Background: Silhouette of a large saguaro stands at sunset in Saguaro National Park on the east side of Tucson, Arizona. - Author Saguaro Pictures

Colleges and Universities of Arizona
Music Building on the Tempe Campus, Arizona State University

Arizona is served by three public universities: The University of Arizona, Arizona State University, and Northern Arizona University. These schools are governed by the Arizona Board of Regents.

Private higher education in Arizona is dominated by a large number of for-profit and "chain" (multi-site) universities.

Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University, Prescott and Prescott College are Arizona's only non-profit four-year private colleges.

Arizona has a wide network of two-year vocational schools and community colleges. These colleges were governed historically by a separate statewide Board of Directors but, in 2002, the state legislature transferred almost all oversight authority to individual community college districts. The Maricopa County Community College District includes 11 community colleges throughout Maricopa County and is one of the largest in the nation.

Arizona State University (commonly referred to as ASU or Arizona State) is a public metropolitan research university on five campuses across the Phoenix metropolitan area, and four regional learning centers throughout Arizona.

ASU is one of the largest public universities by enrollment in the U.S. It had approximately 72,000 students enrolled in fall 2017, including 59,198 undergraduate and 12,630 graduate students. ASU's charter, approved by the board of regents in 2014, is based on the "New American University" model created by ASU President Michael M. Crow. It defines ASU as "a comprehensive public research university, measured not by whom it excludes, but rather by whom it includes and how they succeed; advancing research and discovery of public value; and assuming fundamental responsibility for the economic, social, cultural and overall health of the communities it serves."

Arizona State University • On Feb. 8, 1886 — almost 30 years before Arizona was granted statehood — the Territorial Normal School, Arizona’s first higher education institution, opened its doors to 33 students in a four-classroom building in Tempe. >p> From humble beginnings, and through a series of name changes that led to a 1958 vote of the people and a 2-to-1 margin of victory for the advancement of Arizona State College to Arizona State University, ASU’s century-plus trajectory has led to its being recognized as the “most innovative” university in the country by U.S. News & World Report — three years in a row. Collectables
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University • Embry-Riddle is constantly building on its tradition of excellence by innovating and improving to meet the needs of our students, industry, and the nation. In just the last couple of years, the Prescott Campus has seen the remodeling of the athletic complex and fitness center, placing aerobics, weights, and exercise facilities all under one roof, as well as the new student locker and shower facilities; added 6 intercollegiate sports and men's and women’s basketball to bring our total to eleven,
Grand Canyon University • While planning to change in institutional organization and status to Grand Canyon University, Grand Canyon College identified several landmark events during this transition: organizing programs and departments into colleges, offering graduate degree programs, establishing the Grand Canyon University Foundation and the generosity of those who pledged or gave unrestricted gifts valued at $1 million dollars or more. Grand Canyon University Collectables In May of 1984, college trustees voted to prepare for transition to university status on the school’s 40th anniversary. Then GCU moved from being owned and operated by the Arizona Southern Baptist Convention to being self-owned by the Board of Trustee
Northern Arizona University • Pursue a new career path with NAU—wherever you are. You can earn a degree at 23 NAU statewide locations or through NAU Online. Their programs offer the flexibility you need to complete the academic goals you set. Whether taking a few credits or completing an undergraduate or graduate degree, you can learn how you want and where you want. We will support you every step of the way.
Prescott College • Prescott College began in the 1960s, a time of optimism and growth when leaders of a small town in the stunningly beautiful pine and chaparral country of central Arizona were searching for a new cultural identity. Dr. Charles Franklin Parker, minister of Prescott’s First Congregational Church and Prescott College founder, announced the ambitious project of creating the Harvard of the West – Prescott College Collectables.
University of Arizona • Universities are defined by their people, and you could say the people here were born to challenge "business as usual." The University of Arizona existed before Arizona was a state. University of Arizona Collectables Our first graduating class in 1895 consisted of two women and one male.

Since then, they've learned that they are better together. They do more when they work across backgrounds, skills and perspectives. That's how they have become long-time partners with NASA, leaders in both the arts and sciences, and able to prepare students to succeed in a world where most of the jobs today's kindergartners will have don't even exist yet. They know how to converge.

Western International University • On March 9, 2017, the Board of Western International University approved the recommendation to cease enrolling new students, develop a teach-out plan for current students and, ultimately, to close the university once the teach-out plan has been approved by the Higher Learning Commission and the Arizona Board for Private Postsecondary Education and carried out.

Arizona Colleges and Universities . Arizona Colleges and Universities