Colleges in Arizona

Arizona is home to over 174 colleges, universities, and technical schools. There is a wide variety of subjects taught at these institutions. Any college prospect can find a program to fit his desires, regardless of what these desires are. Here are just a few of the choices available in the Copper State.

Arizona Universities and Technical schools

University of Arizona

Founded in 1885, this school has been helping educate students for almost 130 years. Known as a bastion of education, this university also takes sports seriously. The tuition for the University is one of the lowest in the state at $9286 a semester for undergraduates.

The University of Arizona offers a wide selection of programs, from Bachelor of Arts to degrees in medicine and pharmacy. Students have many options for life outside classes, with performances groups; campus based clubs, and over forty-four fraternities and sororities. Tucson, Arizona also hosts a variety of student-focused establishments, guaranteeing that every student will have plenty to do during the off hours. This also provides employment opportunities for those that need the assistance.

Tucson also has a wide variety of cultural events throughout the year, sponsored by U of A and often ran by local University students. Students can live in on campus dorms or apartments around Tucson. U of A offers both a great education and a good social life for all students.

Art Institute of Phoenix

For those with a more artistic bent, the Art Institute has called Phoenix home since 1995. This renowned institution focuses on preparing artists for the real world in a variety of ways, with degrees that range from Associates of Applied Science in Graphic Design to Bachelors of Arts in the Culinary Arts.

The degrees are typically completed at an accelerated pace, with Bachelors being finished in two or three years and associates finishing in one or two years. The school has no summer break; instead, the students attend classes all year.

Located in the heart of Phoenix, the Art Institute is surrounded by businesses and establishments that can help students relax during the off time. The school has no dormitories on campus, but there are plenty of apartments and other homes around the area for rent.

Northern Arizona University

This up-state school is focused on providing the best education possible. Unlike other schools in Arizona, it isn't known as a party school. Instead, Northern Arizona University holds tight to its roots as a teacher-centric institution.

Founded in 1899, the school spent the first fifty years primarily as a school for up and coming educators. Although many teachers and education professionals still graduate from NAU, the school has also become known for a variety of other subjects. The Carnegie Institute has declared NAU to be a research school, signifying that the University contributes to field of research and science. Located in Flagstaff, Arizona, NAU is surrounded by a variety of on and off campus establishments. The University provides housing for students but the town of Flagstaff also has many apartments available for those that don’t want to live on campus.

The State of Arizona

Primary Industries

The three largest industries in Arizona are Mining, Tech, and tourism. These three provide the bulk of income, imports, and exports for the state.

Although Copper mining still plays a big part in the Arizona economy, with over sixty percent of the nation’s copper supply coming from the state, Arizona also has a strong mining industry in other precious metals. Gold and silver are also an export of the Arizona mining industry.

A number of well known tech companies also call Arizona home. Intel has a chip manufacturing plant that has been located in Chandler since 1996. The plant now produces thin wafer chips in a clean room environment. Other major tech businesses that call Arizona home are Go Daddy, Trupoints, Authority Labs and over forty other companies.

State History

Arizona is a state that is steep in history. Although it has only been around for a little over 100 years, the state had a pivotal role in the forming the wild-west mythos of the USA. Combine this with the natural wonders that are hosted in the state, such as the Grand Canyon and the Painted Rock desert, and there is ample reason for people to visit the state. Over thirty-seven million tourists come to Arizona every year. This creates an industry centered on travel, lodging, food, and entertainment.

State Economy

Arizona's economy is robust with its primary driving industries that have helped the state rapid climb out of the recent waves of recession that plagued other states. With an annual Gross State Product of over $259 billion, the economy of Arizona continues to grow. It has a bigger GSP bigger than New Zealand and Ireland. The average income in Arizona is $40,000 a year, though the median household income is over $50,000 a year. The economy is growing and many companies are finding Arizona a good fit for their services.

Employment Opportunities

With the three main industries growing, there is an ample amount of jobs available in the state. The two largest employers are the state government and Wal-Mart. Both have operations and stores spread around the cities and towns of Arizona. Although the current employment figure sits at 9.6%, Arizona is still a top destination for new and expanding companies. Nine companies based in Arizona made Inc. Magazines fastest growing company list in 2012. These companies include a variety of businesses, from health care to technology. Global Med is a tech company that creates software for healthcare providers and based in Scottsdale. Another Scottsdale based company, Blue-Global Media, is a company that focuses on affiliate marketing. MYTEK Solutions is based out of Phoenix and provides IT services for different companies.

With so many growing and established companies, the employment opportunities for the state are wide ranged. These companies also provide a good foundation for the new college graduate, including job recruiting and job placement.