University Facts

University Facts

The University of Arizona, a land-grant university with two independently accredited medical schools, has been ranked one of the nation's top public universities by U.S. News & World Report. Established in 1885, the university is widely recognized as a student-centric university and has been designated as a Hispanic-Serving Institution by the U.S. Department of Education. The university ranked in the top 20 in 2021 in research expenditures among all public universities, according to the National Science Foundation, and is a leading Research 1 institution with $824 million in annual research expenditures. The university advances the frontiers of interdisciplinary scholarship and entrepreneurial partnerships as a member of the Association of American Universities, the 71 leading public and private research universities in the U.S. and Canada. It benefits the state with an estimated economic impact of $4.1 billion annually.

Arial photograph of UArizona campus in Tucson, AZ

PURPOSE

Working together to expand human potential, explore new horizons and enrich life for all.

MISSION

We will continuously improve how we educate and innovate so we can lead the way in developing adaptive problem-solvers capable of tackling our greatest challenges.

VALUES

Integrity | Compassion | Exploration | Adaptation | Inclusion | Determination

ENROLLMENT

53,187 total students

  • 42,075 undergraduate
  • 11,112 graduate

Top Majors

  • Business Administration
  • Engineering
  • Medicine
  • Psychology
Students on the UArizona campus

Students on the UArizona campus

Students on the UArizona campus

 

WORKFORCE (Fiscal Year 2024)

16,699 employees (including graduate assistants)

HISTORY

The University of Arizona was established in 1885. The first building, Old Main, was completed in 1890. It housed the School of Agriculture with classrooms, labs and a mess hall. 

There were many obstacles on the path to opening the university. However, we never gave up on our mission. Our first graduating class of three students in 1895 set us on an incredible journey of learning and discovery with stories of wonder that continue to shape our Wildcat spirit:

  • The Morrill Land-Grant Acts of 1862 and 1890 designated the University of Arizona as Arizona's land-grant university.
  • Bear Down! Our beloved rallying cry, first heard in 1926, has become part of our core identity and is used by Arizona Wildcats all around the world.
  • In 1937, we invented tree-ring research and opened the first lab for dendrochronology.
  • We helped map the moon so that the Eagle could land in 1969, and sampled an asteroid in 2021 for the first time in U.S. history. #SpaceIsWildcatCountry
  • Our military history runs deep. In 2016, on the 75th anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor, we honored the service members killed on the USS Arizona with the USS Arizona Mall Memorial.
  • In spring 2022, we opened the Student Success District, a restoration of iconic campus buildings with cutting-edge technologies and services to improve how students live, work and study.
Old Main in the late 1800s

Present day Old Main