Want to study at the University of Phoenix? Here is all you need to know about the University of Phoenix from its admission requirements, to the courses offered, tuition fees, ranking, and more.
One thing is peculiar about this institution which is the drive for excellence. The University of Phoenix is a privately owned for-profit college, headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, United States.
It has an open-enrollment admission policy, requiring a high-school diploma, GED, or its equivalent as its criteria for admissions.
Here is a table of what to expect:
About The University of Phoenix
The University was founded in 1976 and confers degrees in over 100-degree programs at the associate, bachelor, master’s, and doctoral degree levels with its Detroit campus having a 10% graduation rate.
Regardless, the school has been under investigation by the United States of America Federal Trade Commission for the last two years. Firstly, it has a student loan fail-to-pay rate of 26.4%, according to USA Today.
Other disputes concern marketing and recruitment practices, instructional hours, being one of the top recipients of student aid, and having a student body that shoulders the most student debt of any college.
The University of Phoenix claimed an aiguilles enrollment of almost 600,000 students in 2010, but its numbers have decreased sharply since then.
Enrollment was about 142,500 on August 31, 2026. Sometime in 2026, it was acquired by Apollo Global Management, an American private equity firm.
The University of Phoenix was founded by John Sperling in 1976, where the first class consisted of eight students. In 1980, the school grew to San Jose, California, and in 1989, the university launched its online program.
In 1994, the University of Phoenix leaders made the decision to take the parent company, Apollo Group, public. The University had more than 100,000 students within the first five years of going public.
Growth of the University made John Sperling a billionaire. According to Senator Tom Harkin, who presided over hearings on for-profit colleges, “I think what really turned this company is when they started going to Wall Street.”
Between 2010 and 2026, the enrollment into the University declined more than 70 percent amid multiple investigations, lawsuits and controversies.
In February 2026, the Apollo Group announced it would be sold to a private investment group which was made up of Apollo Global Management, the Vistria Group, and the Najafi Companies, for $1 billion.
The Former U.S. Department of Education Deputy Secretary Anthony W. Miller, partner, and chief operating officer of Vistria, was made the chairman.
The sale will have to be recommended by both the U.S. Department of Education and the accreditation groups the Higher Learning Commission in order to go forward.
In December 2026, the United States Department of Education approved the sale of Apollo Education Group by Apollo Global. However, the company would be required to provide a letter of credit for up to $385 million.
University of Phoenix Accreditation
The kind of accreditation a school has is the largest determining factor. Currently, the University of Phoenix is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, part of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.
Higher Learning Commission is one of six regional accrediting bodies in the country that’s recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
The regional accreditation covers an entire institution, including all campuses and online programs, and is considered the most distinguished type of accreditation. National accreditation is also recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, however many regionally-accredited schools don’t accept a transfer from nationally-accredited schools.
The University of Phoenix’s regional accreditation status makes it more likely that the credits are transferable.
University of Phoenix Admission Requirements
Though there are a lot of pieces that go into a college application, you should focus on only a few critical things:
- GPA requirements
- Testing requirements, including SAT and ACT requirements
- Application requirements
University of Phoenix GPA Requirements
So many schools specify a minimum GPA requirement, but this is often just the bare minimum to submit an application without immediately getting rejected.
The GPA requirement that really matters are the GPA you need for a real chance of getting in. For this, we take a look at the school’s average GPA for its current students.
SAT and ACT Requirements
Each school has different requirements for standardized testing. A lot of schools require the SAT or ACT, and many also require SAT subject tests.
The University of Phoenix hasn’t explicitly named a policy on SAT/ACT requirements, and it hasn’t published average SAT or ACT scores. Therefore, either this University doesn’t require tests, or test scores are optional.
University of Phoenix Tuition/Cost
The annual list price to attend University of Phoenix Online Campus on a full time basis for 2026/2026 is $15,818 for all students regardless of their residency.
This fee is comprised of $9,467 for tuition, $5,630 room and board, $0 for books and supplies and $721 for other fees.
The average reported annual net price for University of Phoenix Online Campus for students receiving grants or scholarship aid was $14,252 in 2014/2026.
University of Phoenix Majors/Programs offered
The University of Phoenix offers degree programs through the following schools and colleges:
- School of Advanced Studies
- School of Business
- College of Education
- College of Health Professions
- School of Health Services Administration
- College of Humanities and Sciences
- College of Information Systems and Technology
- School of Nursing
- College of Security and Criminal Justice
- College of Social Sciences
Adding to its traditional education programs, the school offers continuing education courses for teachers and practitioners, professional development courses for companies, and specialized courses of study for military personnel.
Students usually spend 20 to 24 hours with an instructor during each course. The University of Phoenix requires students to collaborate by working on learning team projects, wherein the class is divided into learning teams of four to five students.
Every learning team is assigned a team forum where team members discuss the project and submit their agreed upon portions of the learning team assignment for compilation by the nominated learning team leader.
Through its online portal, eCampus, students also have the opportunity to software required for coursework.
Students have access to virtual companies designed by the university to provide students with assignments, which Adam Honea, UOPX’s dean and provost, claims are more realistic than those available with case studies.
Sometime in August 2011, Apollo group announced it would buy 100% of Carnegie Learning to accelerate its efforts to incorporate adaptive learning into its academic platform.
Few academics and former students argue the abbreviated courses and the use of learning teams result in an inferior education.
The University of Phoenix has been criticized for lack of academic rigor. Henry M. Levin, a professor of higher education at Teachers College at Columbia University, addressed its business degree as an “MBA Lite”, saying “I’ve looked at [its] course materials. It’s a very low level of instruction.”
University of Phoenix Alumni
Over 925,000 alumni are counted as graduates of the university, according to the new president of the university.
The University of Phoenix alumni in the government sector include former Obama White House cybersecurity coordinator Howard Schmidt, former U.S. Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters (1994), and a member of the Utah House of Representatives Brad Dee (1991).
Sometime in military and law enforcement, alumni include U.S. Navy Admiral Kirkland H. Donald and assistant director of U.S.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement Harold Hurtt (1991). MSNBC anchor and a host of NBC’s Early Today Christina Brown is another alumna of the university.
Various athletes who have earned degrees from the university include four-time NBA Championship-winner Shaquille O’Neal (2005), three-time WNBA MVP Lisa Leslie, professional tennis player Michael Russell (2012) and Arizona Cardinals professional NFL player (wide receiver) Larry Fitzgerald (2026). Fitzgerald graduated with a bachelor’s degree just before his 33rd birthday.
He had a major in communications with a minor in marketing. (He began college in 2002 at the University of Pittsburgh.) He is presently a spokesman for the University of Phoenix and he often tells the story of promising his mother Carol that he would one day graduate from college. She passed on while he was still enrolled at Pittsburgh.
University Address
Below is the address of the University of Phoenix;
1625 W Fountainhead Pkwy, Tempe, AZ 85282, USA
University of Phoenix Reviews
Below are the various reviews/complaints by users about the University of Phoenix;
“I will tell you I’ve had the worst experience ever at the University of Phoenix. I read a lot of the reviews above me and noticed that everyone complains about financial aid which has nothing to do with the programs they’re in. I will tell you a real problem and yes the school is very much accredited. I’m in the doctorate program. One class left but had to complete my dissertation. There is one class that is mandatory to turn in your dissertation to the first Review Committee which is the QRM. While in that class my professor went missing. When I say he went missing you were gone for 4 weeks which is half the class. I could not return my dissertation because he had it in his possession therefore I could not submit to the committee.” – Docstudent of New York, NY
“When I became a student at the University of Phoenix back in May of this year, I was so excited to further my education. I can honestly say that I do feel like I am learning in my classes, and my instructors and fellow classmates have been very helpful. I currently have a 3.9 GPA, and I fully intend on maintaining it. However, my recent experience with the financial aid department has shredded my positive attitude towards this school entirely. My first financial aid disbursement back in June (student loans and Pell Grant) came through just fine with no issues. I am a stay at home mother and my husband works full-time.” – Kaysie of Las Vegas, NV
More Reviews
“I have read many negative reviews regarding UOP, here is the truth. UOP cannot make graduates successful. That is our responsibility. It is time to own your responsibility if not getting the job you wanted or getting that promotion. I have a bachelors and 2 Master’s Degrees from UOP and while I feel my education was top notch and I learned what I needed to take into the workforce and be successful. Ultimately, I still had to sell myself to that employer. I had to make them understand what an asset I would be to their organization. You cannot walk into a company, throw around your degrees and expect them to hire based on a 3.8 GPA and piece of paper. I am sorry you did not get that promotion, maybe you did not prove yourself – how is it UOP’s fault?” – Annette of Converse, TX
“Horrible counselors and horrible communication. I got a bill in the mail saying I’m delinquent and to pay a certain amount to settle my student loan amount owed. The last I spoke with University of Phoenix was that they were looking over my husband and his income to see if the rest could be put onto student loans. I never got a phone call or email saying the amount couldn’t be covered and that I owe money. Now I have a collections letter and my credit is going to be ruined.” – Kandra of Roseville, CA
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