Phoenix, the capital of Arizona, is one of the United States’ five most populous cities. It is also the hottest city in the country, with the summer temperatures climbing above 100 degrees Fahrenheit now and then. But that doesn’t stop hundreds of thousands of students from flocking to this city to pursue higher education. And if you want to follow in their footsteps and study in Phoenix, the good news is that you won’t run short of options.
Within 25 miles of the city, you will find more or less 90 universities and colleges. That’s why we have listed five cheap universities in Phoenix for you below.
Affordable Schools in Phoenix for International Students
1. Arizona State University
With a student population of nearly 114,500, Arizona State University is one of the most populous universities in the US. The public research university has five campuses scattered across the Phoenix metropolitan area, with the main one occupying 660-plus acres of land in Tempe, around eight miles from downtown Phoenix. This impressive institution is organized into 17 colleges, schools, and institutes that employ over 5,000 academic staff, including four Nobel laureates and six Pulitzer winners.
Its educational programs include over 400 undergraduate majors and over 450 graduate degree and certificate programs. ASU has been around since 1885 and is among the top 150 universities in the Academic Ranking of World Universities 2019. You won’t find a cheaper option than ASU in Phoenix if you are an Arizona resident.
However, the tuition is relatively high for out-of-state and international students. However, you may find some financial aid through a scholarship or loan if you apply. One notable fact about this university is that its acceptance rate is north of 90 percent.
2. Ottawa University
Although Ottawa University is primarily based in Ottawa, Kansas, it has a 32,000-square-foot satellite campus along the Interstate 17 corridor between Peoria and Dunlap Avenues in Phoenix. This small institution is a non-profit, private Baptist university founded in 1865. It offers various bachelor’s, master’s, and graduate certificate programs.
OU also provides higher education to its 4,000-plus students through three academic schools: the School of Arts and Sciences, the School of Business, and the School of Education. So far, this cheap university in Phoenix has produced over 22,000 graduates. It claims the 43rd spot in the US News’ Best Regional Colleges Midwest Rankings 2020. Being a private university, it doesn’t charge out-of-state and international students more tuition than in-state students.
Compared to most other private universities in Arizona, it is very affordable. Moreover, you are to find financial aid options like scholarships, awards, grants, and loans to reduce or manage your cost of attendance. However, this university is incredibly selective, accepting only 26 out of every 100 applicants.
3. Grand Canyon University
Grand Canyon University is a non-profit, private Christian university like Ottawa University. However, the big difference is that this one is different from what you call a small university. It’s the world’s most populous Christian university, with about 90,500 students enrolled.
However, when it began its journey in 1949, it had roughly 100 students and 16 faculty. The university has multiple campuses situated in Phoenix. Through its ten colleges, it facilitates more than 800 academic programs at undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels. Niche ranked GCU first as Arizona’s best college campus and the United States’s 24th-best in 2024.
GCU, too, charges in-state, out-of-state, and international students equally. They all have to pay the same tuition amount, which is slightly more than OU charges. But again, if comparisons are drawn with other private universities in Arizona, it will be listed among the most affordable ones. The acceptance rate at GCU is 60 percent, making it much less selective than OU.
4. DeVry University
Founded in 1931, DeVry University is a private, non-religiously affiliated university with more than 45 campuses scattered across the U.S. Three campuses are in Arizona, including one on West Dunlap Avenue in Phoenix. The school offers over 80 academic programs, including certificates, associate, bachelor’s, and master’s programs organized into eight areas of study.
In the U.S. News’ Best Regional Universities Midwest Rankings 2020, it ranks between 117th and 153rd. Like the other two private institutions mentioned above, this cheap school in Phoenix also doesn’t have different tuition rates for students from Arizona, other U.S. states, and international territories. Its cost of attendance lies between those of O.U. and GCU, making it one of the most affordable private universities in the state. Additionally, this university offers several financial aid options, such as scholarships, grants, and loans. The acceptance rate is around 40-50 percent.
5. Arizona Christian University
What was once established as Southwestern Conservative Baptist Bible College in 1960 is now Arizona Christian University. It is a non-denominational Christian liberal arts university that enrolled over 1,000 students in the academic year 2023-2024. The school has fewer than 100 academic staff, making its student-to-faculty ratio 17:1.
This undergraduate-only university offers many bachelor’s and associate programs. Its urban campus encompasses 35 acres of land in Phoenix. This cheap university in Phoenix ranks 22nd in the US News Best Regional Colleges West Rankings 2020. Tuitions at ACU are higher than those at all four universities listed above.
However, the good news is that you have a fair chance of receiving some need-based financial aid here. The non-profit, private university provides over 50 percent of its full-time undergraduate students with such financial assistance, with the average need-based scholarship or grant award being $8,507. It has an acceptance rate of 40 percent.
If you plan to study in Phoenix, Arizona, you’ll soon learn that you have numerous university options to choose from and affordable ones you can consider. There are already over 50 higher institutions miles within the city, so you’ll never run out of choices. However, the ones listed above are some of the cheapest you can find, so make sure to enroll in the school that fits you best!
We hope this article on the cheapest universities in Phoenix was helpful. To know more information on studying abroad, specifically in the United States, check out the Study in the USA and the Available Programs for International Students in the USA.
