U of A vs Stanford

Envision yourself immersed in the vibrant college towns of Tucson, Arizona, and Stanford, California, home to the University of Arizona (UA) and Stanford University, respectively. While both institutions offer world-class education, they possess distinct characteristics that shape the student experience. UA boasts a welcoming and diverse community, reflected in its higher acceptance rate and larger student body. Stanford, known for its academic rigor and selectivity, attracts a smaller, highly competitive cohort. Explore their contrasting popular majors, from UA's emphasis on business and social sciences to Stanford's strength in engineering and computer science. Discover the nuances in their graduation rates, influenced by factors such as academic support and post-graduate opportunities. Delve into the comparison table to uncover further insights and determine which university aligns best with your aspirations and goals.
Stanford University logo

Stanford University

University of Arizona logo

University of Arizona

Overview

Location Stanford, California Tucson, Arizona
Campus setting Suburb: Large City: Large
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Public
Calendar system Quarter Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 98.0% 84.0%
Common app member No Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 3.9% 87.3%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $90

Graduate: $125
Undergraduate: $50

Graduate: $85
SAT range 1470 - 1570 1120 - 1370
ACT range 34 - 35 21 - 29
Students submitting SAT score 15.0% 13.0%
Students submitting ACT score 11.0% 19.0%
Total number of applicants 55,471 48,065
Total number of admissions given out 2,190 41,946
Admitted students who chose to enroll 1,757 8,436
Yield rate 80.2% 20.1%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Not required Required
Recommendation letters Required Not required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Not required Not required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $78,898
In state: $30,136

Out of state: $54,658
Average net price $14,402 $17,242
Tuition $55,473
In state: $11,299

Out of state: $35,821
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $11,166

Meal plan: $6,694
Room/dormitory: $8,400

Meal plan: $5,050
Available payment plans
  • Guaranteed tuition plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

61.0%
Average amount $56,211
92.0%
Average amount $13,790
Students receiving federal student loan 5.0%
Average amount $5,151
24.0%
Average amount $4,845
Students taking out private loans 1.0%
Average amount $17,186
3.0%
Average amount $20,814

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 7,645
Men 49.4% Women 50.6%
37,434
Men 44.3% Women 55.7%
Graduate students 10,035
Men 56.5% Women 43.5%
10,840
Men 44.5% Women 55.5%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Moderate
Out-of-state students 58.5% 48.8%
International students 24.4% 6.5%
Campus local/setting Suburb: Large City: Large
Dormitory capacity 14,621 7,036
First year students are required to live on campus? Yes No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from California Texas Washington New York Illinois Arizona California Washington Illinois Colorado

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Engineering
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Business
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Physical Science
  • Health Professions
  • Business
  • Engineering
  • Education
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
Students to faculty ratio 5:1 17:1
Institutional accreditation Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 95.5% 64.3%
Dropout rate 1.7% 14.3%
Transferred out 0.6% 19.6%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Law (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $151,574
  • Year 2: $170,457
  • Year 3: $210,837
Computer Science (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $159,729
  • Year 2: $168,942
  • Year 3: $203,193
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $164,734
  • Year 2: $163,337
  • Year 3: $187,054
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $137,457
  • Year 2: $150,874
  • Year 3: $173,548
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $136,126
  • Year 2: $136,499
  • Year 3: $165,375
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $128,556
  • Year 2: $135,709
  • Year 3: $157,500
Engineering-Related Fields (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $123,354
  • Year 2: $106,421
  • Year 3: $139,234
Mechanical Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $105,326
  • Year 2: $111,435
  • Year 3: $126,185
Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $108,457
  • Year 2: $90,856
  • Year 3: $107,477
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $60,475
  • Year 2: $85,391
  • Year 3: $104,592
Physics (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $88,673
  • Year 2: $123,527
  • Year 3: $127,192
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $110,426
  • Year 2: $117,473
  • Year 3: $122,962
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $110,630
  • Year 2: $103,746
  • Year 3: $104,908
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $100,116
  • Year 2: $83,388
  • Year 3: $98,461
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $91,677
  • Year 2: $92,743
  • Year 3: $98,271
Chemistry (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $84,653
  • Year 3: $96,308
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $89,806
  • Year 2: $75,518
  • Year 3: $89,884
Mining and Mineral Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $76,657
  • Year 2: $73,035
  • Year 3: $87,557
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $72,627
  • Year 2: $79,199
  • Year 3: $86,387
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $77,284
  • Year 2: $74,953
  • Year 3: $83,742

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