The 10 Cheapest Colleges in Arizona
What’s Covered:
- The 10 Cheapest Colleges in Arizona
- Tips for Saving Money on College
- How Much Will You Pay for College?
Although Arizona has the distinction of being the 48th state and last of the contiguous states to be admitted to the Union, it’s first on many college-bound students’ lists of where to attend school. The state offers potential students a variety of options from enormous public universities to technical schools to small private colleges—including some very affordable options.
Below are the ten cheapest colleges in Arizona, along with some information about each school.
The 10 Cheapest Colleges in Arizona
1. Diné College
Tuition In-state/Out-of-state: $1,410/$1,410
Location: Tsaile, AZ
Acceptance Rate: 100%
Undergraduate Enrollment: 1,828
Diné College is the first tribally controlled and accredited collegiate institution in the United States—it was established in 1968 as Navajo Community College and later renamed Diné College. It was created to encourage Navajo youth to become contributing members of the Navajo Nation and the world.
The school is primarily made up of Navajo students and offers 18 bachelor’s programs and 16 associate’s programs through four schools:
- School of Arts, Humanities, and English
- School of Diné Studies and Education
- School of Business and Social Science
- School of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math
Learn more about Diné College and what it takes to get accepted.
2. Arizona State University | ASU
Tuition In-state/Out-of-state: $12,223/$33,139
Location: Tempe, AZ
Acceptance Rate: 90%
Undergraduate Enrollment: 65,174
Arizona State University (ASU) actually predates Arizona’s statehood—it was founded in 1885, 27 years before Arizona was declared an official state. ASU’s Tempe campus is home to more than 60,000 undergraduates, making it one of the biggest colleges in the U.S. Supporting its massive student body are more than 800 student organizations and over 650,000 alumni worldwide.
87% of ASU undergraduates receive financial assistance, and approximately 40% receive Pell Grants—helping keep ASU affordable for students of all income levels.
Learn more about Arizona State University and what it takes to get accepted.
3. Arizona State University-West Valley
Tuition In-state/Out-of-state: $12,223/$33,139
Location: Glendale, AZ
Acceptance Rate: N/A
Undergraduate Enrollment: 5,018
Arizona State University-West is one of five ASU locations. Arizona State University-West blends a classic liberal arts education with 21st-century workforce preparation—it offers 125 undergraduate and graduate programs across nine academic colleges and schools, which are:
- The New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences
- W. P. Carey School of Business
- School of Integrated Engineering
- College of Nursing and Health Innovation
- Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College
- College of Health Solutions
- Rob Walton College of Global Futures
- Thunderbird School of Global Management
- Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions
Notable programs at ASU-West include its Bachelor of Science in Forensic Science, as well as its Bachelor of Global Management and Bachelor of Science in International Trade—the first two undergraduate degrees offered by Thunderbird School of Global Management.
Learn more about Arizona State University-West and what it takes to get accepted.
4. Arizona State University-Polytechnic
Tuition In-state/Out-of-state: $12,223/$33,139
Location: Mesa, AZ
Acceptance Rate: N/A
Undergraduate Enrollment: 4,769
Arizona State University-Polytechnic is a hub for students studying interdisciplinary sciences, engineering, management, technology, and education. The university prides itself on its distinctive course offerings, project-based learning experiences, and cutting-edge labs featuring high-tech tools like 3-D printers and laser engravers.
Outside the classroom and lab, students can visit the Desert Arboretum, a 2.5-acre botanical park featuring native plants, four ponds, and seating areas.
Learn more about Arizona State University-Polytechnic and what it takes to get accepted.
5. Arizona State University-Downtown Phoenix
Tuition In-state/Out-of-state: $12,223/$33,139
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Acceptance Rate: N/A
Undergraduate Enrollment: 8,578
Arizona State University-Downtown Phoenix’s location in the state capital provides its students with numerous unique academic, professional, and recreational opportunities. Students studying at the university are preparing for a wide range of careers in healthcare, business, government, and law.
Journalism and media are also popular fields of study at ASU Phoenix. The university is home to both Arizona PBS and the prestigious Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication—one of the nation’s top journalism schools.
Learn more about Arizona State University-Downtown Phoenix and what it takes to get accepted.
6. Northern Arizona University | NAU
Tuition In-state/Out-of-state: $13,010/$29,882
Location: Flagstaff, AZ
Acceptance Rate: 91%
Undergraduate Enrollment: 23,128
In addition to being one of the cheapest colleges in Arizona, there’s a lot to love about Northern Arizona University, particularly its location. Looming over NAU and the city of Flagstaff is Arizona’s tallest mountain (Humphreys Peak), and surrounding it is the world’s largest contiguous ponderosa forest.
Flagstaff is also home to some of the darkest skies on the planet—it’s the world’s first International Dark Sky City—making it a popular astro-tourism destination. The city enjoys nearly 300 sunny days a year as well.
NAU’s student body is reflective of its community. The university is designated as a Hispanic-serving institution; roughly a quarter of its Flagstaff campus students are Hispanic. Almost half (40%) of NAU Undergraduates are first-generation college students.
Learn more about Northern Arizona University and what it takes to get accepted.
7. University of Arizona
Tuition In-state/Out-of-state: $13,926/$42,278
Location: Tucson, AZ
Acceptance Rate: 86%
Undergraduate Enrollment: 41,899
Like ASU, the University of Arizona was also founded in 1885, before Arizona gained statehood. The University of Arizona is known for its diverse student body—roughly 30% of first-year students identify as Hispanic/Latinx, 10% as Asian, 8% as Black/African American, and 4% as American Indian/Alaska Native.
The University of Arizona offers over 150 undergraduate degrees, including a Bachelor of Arts in Law—the only B.A. in Law degree in the United States.
Learn more about the University of Arizona and what it takes to get accepted.
8. Arizona Christian University
Tuition In-state/Out-of-state: $35,098/$35,098
Location: Glendale, AZ
Acceptance Rate: 74%
Undergraduate Enrollment: 1,210
Arizona Christian University (ACU) is a private, non-profit, Christian university that provides students with a biblically integrated liberal arts education. All four-year ACU students graduate with a minor in biblical studies and must attend chapel 22 times per semester, complete a spiritual formation, and participate in two service projects per semester.
LGBTQ students are advised that ACU appears on Campus Pride’s Absolute Worst List, a collection of schools that are home to the absolute worst/most unsafe campuses for LGBTQ youth in the United States.
Learn more about Arizona Christian University and what it takes to get accepted.
9. Prescott College
Tuition In-state/Out-of-state: $35,685/$35,685
Location: Prescott, AZ
Acceptance Rate: 99%
Undergraduate Enrollment: 257
Prescott College is a small private school located on 13 acres in Prescott, Arizona. The school offers six undergraduate programs:
- Adventure Education
- Critical Social Justice Studies and Solidarity
- Environmental Studies
- Field Ecology and Conservation
- Interdisciplinary Studies
- Psychology & Human Development
In addition to its main campus in Prescott, the college operates centers in Tucson, Arizona, Kino Bay, Mexico, and Talek, Kenya.
Learn more about Prescott College and what it takes to get accepted.
10. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott
Tuition In-state/Out-of-state: $43,974/$43,974
Location: Prescott, AZ
Acceptance Rate: 75%
Undergraduate Enrollment: 3,250
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University offers over 20 majors across its four colleges:
- College of Arts and Sciences
- College of Aviation
- College of Engineering
- College of Business, Security, and Intelligence
The university specializes in aviation, aerospace, security, and intelligence—its College of Business, Security, and Intelligence was the first program of its kind in the nation. The school provides exceptional flight training, boasting a diverse fleet of airplanes, helicopters, and advanced flight simulators. It also fields a winning flight team—the Golden Eagles Flight Team has claimed 16 National Championships.
Learn more about Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott and what it takes to get accepted.
Tips for Saving Money on College
The cost of college has risen faster than nearly all other household expenses since 1983—almost twice as fast as medical costs and four times faster than gas prices. According to J.P. Morgan, college costs have increased by an average of 5.6% annually over the past two decades.
While students can’t control increasing college costs, there are some steps they can take to manage their own college expenses.
Attend an In-State Public Institution
Attending an in-state public university is a tried-and-true strategy for lowering college costs. Tuition at a four-year private nonprofit university is almost four times that of the cost of in-state tuition at a four-year public school.
While public institutions are generally a more affordable option, don’t rule out private colleges, particularly those with a history of awarding generous financial aid packages—like these 50 colleges that give out the most merit aid.
Apply to Schools That Meet 100% of Demonstrated Need
Many schools commit to meeting 100% of demonstrated financial need for all accepted students—that is, the difference between what a family can contribute toward tuition minus the cost of attendance.
Schools that meet 100% demonstrated need of their students provide financial support through a combination of grants, loans, work-study, and/or scholarships, offering an alternative to expensive private loans.
Apply for Scholarships
College scholarships have been in existence almost as long as colleges themselves—the first scholarship in the U.S. was awarded in 1643 at Harvard, just seven years after the institution’s founding. Today, scholarships remain an integral way for students to control college costs.
Outside scholarships garner a lot of attention, but students should prioritize earning scholarship dollars from the schools themselves—colleges and universities fund $175 billion in scholarships annually, significantly more than the $11 billion in scholarships provided by other organizations.
How Much Will You Pay for College?
Whether you’re planning on attending college in Arizona or another state, the sticker price of a college is rarely what you’ll actually pay. The net price—the cost of attendance minus any grants, scholarships, tuition waivers, and other aid—is a better metric for determining the real cost of college.
While most schools host their own net price calculator, CollegeVine’s free financial aid calculator allows you to determine the net price of hundreds of colleges and universities across the U.S. in one place and eliminates the need to hop from site to site.
