Arizona Teacher Colleges and Degrees Online Guide
This guide to the many teacher preparation programs available in Arizona offers important information to help aspiring teachers find the best way to obtain a teaching degree in Arizona. There are many colleges and universities in Arizona that offer teaching degree programs that focus on preparing future Arizona educators for a career in the classroom. Scroll down to find lists of top-rated teaching programs, a table of accredited, state-approved teacher preparation programs, and student reviews. For young students who are interested in becoming an educator or for anyone who is looking to change their current career, this guide to teaching schools in Arizona will help find the best program that fits specific individual needs in order to become a qualified teacher.
Quick Facts
- There are 34 colleges and universities with teacher degree programs in Arizona.1
- 21 colleges and universities offer an associate’s degree in education.*1
- 13 colleges and universities offer a bachelor’s degree in education.*1
- 11 colleges and universities offer a master’s or advanced degree in education.*1
- 2 schools were in Kiplinger’s Best College Values 2019.2
- No schools ranked in Princeton Review’s Great Schools for Education Majors 2020.3
- 4 schools ranked in US News & World Report’s Best Graduate Education Programs 2019.4
- 4 schools ranked in US News & World Report’s Best Online Graduate Education Programs 2019.5
- 1 not-for-profit teacher program is accredited by the NCATE, TEAC, or CAEP.
*For not-for-profit colleges and universities with teacher degree programs.
Top-Ranked Schools with Education Programs in Arizona
Kiplinger’s Best College Values 2019*
- Arizona State University-Tempe (#239)
- Arizona State University-West (#274)
*Institution-wide ranking.
US News & World Report’s Best Graduate Education Programs 2019
- Arizona State University (#16)
- University of Arizona (#64 tie)
- Northern Arizona University (#143 tie)
- Northcentral University (#195-258)
US News & World Report’s Best Online Graduate Education Programs 2019
- Arizona State University (#13 tie)
- University of Arizona (#29 tie)
- Northern Arizona University (#126 tie)
- Northcentral University (#228-299)
School Programs for Becoming a Teacher in Arizona
Comparison of Teacher Preparation Programs
We have designed the following table to help you compare teacher preparation programs in Arizona according to various factors. All of the schools included are not-for-profit institutions approved by the Arizona Department of Education for the preparation of teachers. Completing a state-approved teacher preparation program is an important step towards earning licensure.
While accreditation from the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) is not a requirement for licensure, it is included in the following table as CAEP provides a highly-regarded accreditation that is accepted in many states. Read more about the CAEP, NCATE, and TEAC accrediting bodies. We have also included rankings from the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ), a research and policy group that scores teacher preparation programs at the national level using key standards chosen to measure students’ preparation for success in teaching. For further information on the NCTQ’s program rankings, please see the notes below the table.
You will also find data on teacher preparation program enrollment, completion, and licensing exam pass rates by institution for the 2017-2018 academic year in this table. These data points are collected from annual US Department of Education records under Title II (Teacher Quality) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), which provides for reporting that holds institutions and state departments of education accountable for increasing academic achievement through improvements in teacher quality.
Programs that are not ranked, or for which data is not available, in a given category are denoted as “-“.
State-Approved School | CAEP Accred.?6 | NCTQ Undergrad Elementary Prog. % (2016)**7 | NCTQ Undergrad Secondary Prog. % (2017)**7 | Teacher Prep Prog. Enrollment8 | Teacher Prep Prog. Completers8 | Licensing Exams Pass Rate8 | Net Price***1 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Arizona Christian University | No | — | — | 30 | 19 | 99% | $22,368 |
Arizona State University | No | 99% | 99% | 1,536 | 631 | 90% | $11,751 |
Northern Arizona University-Flagstaff | Yes | — | — | 797 | 567 | 97% | $14,901 |
Northern Arizona University-Yuma | Yes | — | — | 16 | 10 | 100% | — |
Ottawa University | No | — | — | 154 | 39 | 61% | — |
Prescott College | No | — | — | 44 | 15 | 100% | $24,024 |
Rio Salado College | No | — | — | 172 | 55 | 93% | $6,850 |
University of Arizona | No | 68% | — | 792 | 264 | 92% | $15,758 |
University of Arizona South | No | — | — | 34 | 28 | 86% | — |
*The NCTQ rated undergraduate elementary teaching programs in 2016 and undergraduate secondary teaching programs in 2017 by national percentile based on their overall scores on the NCTQ’s standards for teacher education. Schools that do not provide data on all key standards or that fall below the top 50% of schools nationally are not included by the NCTQ in their ratings. Visit the NCTQ website for more information on its standards and methodologies.
**Net price is per year for undergraduate tuition as calculated by the National Center for Education Statistics based on the cost of attendance (tuition, books, room and board, and related expenses) for students who qualify for in-state tuition and fees, less the average financial aid award (including grants and scholarships).
Profiles of Well-Known Schools
Arizona State University: Arizona State University is known for its highly regarded teacher preparation programs offered at all of the university’s locations in Phoenix, downtown Phoenix, online, and Tempe. The Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College prepares educators at all levels from undergraduate to doctoral. The College’s graduate offerings, in particular, are typically very highly ranked in the annual edition of US News & World Report ranking publication and have made the list for 12 consecutive years. The College’s master’s degree offerings are known for their rigor, innovation, and flexibility. They are designed for full-time working professionals who teach during the day and attend college in the evening or online. Many of the master’s degrees can be completed in as little as 18 months. Majors include Elementary Education, Secondary Education, Physical Education and Special Education.
School Programs for Becoming a Teacher in Arizona
Schools with Teaching Degree Programs in Arizona
Arizona State University
Tempe, AZ 85287
(480) 965-9011
https://students.asu.edu/





Cochise College*
4190 W Highway 80
Douglas, AZ 85607-9724
(520) 515-0500
www.cochise.edu
Eastern Arizona College*
615 N Stadium Ave
Thatcher, AZ 85552-0769
(928) 428-8322
www.eac.edu
GateWay Community College*
108 N 40th Street
Phoenix, AZ 85034
(602) 392-5000
www.gatewaycc.edu
Glendale Community College-Glendale*
6000 W Olive Ave
Glendale, AZ 85302
(623) 845-3000
www.glendale.edu
Mesa Community College*
1833 W Southern Ave
Mesa, AZ 85202
(602) 461-7000
www.mesacc.edu
Mohave Community College*
1971 Jagerson Ave
Kingman, AZ 86409-1238
(928) 757-4331
www.mohave.edu
Northern Arizona University
Knoles Dr
Flagstaff, AZ 86011-4132
(928) 523-9011
https://nau.edu/



Northland Pioneer College*
2251 E Navajo Blvd
Holbrook, AZ 86025-0610
(928) 524-7600
www.npc.edu
Ottawa University
10020 North 25th Ave
Phoenix, AZ 85021
(602) 371-1188
www.ottawa.edu
Pima Community College*
401 North Bonita Ave
Tucson, AZ 85709-5000
(520) 206-4500
https://www.pima.edu/

Prescott College
220 Grove Ave
Prescott, AZ 86301
(877) 350-2100
www.prescott.edu
Scottsdale Community College*
9000 E Chaparral Rd
Scottsdale, AZ 85256
(480) 423-6000
www.scottsdalecc.edu
University of Arizona
1401 E University
Tucson, AZ 85721-0066
(520) 621-2211
www.arizona.edu
An asterisk (*) denotes a two-year or certificate program in education. While a two-year degree will not qualify graduates for teacher certification, it can be a good starting point for a teaching career. To learn more about what you can do with this degree, see our guide to associate’s degrees in education.
References:
1. National Center for Education Statistics College Navigator: https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/
2. Kiplinger’s Best College Values: https://www.kiplinger.com/tool/college/T014-S001-best-college-values-college-finder/index.php#Tile
3. The Princeton Review. The Best 385 Colleges, 2020 Edition. The Princeton Review, 2019.
4. US News & World Report Best Graduate Education Schools 2019: https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-education-schools/edu-rankings
5. US News & World Report Best Online Graduate Education Schools 2019: https://www.usnews.com/education/online-education/education/rankings
6. Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP): http://caepnet.org/provider-search
7. National Council on Teacher Quality Teacher Preparation Program Review: https://www.nctq.org/review/home
8. US Department of Education 2018 Title II Reports: https://title2.ed.gov/Public/Home.aspx