Arizona State University University of Arizona
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Overview

 UNLV ASU U of A
Location Las Vegas, NV Tempe, AZ Tucson, AZ
Setting Midsize City Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 31,094 79,593 53,001
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #652 #384 #269
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit Non-profit
Website unlv.edu asu.edu arizona.edu
Team Colors                              

Costs

 UNLV ASU U of A
Tuition (In State) $8,354 $11,308 $11,871
Tuition (Out of State) $25,310 $31,450 $39,340
Room & Board $12,072 $16,091 $14,400
Avg Net Price $11,388 $16,401 $18,144
Avg Grant Aid $7,580 $11,992 $16,511
% Receiving Grant Aid 90% 89% 97%

Admission

 UNLV ASU U of A
Applied 12,232 68,840 56,466
Admitted 11,774 62,084 48,369
Acceptance Rate 96.3% 90.2% 85.7%
Enrolled % 38.9% 22.7% 18.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.4 3.54 3.48
Typical High School Grades B+ B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Challenging Very High
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/24 21/28 21/30
SAT Range 980/1230 1100/1320 1160/1420
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jun 1, 2026

Academics

 UNLV ASU U of A
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 18:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (32%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (5%)

Outcomes

 UNLV ASU U of A
Graduation Rate 40% 57% 61%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,600 $52,600 $54,000
Making Student Loan Payments 52% 57% 66%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,018 $20,278 $19,000
Median Loan Payment $196 $209 $196

Diversity

 UNLV ASU U of A
% Men 7% 10% 10%
% Women 10% 8% 11%
Racial Diversity Very High High High
HBCU No No No
% White 35% 52% 52%
% Black 8% 4% 4%
% Hispanic 26% 19% 25%
% Native American 0% 1% 1%
% Pacific Islander 1% 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 9% 4% 4%
% International 4% 12% 6%
% Unknown Race 1% 1% 1%

Students

 UNLV ASU U of A
% In-State 85% 61% 50%
% Out-of-State 14% 32% 44%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Arizona State University is larger than than UNLV based on total student enrollment (79,593 students vs. 31,094 students)

UNLV vs. ASU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UNLV or ASU?

  • Arizona State University is 35.4% more expensive to attend than UNLV for in-state tuition ($11,308.00 vs. $8,354.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 24.3% higher at ASU than University of Nevada Las Vegas ($31,450.00 vs. $25,310.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Nevada Las Vegas than ASU ($11,388 vs. $16,401)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Nevada Las Vegas are 33.3% lower than costs at Arizona State University ($12,072 vs. $16,091)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Nevada Las Vegas than Arizona State University (90% vs. 89%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Arizona State University students is 58.2% larger than aid received University of Nevada Las Vegas ($11,992 vs. $7,580)

UNLV vs. ASU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Arizona State University (1158) is 151 points higher than at UNLV (1007)
  • Incoming ASU students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at UNLV (22)
  • Accepted freshman ASU students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.54) than students at UNLV (3.4)
  • UNLV has a higher acceptance rate (96.3%) than ASU (90.2%)

UNLV vs. ASU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UNLV 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 UNLV.

  • The graduation rate at ASU is higher than University of Nevada Las Vegas (57% vs. 40%)
  • Graduates from Arizona State University earn on average $5,000 more per year than UNLV graduates after ten years. ($52,600 vs. $47,600)
  • University of Nevada Las Vegas students graduate with a $1,260 lower median federal student loan debt than ASU graduates. ($19,018 vs. $20,278)
  • UNLV graduates are paying $13 less per month on federal student loans than ASU graduates. ($196 vs. $209)
  • More ASU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UNLV students, three years after graduation. (57% vs. 52%)

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