Getting Accepted to UArizona and Top Majors in 2023-2024

There’s a cross-state rivalry among Arizonans between Arizona State University in Tempe and the University of Arizona in Tucson.

The universities are situated in the two largest metropolitan areas in Arizona but draw students from across the country interested in the social life, scenery, and academic programs available at each school.

Although smaller than ASU, the University of Arizona is known for its more rigorous academic programs and higher rankings.

For those wondering about what it takes to get accepted into the University of Arizona, here’s an overview of admission criteria and the most popular academic programs available to current and incoming students.

Acceptance rates at the University of Arizona

The University of Arizona draws students from all over the United States, with billboards and advertisements as far away as Chicago and Houston drawing students to the main campus in Tucson. Since the University of Arizona draws from such a large applicant base, incoming students often find themselves concerned about the odds of admission. The top questions we see from the incoming first-year or transfer students are:

  • Is the University of Arizona easy to get into?
  • What GPA do you need to get into the University of Arizona?
  • Can I get into the University of Arizona with a 2.5 GPA?

Here’s a rundown of those questions and more for insights on what it takes to be accepted to the University of Arizona.

Is the University of Arizona easy to get into?

The University of Arizona has an acceptance rate of 87.3%, making it a relatively easy school to gain admission.

Admissions decisions include a variety of factors – including grade point average, standardized testing, high school or transfer school coursework, and extracurricular activities.

What GPA do you need to get into the University of Arizona?

Students applying to the University of Arizona should have a 3.0 grade point average.

The university requires incoming transfer students to have at least a 3.0 GPA with 12 college credits to transfer, so incoming first-year undergraduates need to have a higher grade point average to be considered for admission without any college credits. A strong score on a standardized test – the SAT or the ACT – can help supplement a lower grade point average.

Can I get into the University of Arizona with a 2.5 GPA?

First-year students applying in their senior year of high school should have at least a 2.5-grade point average when applying to the University of Arizona.

This does not guarantee admission – as admissions officers look at other aspects of the application – including standardized test scores, high school coursework, and advanced placement coursework, among others – and should be considered on the lower end of admissions benchmarks.

How many majors are offered at the University of Arizona?

The University of Arizona offers more than 150 majors across 29 fields.

The five fields of study with the most undergraduate students are Business Management, Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Engineering, Health Sciences, and Social Sciences. Interdisciplinary Studies, where students can take courses across various academic fields, is the sixth most popular academic route for undergraduates at the University of Arizona. Check out the next section for the top majors within these programs.

Business Management is the most popular undergraduate major at the University of Arizona.

Nearly 15% of all UA undergraduates pursue a major in Business Management and one of the nine majors available within the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration program. The nine majors within the BSBA program are:

  1. Pre-Business
  2. Accounting
  3. Business Administration
  4. Business Economics
  5. Business Management
  6. Entrepreneurship
  7. Finance
  8. Management Information Systems
  9. Marketing

In addition to the BSBA program, the Eller College of Management at the University of Arizona also offers eight minors and five certificates available to students in other academic fields of study, which is a popular option for undergraduate students looking to supplement their major with a business-focused minor or certificate.

The second most popular major at the University of Arizona is biological and biomedical sciences within the College of Science. The third most popular major is engineering, within the College of Engineering. Both of these programs have different concentrations and majors available within the academic fields of study.

Home to a diverse community of 40,000+ students hailing from all 50 states and over 100 countries, the University of Arizona shines as a student-focused, top-100 global university

Academic rankings at the University of Arizona

U.S. News and World Report ranked the University of Arizona as the 46th top public school in the country in their 2023 rankings.

Among all public and private universities, the University of Arizona missed the top 100, coming in at #103 nationally. Among specific academic programs, UA’s Management Information Systems program placed highest nationally, ranking #4, and the school was ranked #23 for its undergraduate nursing program.

Top graduate programs at the University of Arizona

The top graduate programs at the University of Arizona mirror the popularity of the undergraduate programs, given the strength of the academic programs in the College of Science and the Eller College of Management.

Over a dozen graduate programs at the University of Arizona made the top 100 rankings in the U.S. News & World Report’s 2023 graduate school study. The highest-ranking programs were earth sciences, rehabilitation counseling, speech-language pathology, and audiology. Business, law, and engineering programs were ranked in the top 100 nationally across multiple disciplines.

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