Arizona State University-Tempe: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes

Tempe, Arizona · Public · Open access · CDS 2025-2026

Acceptance rate
90%
69,617 applicants
Avg SAT
In-state tuition
$12,051
per year, before aid
Net price (avg)
$13,670
after aid, what families pay

Arizona State University-Tempe is a public institution located in Tempe, Arizona. For the most recent reporting cycle, Arizona State University-Tempe admits the majority of qualified applicants, with an overall admission rate of 90%. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $13,670 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price. For parents weighing whether Arizona State University-Tempe is realistic for their teenager, the most useful planning step is comparing your child's current GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against these admitted-student ranges — not the headline acceptance rate alone.

What GPA does my child need for Arizona State University-Tempe?

Arizona State University-Tempe has a broadly accessible admissions profile, and most students who complete a standard college-prep curriculum with a 3.0 GPA or higher are competitive for admission. Parents tracking their child's GPA toward this tier of school can use Solyo's free calculator to see weighted, unweighted, and college-recalculated numbers side by side.

Actual GPA distribution of admitted students
4.00
9.0%
3.75–3.99
27.5%
3.50–3.74
22.3%
3.25–3.49
17.6%
3.00–3.24
13.4%
2.50–2.99
9.1%
Below 2.50
1.1%
From the 2025-2026 Common Data Set submitted by Arizona State University-Tempe.

What does Arizona State University-Tempe weight in admissions?

Arizona State University-Tempe reports the following factor importance in its Common Data Set (2025-2026). These are the criteria the admissions committee weighs when reviewing applications.

Very Important1 factor
  • Academic GPA
Important2 factors
  • Rigor of secondary school record
  • Class rank
Considered2 factors
  • Standardized test scores
  • State residency
Not Considered13 factors
  • Application essay
  • Recommendations
  • Interview
  • Extracurricular activities
  • Talent/ability
  • Character/personal qualities
  • First generation status
  • Alumni/ae relation
  • Geographical residence
  • Religious affiliation/commitment
  • Volunteer work
  • Work experience
  • Level of applicant's interest

SAT and ACT scores Arizona State University-Tempe typically admits

Many applicants to schools in this tier submit test scores, though the policy varies by year — check the latest test-optional status before deciding.

Current testing policy
  • Test-optional: Standardized test scores are not required, but may be submitted and considered.
  • • Policy detail: Considered if submitted

Where admitted students ranked in their high school class

Class rank distribution gives parents a clear sense of how academically dominant a typical admitted student was within their own high school cohort — often a more meaningful signal than absolute GPA.

Top 10% of class29.9%
Top 25% of class60.3%
Top 50% of class87.1%
% submitting class rank52%

How much does Arizona State University-Tempe actually cost?

Published tuition is $12,051 for in-state students and $32,193 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $16,091 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $13,670 per year — the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 30% of students receive Pell Grants, a useful indicator of how much need-based aid the school distributes.

In-state tuition$12,172
Out-of-state tuition$34,364
Room and board$17,754
Average net price (after aid)$13,670
Application fee$50 (waivers available)

Application deadlines and early decision data for Arizona State University-Tempe

Regular admission
Notification dateRolling (beginning 8/1)
Reply deadlineMay 1
Rolling admissionsYes

Will my child graduate from Arizona State University-Tempe?

Retention and graduation rates are the most overlooked numbers in college planning, but they predict actual outcomes far better than acceptance rate. They tell you whether admitted students stay and finish on time.

Freshman retention
87.3%
returned for sophomore year
4-year graduation
null%
finished on time
6-year graduation
69.3%
finished within 6 years

Other colleges in Arizona parents ask about

How parents track GPA toward selective schools like Arizona State University-Tempe

Solyo helps parents track grades pulled directly from school emails, calculate GPA the same way colleges like Arizona State University-Tempe recalculate it, and ask an AI college counselor specific questions about their teen's odds. The platform is built for parents — not students — and turns what's usually a fragmented planning process into a single dashboard.

Common questions parents ask about Arizona State University-Tempe

What GPA do I need for Arizona State University-Tempe?

Arizona State University-Tempe has a broadly accessible admissions profile, and most students who complete a standard college-prep curriculum with a 3.0 GPA or higher are competitive for admission.

What SAT or ACT score does Arizona State University-Tempe typically admit?

Arizona State University-Tempe does not publish standardized test ranges in the most recent reporting cycle. Test-optional policies have made scores less universally required, but submitting strong scores still helps when available.

How much does Arizona State University-Tempe actually cost after financial aid?

The average net price at Arizona State University-Tempe after grants and scholarships is $13,670 per year. That figure is more useful for budgeting than the published sticker price, because it reflects what families actually pay after aid is applied.

Is Arizona State University-Tempe realistic for my child?

Compare your teen's current unweighted GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against the ranges above. If both numbers fall inside the school's middle-50, Arizona State University-Tempe is a target school. If both fall below the 25th-percentile mark, treat it as a reach and balance the application list accordingly.

Data sourced from the 2025-2026 Common Data Set submitted by Arizona State University-Tempe, and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Solyo extracts admissions data from official Common Data Set publications and refreshes it annually.