University of Arizona: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes
Tucson, Arizona · Public · Open access · CDS 2024-2025
University of Arizona is a public university in Tucson, Arizona that admits about 86% of applicants, making it a open access school. The average family pays about $15,960 a year after financial aid, which matters more than the published sticker price. It is best known for Psychology, General, Communication and Media Studies and Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences, its largest undergraduate programs by number of graduates. About 66% of students graduate within six years. Its most recent Clery Act report shows roughly 3.7 criminal offenses per 1,000 students.
University of Arizona is a public institution located in Tucson, Arizona. For the most recent reporting cycle, University of Arizona admits the majority of qualified applicants, with an overall admission rate of 86%. Admitted students typically post an average SAT of 1261 and an ACT composite around 25. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $15,960 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price. For parents weighing whether University of Arizona 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 University of Arizona?
University of Arizona 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.
What does University of Arizona weight in admissions?
University of Arizona reports the following factor importance in its Common Data Set (2024-2025). These are the criteria the admissions committee weighs when reviewing applications.
- • Rigor of secondary school record
- • Academic GPA
- • Extracurricular activities
- • Talent/ability
- • Character/personal qualities
- • Level of applicant's interest
- • Class rank
- • Standardized test scores
- • Application essay
- • Recommendations
- • Volunteer work
- • Work experience
- • Interview
- • First generation status
- • Alumni/ae relation
- • Geographical residence
- • State residency
- • Religious affiliation/commitment
SAT and ACT scores University of Arizona typically admits
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 580–720, with an EBRW midpoint near 620. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 21–30. Many applicants here submit scores; even slightly below the average can be competitive when combined with a strong GPA and curriculum.
| 25th percentile | 1130 |
| 50th percentile | 1240 |
| 75th percentile | 1340 |
| % submitting SAT | 11% |
| 25th percentile | 21 |
| 50th percentile | 24 |
| 75th percentile | 28 |
| % submitting ACT | 18% |
- • 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 class | 33% |
| Top 25% of class | 62% |
| Top 50% of class | 87% |
| % submitting class rank | 35% |
How much does University of Arizona actually cost?
Published tuition is $13,626 for in-state students and $41,095 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $14,400 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $15,960 per year — the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 26% of students receive Pell Grants, a useful indicator of how much need-based aid the school distributes.
| In-state tuition | $12,168 |
| Out-of-state tuition | $40,520 |
| Room and board | $16,746 |
| Average net price (after aid) | $15,960 |
| Application fee | $50 (waivers available) |
Application deadlines and early decision data for University of Arizona
| Regular deadline | May 1 |
| Notification date | Rolling beginning August 15 |
| Reply deadline | May 1 |
| Rolling admissions | Yes |
Will my child graduate from University of Arizona?
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.
Most popular majors at University of Arizona
The most popular undergraduate programs at University of Arizona, measured by the number of students who actually graduate each year, are Psychology, General, Communication and Media Studies and Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences. Across all programs, University of Arizona confers roughly 2,109 bachelor's degrees a year. Graduates of its Psychology, General program report a median income of about $51,974 five years after entering college. Major popularity is a practical signal of where a school concentrates its teaching strength and where your child will find the deepest course offerings and peer community.
| Major | Graduates / year | Median earnings (5 yrs out) |
|---|---|---|
| Psychology, General | 456 | $51,974 |
| Communication and Media Studies | 259 | $71,141 |
| Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences | 256 | $65,726 |
| Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General | 251 | $53,789 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 229 | $71,600 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 221 | $85,529 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | 219 | $106,340 |
| Public Health | 218 | $58,292 |
Is University of Arizona safe? Campus crime & safety
In its most recent Clery Act report (2024), University of Arizona disclosed 158 total criminal offenses across its campus and surrounding public property, about 3.7 per 1,000 students. That figure includes 12 violent offenses and 48 reported sexual assaults or VAWA offenses. Per-1,000-student rates matter more than raw counts when comparing schools, because larger universities mechanically report more incidents. Under the federal Clery Act, every college that receives federal aid must publish these numbers annually.
What is campus life like at University of Arizona?
About 5% of undergraduates at University of Arizona live in campus housing, so a meaningful share of students commute or live off campus. In Greek life, 11% of men join a fraternity and 20% of women join a sorority. Residential rate and Greek participation shape day-to-day social life and are worth weighing alongside academics and cost.
Other colleges in Arizona parents ask about
How parents track GPA toward selective schools like University of Arizona
Solyo helps parents track grades pulled directly from school emails, calculate GPA the same way colleges like University of Arizona 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 University of Arizona
What GPA do I need for University of Arizona?
University of Arizona 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 University of Arizona typically admit?
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 580–720, with an EBRW midpoint near 620. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 21–30.
How much does University of Arizona actually cost after financial aid?
The average net price at University of Arizona after grants and scholarships is $15,960 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 University of Arizona 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, University of Arizona is a target school. If both fall below the 25th-percentile mark, treat it as a reach and balance the application list accordingly.
What is the acceptance rate at University of Arizona?
University of Arizona accepts about 86% of applicants out of roughly 58,339 who apply each year. It admits the majority of qualified applicants.
Is University of Arizona test-optional?
Yes. University of Arizona is test-optional, so SAT and ACT scores are not required, but strong scores can still be submitted and will be considered.
What is the graduation rate at University of Arizona?
About 66% of students at University of Arizona graduate within six years. 82% of freshmen return for sophomore year. Graduation rate predicts real outcomes better than acceptance rate.
What does University of Arizona look for in applicants?
University of Arizona rates course rigor and GPA as "very important" in its Common Data Set. These are the factors the admissions committee weighs most heavily when reviewing an application.
Is University of Arizona a public or private school, and where is it located?
University of Arizona is a public institution located in Tucson, Arizona.
What are the most popular majors at University of Arizona?
The largest undergraduate majors at University of Arizona by annual graduates are Psychology, General, Communication and Media Studies and Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences. The school awards about 2,109 bachelor's degrees a year in total. These figures come from federal IPEDS completion data.
Is University of Arizona safe? What is its campus crime rate?
University of Arizona reported 158 total criminal offenses in its most recent Clery Act disclosure (2024), roughly 3.7 per 1,000 students. Compare the per-1,000 rate rather than the raw total, since larger schools report more incidents.
What is campus life like at University of Arizona?
At University of Arizona, 5% of undergraduates live on campus, 11% of men are in fraternities, 20% of women are in sororities, according to its most recent Common Data Set.
Data sourced from the 2024-2025 Common Data Set submitted by University of Arizona, the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS, and Clery Act campus safety disclosures. Solyo extracts admissions data from official Common Data Set publications and refreshes it annually.