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Compare Grand Canyon University vs Northern Arizona University

Phoenix, AZ · Flagstaff, AZ

Grand Canyon UniversityNorthern Arizona University
Cost
Price after aid (average)$22,472/yr$14,158/yr
Price after aid (family income under $30k)$18,557/yr$9,709/yr
Typical loan debt at graduation$22,114$19,000
Price after aid ($30k–$48k income)$18,763/yr$10,398/yr
Price after aid ($48k–$75k income)$21,712/yr$13,330/yr
Price after aid ($75k–$110k income)$24,471/yr$18,050/yr
Price after aid (income over $110k)$25,701/yr$20,686/yr
Typical loan payment after graduation$234/mo$201/mo
Room & board (on campus)$11,700/yr$14,432/yr
Room & board (off campus)$13,644/yr$18,342/yr
Borrowers who default0%0%
Books & supplies$1,000/yr$900/yr
Other living costs (on campus)$3,124/yr$4,936/yr
Sticker price (before aid)$32,702/yr$29,933/yr
Tuition (in-state)$17,850/yr$13,009/yr
Tuition (out-of-state)$17,850/yr$29,881/yr
Students with Pell Grants46%31%
Students taking federal loans53%32%
Getting in
Students who get accepted79%90%
SAT range (middle 50%)1006–1113No data reported
SAT average1077No data reported
ACT range (middle 50%)20–22No data reported
ACT sections (middle 50%)English 18–22 · Math 17–22No data reported
Admissions data fromFall 2023Fall 2023
Applications received47,97837,805
Students accepted28,96034,383
Students who enrolled8,4205,473
Accepted students who enroll29%16%
Enrolled who sent SAT scores0%No data reported
Enrolled who sent ACT scores0%No data reported
High-school GPARequiredRequired
High-school transcriptRequiredRequired
EssayOptional (considered if sent)Not considered
Recommendation lettersNot consideredNot considered
Class rankNot consideredNot considered
College-prep programNot consideredNot considered
Demonstrated competenciesNot consideredNot considered
Work experienceNot consideredNot considered
English proficiency testRequiredRequired
Other admission testsNot consideredNot considered
Legacy consideredNot consideredNot considered
SAT/ACT policyOptional (considered if sent)Not considered
Graduation & earnings
Students who graduate43%61%
Freshmen who come back72%75%
Typical earnings 10 years in$42,186/yr$54,384/yr
Earnings range 10 years in$21,881–$68,589$35,991–$78,281
Finish within 8 years (anywhere)44%59%
White students graduating48%64%
Black students graduating36%49%
Hispanic students graduating39%58%
Asian students graduating43%71%
Typical earnings 6 years in$47,280/yr$47,308/yr
Earn more than a HS grad79%72%
Graduate on time37%48%
Pell students who graduate33%53%
First-gen students who finish40%55%
Low-income students who finish27%53%
Typical earnings 8 years in$44,013/yr$51,271/yr
Majors & programs
Top 3 programsHealth Professions 33% · Business, Management & Marketing 22% · Public Administration & Social Service 15%Business, Management & Marketing 17% · Health Professions 16% · Psychology 8%
Most popular programHealth Professions — 33% of degreesBusiness, Management & Marketing — 17% of degrees
2nd most popular programBusiness, Management & Marketing — 22% of degreesHealth Professions — 16% of degrees
3rd most popular programPublic Administration & Social Service — 15% of degreesPsychology — 8% of degrees
4th most popular programEducation — 11% of degreesEducation — 7% of degrees
5th most popular programHomeland Security & Protective Services — 3% of degreesBiological & Biomedical Sciences — 7% of degrees
Highest-paying major (1 year out)Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing — $132,852/yrAllied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions — $105,814/yr
Degrees in STEM6.2%15%
Campus & students
Undergrad enrollment73,37122,903
Students per professor20 : 119 : 1
Graduate students37,3215,477
Average professor pay$7,563/mo$9,847/mo
Full-time professors10%72%
Fully onlineNoNo
Accredited byHigher Learning CommissionHigher Learning Commission
Median family income$29,879$41,212
SettingCity (large)City (small)
LocationPhoenix, AZFlagstaff, AZ
RegionSouthwestSouthwest
Founded19491899
Public or privatePrivate (nonprofit)Public
Main degree offeredBachelor's degreesBachelor's degrees
Carnegie classificationDoctoral/Professional UniversitiesDoctoral Universities: High Research Activity
Main or branch campusMain campusMain campus
International students0.9%2.1%
Men29%37%
Women71%63%
White students46%52%
Black students17%3%
Hispanic or Latino students25%27%
Asian students2.8%4.5%
Two or more races5%5.7%
Other / not reported3.7%5.3%
Special typeNoneNone
First-generation students47%39%
Part-time students66%13%
Students age 25+52%13%
Spent on teaching per student$2,400/yr$7,753/yr
EndowmentNo data reported$283.4M
Campus life
Campus data from20232023
On-campus housingYes — dorms on campusYes — dorms on campus
Beds in campus housing18,48510,274
Required to live on campusNoNo
Room charge (campus housing)$6,000/yr$6,180/yr
Meal plan charge$3,900/yr$5,548/yr
Meal plan offeredYesYes
Meals per weekVaries by weekVaries by week
Academic calendarSemesterSemester
Federal designationNoneNone
Study abroadYesYes
Undergraduate researchYesYes
ROTCYes — Army, Air ForceYes — Army, Air Force
Accepts AP creditYesYes
Accepts dual-enrollment creditNoNo
Credit for life experienceYesNo
Online classesYesYes
Whole degrees onlineYesYes
Weekend & evening classesYesNo
Teacher certificationYesYes
Academic & career counselingYesYes
Job help while you studyYesYes
Job placement for graduatesNoYes
On-campus day careNoYes
Program for students with intellectual disabilitiesNoNo
Yellow Ribbon (GI Bill) schoolYesYes
Credit for military trainingYesYes
Student veteran organizationNoYes
Tuition payment planYesYes
Guaranteed (locked) tuitionNoNo
Prepaid tuition planNoNo
Athletics
Athletics data from2024-252024-25
College sports levelNCAA Division I without footballNCAA Division I-FCS
Football teamNoYes
Varsity teams1711
Student athletes441353
Athletic scholarships$5.7M$6.7M
Athletics budget$33.3M$27.1M
Athletics revenue$33.3M$27.1M
Recruiting spend$723,085$310,965

Data: U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard 2026-06-10, EADA athletics, IPEDS admissions — each on its own survey year. Campus life: IPEDS institutional characteristics, retrieved from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-BY 1.0). Founding year, logo, campus photo and links via Wikidata / Wikipedia. SHMACS is an independent tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any institution shown.