The best colleges in Arizona for 2027 are Arizona State University, the University of Arizona, and Northern Arizona University. Choosing a college can be a difficult task with so many schools to compare, so this list ranks 25 Arizona schools by program range, accreditation, research strength, and online options.

Arizona’s best colleges and universities are mainly in the Phoenix and Tucson areas. Most students attend a large university, but Arizona also has small and medium-sized colleges, tribal and specialty schools, and many online options. See the published University Magazine rankings methodology and our university rankings for context.

The Best Colleges In Arizona 2027

 

1. Arizona State University

Arizona State University is a public research university founded on March 12, 1885, as the Territorial Normal School at Tempe. It joined the Association of American Universities in 2023 and holds the R1 research classification. ASU reported more than 200,000 students in 2025-26, with about 51,200 on the Tempe campus, and it operates four campuses in the Phoenix area: Tempe, Downtown Phoenix, West Valley, and Polytechnic.

ASU offers more than 400 undergraduate degree programs and more than 450 graduate degrees and certificates, plus a large online division. U.S. News has ranked it first for innovation, and the Sun Devils compete in NCAA Division I in the Big 12 Conference. Its size, research standing, and range of programs are why ASU ranks first in Arizona.

 

2. University of Arizona

The University of Arizona is a public land-grant research university in Tucson and a member of the Association of American Universities. The Arizona Territorial Legislature founded it in 1885, making it the territory’s first university. It enrolled 54,384 students in fall 2025 across 22 colleges and schools.

Research is a major strength. The university spent about $1.01 billion in fiscal year 2024, which ranked 19th among public universities nationwide. The Wyant College of Optical Sciences, Steward Observatory, and the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory give it depth in optics and space science, and the Wildcats joined the Big 12 Conference in August 2024. Research reach and space science are why Arizona ranks second.

 

3. Northern Arizona University

Northern Arizona University is a public research university in Flagstaff, founded in 1899 and classified as a Research 1 institution. The Arizona Board of Regents governs it, and the Higher Learning Commission accredits it. NAU enrolled 25,748 students in spring 2025, including 19,453 at its Flagstaff and Phoenix Bioscience Core locations and 4,277 online.

The university runs more than 20 locations across Arizona and has over 350 student clubs and organizations. Flagstaff gets about 266 days of sunshine a year, which suits students who want outdoor access alongside research programs. NAU ranks third because of its mountain-town setting, strong research classification, and statewide footprint.

 

4. Grand Canyon University

Grand Canyon University is a Christian university in Phoenix that began in 1949 as Grand Canyon College, founded by the Arizona Southern Baptist Convention in Prescott, and moved to Phoenix in 1951. It became a for-profit school in 2004, later returned to nonprofit status, and the U.S. Department of Education reclassified it as nonprofit in December 2025.

GCU reported 113,257 students in fall 2024 across campus and online, and it offers more than 200 bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs. Its teams compete in NCAA Division I and joined the Mountain West Conference for the 2025-26 season. GCU ranks fourth because of its scale, online reach, and faith-based campus.

 

5. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University – Prescott

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Prescott is the residential campus of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, on 539 acres in the Bradshaw Mountains about 100 miles north of Phoenix. The campus opened in 1978 on the former Prescott College campus. About 3,250 undergraduates enrolled in fall 2023 across four colleges: Arts and Sciences, Aviation, Engineering, and Business, Security and Intelligence.

Students can study FAA-certified aeronautics, air traffic management, and applied meteorology, or pursue aerospace programs in labs that include four wind tunnels and a satellite ground station. The Golden Eagles Flight Team has won 16 national titles. Specialized aviation and space programs are why Embry-Riddle Prescott ranks fifth.

 

6. Pima Medical Institute – Tucson

Pima Medical Institute is a private health care college that trains students for hands-on careers in dental, emergency medical, surgical, and diagnostic fields. The Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools accredits it, and Tucson is one of four Arizona campuses, along with East Valley, Mesa, and Phoenix.

Programs include certificates in medical assisting, medical billing and coding, pharmacy technician, and practical nursing, and associate degrees in nursing, radiography, respiratory therapy, and medical laboratory technician. Not every program runs at every campus, and some bachelor’s and master’s programs are online. PMI Tucson ranks sixth for accredited, career-focused health care training.

 

7. Bryan University – Tempe & Online

Bryan University is a private university based in Tempe. Mildred T. Bryan founded it in 1940 as Bryan Stenotype School, teaching her first three students in her living room. The Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities accredits it, and the Arizona State Board for Private Postsecondary Education licenses it.

Bryan offers certificates, associate and bachelor’s degrees, a Master of Public Health, and an MBA in healthcare, pharmacy technician, public health, business, accounting, paralegal studies, and exercise and fitness. It also delivers classes online. Credentials range from short certificates to graduate degrees, so students can start small and keep going. Career-focused programs from certificate to master’s level are why Bryan ranks seventh.

 

8. Diné College

Diné College is a public tribal land-grant college chartered by the Navajo Nation in 1968 as Navajo Community College and renamed Diné College in 1997. Its main campus is in Tsaile, Arizona, and it also serves students at Tuba City, Window Rock, Shiprock, and Crownpoint, with microsites at Newcomb and Aneth. The Higher Learning Commission accredits it, and it enrolls about 2,000 students.

Degrees include associate degrees, bachelor’s degrees in biology, public health, psychology, Navajo language, Navajo Nation law, and fine arts, and a Master of Science in Biology. The curriculum is grounded in Navajo language and culture and supported by the Center for Diné Studies. Culturally grounded degrees on the Navajo Nation are why Diné ranks eighth.

 

9. University of Phoenix – Arizona

John Sperling and John D. Murphy founded the University of Phoenix in 1976, and it is headquartered in Phoenix. It launched its online program in 1989 and operates primarily online, with 78,900 students in 2024. The Higher Learning Commission has accredited it since 1978, and it reaffirmed accreditation in 2022 and 2023 for 10 years.

Programs range from associate degrees in business to bachelor’s degrees in accounting, business, social work, and nursing; master’s degrees, including an MBA and a Master of Health Administration; and doctorates in business and nursing practice. Programmatic accreditations include CCNE for nursing and CSWE for social work. Flexible study and broad accreditation are why University of Phoenix ranks ninth.

 

10. Arizona Christian University

Arizona Christian University is a private Christian university in Glendale on a 75-acre campus, which it moved to from a 20-acre site in north Phoenix. The university reported more than 1,200 students for the first time, including more than 1,000 traditional undergraduates, after eight straight years of record enrollment.

Students come from 40 states and 30 nations, and about 650 live on campus, up from 210 five years earlier. U.S. News placed the university in its Best Value category, with tuition about 25 percent below the private college average. Arizona Christian ranks tenth for its rapid growth, value, and close, faith-centred campus.

 

11. Brookline College – Phoenix

Brookline College is a private health care and nursing college founded in 1979 in Phoenix. It has campuses in Phoenix, Tempe, and Tucson, plus one in Albuquerque, and has been part of Unitek Learning since 2015. The Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools accredits the college.

Programs span diplomas and associate, bachelor’s, and master’s degrees in nursing, medical assisting, surgical technology, physical therapist assisting, and medical laboratory assisting. The Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Nursing programs hold Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education accreditation, and the college has a Sigma Theta Tau nursing honour society chapter. Brookline ranks eleventh because of its local roots and master’s-level nursing degrees.

 

12. Ottawa University – Surprise

Ottawa University operates a residential campus in Surprise on the city’s recreation campus beside Surprise Stadium. The Arizona campus grew from a 2009 partnership with Rio Salado College and became fully Ottawa-operated in 2017. Ottawa first offered degrees in Arizona in 1977 in Phoenix, and the Higher Learning Commission accredits the university.

The campus offers undergraduate and graduate majors, evening and online courses for adult learners since 2022, and more than 27 varsity teams in the NAIA and NCCAA. Personal Growth Days every Wednesday add skills beyond the classroom. Ottawa ranks twelfth because of its residential campus and athletics in the West Valley.

 

13. American InterContinental University – Online

American InterContinental University is part of the American InterContinental University System, headquartered in Chandler. AIU Online began in 2001, became its own campus in 2002, and is now considered the university’s main campus. The Higher Learning Commission accredits the system, and its business programs hold ACBSP accreditation.

AIU offers associate, bachelor’s, and master’s degrees in business, IT, criminal justice, healthcare management, education, and media production. It enrolled 11,277 students in fall 2024, and its Master of Education programs hold AAQEP accreditation. Instruction is available in person, online, or in hybrid format, and AIU also has campuses in Atlanta and Houston. Online flexibility and recognized accreditation are why AIU ranks thirteenth.

 

14. University of Arizona Global Campus

The University of Arizona Global Campus is an online university serving working adults and was formerly Ashford University. The University of Arizona completed its acquisition in 2023, and in March 2026 it announced it would fold UAGC into Arizona Online. UAGC offers more than 50 associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs, including through the Forbes School of Business and Technology.

The WASC Senior College and University Commission accredits UAGC. In spring 2026, the university celebrated more than 8,200 graduates, including 5,108 bachelor’s and 2,829 master’s recipients. Accelerated online classes and the University of Arizona’s backing are why UAGC ranks fourteenth.

 

15. Chamberlain University – Phoenix

Chamberlain University is a private, for-profit nursing and health professions university with a Phoenix campus and headquarters in Downers Grove, Illinois. Its roots go back to Deaconess Central Hospital, founded in St. Louis in 1889, and the Deaconess School of Nursing, founded in 1943. The Higher Learning Commission accredits the university.

Chamberlain offers Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Master of Science in Nursing, and Doctor of Nursing Practice degrees, plus a Master of Public Health and a Master of Social Work, through its College of Nursing and College of Health Professions. Program availability varies by campus. Chamberlain ranks fifteenth because it offers a nursing focus from bachelor’s to doctoral level.

 

16. University of Advancing Technology

The University of Advancing Technology is a private university in Tempe focused on technology, in a 50,000-square-foot building completed in 1998. It began in 1983 as CAD Institute, became the University of Advancing Technology in 2002, and has held Higher Learning Commission accreditation since 2009. About 1,000 students attend.

UAT offers about 20 undergraduate majors and five graduate areas, on campus and online, including game design, cybersecurity, robotics, and computer science. Its Network Security program is a designated Center of Academic Excellence, and it offered an early online bachelor’s degree in game design in 2003. A technology-only focus is why UAT ranks sixteenth.

 

17. Prescott College

Prescott College is a private liberal arts college in Prescott, founded in 1966, with a Tucson location as well. It went bankrupt in 1974, and faculty and students reformed it. The Higher Learning Commission accredits it, and 969 students enrolled in fall 2022.

Students design individualized degree plans, complete a senior project, and receive narrative evaluations instead of letter grades. The college emphasizes sustainability, with agroecology programs, LEED Platinum student housing, and a limited-residency PhD in Sustainability Education. The Master of Science in Counselling is CACREP-accredited, and the teacher education program is approved by the Arizona State Board of Education. Experiential, environment-focused study is why Prescott College ranks seventeenth.

 

18. National Paralegal College

National Paralegal College is an online college headquartered in Phoenix and focused on legal education. Mark Geller and Avi Katz founded it in 2002, and it held its first class in June 2003. The Distance Education Accrediting Commission accredits it.

It offers a 24-credit paralegal certificate, a 60-credit associate degree in paralegal studies, and a 120-credit bachelor’s degree in legal studies or business administration. Its graduate division, National Juris University, offers master’s degrees in legal studies, taxation, and compliance law. Classes meet live twice a week through the Adobe Connect platform. Legal-focused online degrees are why National Paralegal College ranks eighteenth.

 

19. University of Phoenix – Online

The University of Phoenix online program launched in 1989 and is now how most students study. Students can pursue business, healthcare, nursing, and behavioural sciences programs from anywhere. In 2024, the university enrolled 78,900 students, including 64,100 undergraduates and 14,800 graduate students.

The online Master of Science in Counselling with a Clinical Mental Health Counselling focus holds CACREP accreditation, the Master of Health Administration holds CAHME accreditation, and nursing programs hold CCNE accreditation. The Council on Social Work Education accredits the Bachelor of Science in Social Work. Programmatic accreditation across online fields is why the online program ranks nineteenth.

 

20. Arizona State University – Online

ASU Online offers more than 150 undergraduate and graduate degree programs, taught by the same faculty and awarding the same diploma as on-campus ASU degrees. It is headquartered at SkySong in Scottsdale. Online enrollment reached 81,541 students in fall 2025, and ASU projected 84,600 online students for fall 2026.

Online enrollment has grown from about 30,000 students in 2015-16, and ASU says its online student body is the largest in its history. Students study at a university ranked first for innovation by U.S. News. ASU Online ranks twentieth because it offers the same faculty and credentials as campus degrees, plus scale.

 

21. Arizona State University – Downtown Phoenix Campus

Arizona State University’s Downtown Phoenix campus is one of four metropolitan Phoenix campuses of Arizona State University, located in the city center. About 10,800 students studied there in 2025-26. It offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in business, public service, communication, education, and health professions.

Students earn the same ASU degrees and benefit from the university’s R1 research classification and membership in the Association of American Universities, in an urban setting close to employers, courts, and media. The four ASU campuses offer students a choice of city, suburban, and polytechnic settings, with Downtown Phoenix as the most urban. City access and ASU credentials are why the Downtown Phoenix campus ranks twenty-first.

 

22. Arizona State University – West Campus

Arizona State University at the West Campus is Arizona State University’s West Valley campus in the Phoenix area. About 5,200 students studied there in 2025-26. Its programs cover education, arts and sciences, business, and health professions, and it gives students a quieter setting than the Tempe campus.

West Valley students earn ASU degrees and benefit from the university’s R1 research classification and membership in the Association of American Universities. It is one of four ASU campuses in the Phoenix area, alongside Tempe, Downtown Phoenix, and Polytechnic, and the Sun Devils compete in the Big 12 Conference. As a smaller campus with ASU credentials, West Campus ranks twenty-second.

 

23. Arizona State University – Polytechnic Campus

Arizona State University Polytechnic Campus is ASU’s Mesa campus, serving about 5,500 students in 2025-26. It is known for engineering, technology, and applied programs, with small classes and hands-on learning that prepare students for in-demand fields. It is one of four ASU campuses in the Phoenix area, alongside Tempe, Downtown Phoenix, and West Valley.

The campus benefits from ISTB 12, an advanced manufacturing hub that opened in October, and students earn ASU degrees from an R1 research university with more than 400 undergraduate programs. Hands-on engineering and manufacturing programs are why the Polytechnic Campus ranks twenty-third.

 

24. Arizona College of Nursing – Phoenix

Arizona College of Nursing offers a Bachelor of Science in Nursing at its Phoenix campus. The BSN is a three-year program, and the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education granted it a 10-year reaccreditation, the longest term the commission awards, in an announcement dated June 2022. That announcement said the program was offered at 11 campuses across 8 states and followed a year-long evaluation that included a self-study.

Arizona College of Nursing is part of a national network of nursing campuses, and the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools accredits its campuses institutionally. A focused, accredited BSN pathway in Arizona’s largest city is why the Phoenix campus ranks twenty-fourth.

 

25. Arizona College of Nursing – Tucson

Arizona College of Nursing offers a Bachelor of Science in Nursing at its Tucson campus, giving southern Arizona students a nursing option outside the Phoenix area. The three-year BSN program holds Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education accreditation, which the commission renewed for its longest term, 10 years, after a year-long review and self-study in 2022.

The college is institutionally accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools and belongs to a national network of nursing campuses, with allied health campuses in Glendale and Mesa. A focused, accredited BSN pathway in southern Arizona is why the Tucson campus ranks twenty-fifth.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best colleges in Arizona in 2027?

Arizona State University, the University of Arizona, Northern Arizona University, Grand Canyon University, and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Prescott lead this University Magazine list for 2027.

Which is the largest university in Arizona?

Arizona State University is the largest, reporting more than 200,000 students in 2025-26, including online students.

Which Arizona colleges offer online degrees?

ASU Online offers more than 150 degree programs, and the University of Phoenix, the University of Arizona Global Campus, American InterContinental University, and National Paralegal College also teach primarily online.

Is there a tribal college in Arizona?

Yes. Diné College, with its main campus in Tsaile on the Navajo Nation, was chartered by the Navajo Nation in 1968 and is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

Which Arizona colleges are best for nursing and health care?

Brookline College, Pima Medical Institute, Chamberlain University, and Arizona College of Nursing all offer nursing or health care programs in Arizona.

Top 25 Best Colleges in Arizona 2027: Ranked List

1. Arizona State University
2. University of Arizona
3. Northern Arizona University
4. Grand Canyon University
5. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University – Prescott
6. Pima Medical Institute – Tucson
7. Bryan University – Tempe & Online
8. Diné College
9. University of Phoenix – Arizona
10. Arizona Christian University
11. Brookline College – Phoenix
12. Ottawa University – Surprise
13. American InterContinental University – Online
14. University of Arizona Global Campus
15. Chamberlain University – Phoenix
16. University of Advancing Technology
17. Prescott College
18. National Paralegal College
19. University of Phoenix – Online
20. Arizona State University – Online
21. Arizona State University – Downtown Phoenix Campus
22. Arizona State University – West Campus
23. Arizona State University – Polytechnic Campus
24. Arizona College of Nursing – Phoenix
25. Arizona College of Nursing – Tucson

 

 

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