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University of Arizona

Public

Tucson, AZ

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The University of Arizona was established in 1885 and is Arizona's land-grant university. Its official site notes it is one of only eight U.S. universities holding the combined distinction of Research 1 classification, Association of American Universities membership, and Hispanic-Serving Institution status. The university highlights a history of scientific contributions, including early lunar mapping work performed for NASA ahead of the Apollo missions and the development of one of the world's largest photography archives.

Admissions

Admit rate86%
SAT range1150–1420
ACT range21–29
Undergrads42,537
Yield (admits who enroll)20%
Next deadlineNov 1, 2026 (EA)

Cost & outcomes

Cost of attendance$29,423
4-year grad rate67%
Median earnings, 10yr out$59,979

From the US Dept of Education College Scorecard, most recent year reported. Not every school reports every field.

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How University of Arizona weighs your application

From University of Arizona's own Common Data Set, 2024-25, Section C7 -- not a generic admissions checklist. What is a Common Data Set?

Academic factors
Rigor of secondary school recordVery important
Class rankConsidered
Academic GPAVery important
Standardized test scoresConsidered
Application essayConsidered
RecommendationsConsidered
Nonacademic factors
InterviewNot considered
Extracurricular activitiesImportant
Talent/abilityImportant
Character/personal qualitiesImportant
First generationNot considered
Alumni relation (legacy)Not considered
Geographical residenceNot considered
State residencyNot considered
Religious affiliationNot considered
Volunteer workConsidered
Work experienceConsidered
Level of interest (demonstrated interest)Important
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See full profile -- financial aid, campus life, and what University of Arizona weighs in your application

Paying it back

Undergrads taking federal loans26%
Loan balance still growing, 3yrs out66%

"Still growing" means a borrower's payments aren't yet covering interest 3 years into repayment -- not a default rate. A high number here can mean real repayment difficulty, or just a lot of grads who deferred for graduate school, so read it alongside the school's typical outcomes above.

Majors & earnings

Agriculture, Agriculture Operations, and Related Sciences
Agricultural Business and Management$66,833/yr
Animal Sciences$45,548/yr
Agriculture/Veterinary Preparatory Programs$41,591/yr
Architecture and Related Services
City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning$76,360/yr
Architecture$74,972/yr
Architecture and Related Services, Other$55,226/yr
Area, Ethnic, Cultural, Gender, and Group Studies
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies$50,784/yr
Area Studies$48,162/yr
Biological and Biomedical Sciences
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology$66,862/yr
Biology, General$58,119/yr
Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences$57,458/yr
Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences$56,045/yr
Microbiological Sciences and Immunology$55,784/yr
Neurobiology and Neurosciences$52,571/yr
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services
Management Information Systems and Services$104,513/yr
Finance and Financial Management Services$100,938/yr
Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations$99,722/yr
Accounting and Related Services$93,729/yr
Business/Managerial Economics$90,045/yr
Marketing$84,111/yr
Business Administration, Management and Operations$77,951/yr
Human Resources Management and Services$76,013/yr
Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs
Communication and Media Studies$72,758/yr
Journalism$55,676/yr
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services
Computer Science$117,451/yr
Computer and Information Sciences, General$77,987/yr
Computer Software and Media Applications$61,892/yr
Education
Special Education and Teaching$52,173/yr
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods$51,285/yr
Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research$48,168/yr
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas$46,313/yr
Engineering
Mining and Mineral Engineering$120,031/yr
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering$105,839/yr
Chemical Engineering$101,815/yr
Systems Engineering$100,468/yr
Biomedical/Medical Engineering$95,625/yr
Civil Engineering$91,602/yr
Mechanical Engineering$90,384/yr
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering$86,529/yr
Biological/Biosystems Engineering$80,732/yr
Engineering Technologies and Engineering-Related Fields
Engineering-Related Fields$101,557/yr
English Language and Literature/Letters
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies$44,260/yr
English Language and Literature, General$44,058/yr
Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services$51,857/yr
Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services$52,805/yr
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics$48,487/yr
Health Professions and Related Programs
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing$88,892/yr
Public Health$66,937/yr
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services$61,534/yr
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions$52,243/yr
History
History$51,737/yr
Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services
Homeland Security$52,677/yr
Legal Professions and Studies
Legal Professions and Studies, Other$53,868/yr
Mathematics and Statistics
Mathematics$66,381/yr
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
Nutrition Sciences$59,079/yr
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General$53,471/yr
International/Globalization Studies$48,645/yr
Natural Resources and Conservation
Natural Resources Conservation and Research$51,871/yr
Philosophy and Religious Studies
Philosophy$55,804/yr
Physical Sciences
Physics$88,207/yr
Chemistry$66,532/yr
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences$63,387/yr
Psychology
Psychology, General$52,038/yr
Public Administration and Social Service Professions
Public Administration$64,953/yr
Science Technologies/Technicians
Science Technologies/Technicians, Other$58,075/yr
Social Sciences
Economics$83,267/yr
Political Science and Government$56,585/yr
Sociology$55,300/yr
Anthropology$43,885/yr
Visual and Performing Arts
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft$44,471/yr
Film/Video and Photographic Arts$44,145/yr
Fine and Studio Arts$43,314/yr
Music$40,922/yr
Dance$34,010/yr

Median earnings 4 years after graduation, by major, from the US Dept of Education. Only shown where the school reports a real figure for that major -- most schools don't report every major they offer, especially smaller programs.

Campus life

On-campus housingYes
Required to live on campusNo
Dormitory capacity7,575
Typical room charge$8,650
Typical board charge$5,000

Room and board are shown separately from the cost of attendance above -- that total already includes them alongside tuition and fees, this just breaks out the living-cost portion.

What matters in your application

GPARequired
Class rankConsidered, not required
RecommendationsNot considered

From this school's own reporting to the US Dept of Education on what it formally requires, considers, or doesn't use when reviewing applications.

Frequently asked questions

What does University of Arizona look for in applicants?

Per University of Arizona's own Common Data Set (Section C7), it rates rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA as "very important" in admissions decisions -- its own stated top factors, not a generic guess.

What is University of Arizona's acceptance rate?

University of Arizona in Tucson, AZ admits approximately 86% of applicants, based on the US Dept of Education's most recently reported figures.

What SAT score do I need for University of Arizona?

Admitted students at University of Arizona typically score between 1150–1420 on the SAT (25th–75th percentile).

What ACT score do I need for University of Arizona?

Admitted students at University of Arizona typically score between 21–29 on the ACT (25th–75th percentile).

How much does University of Arizona cost?

University of Arizona's total cost of attendance is reported at $29,423 per year, including tuition, fees, and room and board.

When is the application deadline for University of Arizona?

University of Arizona's earliest deadline is Nov 1, 2026 (EA), per its own published admissions calendar.

Does University of Arizona require students to live on campus?

No -- University of Arizona doesn't require students to live in on-campus housing.

Comparing University of Arizona against another school?

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