Military Times has ranked the University of Arizona as the best public university in the country for veterans and service members, out of 370 colleges and universities that qualified this year.
The UA ranked as the No. 1 public university for service members and No. 2 among all colleges and universities in the 2026 rankings released Monday by Military Times.
Last year, the UA ranked 20th in Military Times’ list across all colleges and 16th across public universities.
Northern Arizona University ranked 16th overall in the 2026 list and 13th across public universities. Arizona State University wasn’t included on the list.
The UA has numerous programs for military members and veterans offering services including education benefits, academic support and mentoring, and military training.
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The university’s Veterans Education and Transition Services program for military-connected students gives them support including VA education benefits, academic guidance and peer-to-peer mentoring, and helps with enrollment certification, offers tutoring and workshops, and connects veterans to career counseling and community networking opportunities.
The UA also hosts three ROTC (Reserve Officers’ Training Corps) programs for the Army, Navy and Air Force, which are college-based programs for training commissioned officers in the U.S. armed forces.
“We see the results of that work in our student retention, growing military-connected enrollment, annual surveys, and the community we've built on campus," said Blaze Smith, director of UA's Veterans Education and Transition Services and its ROTC program.
"... What makes me proudest is knowing that our team makes a real difference in the lives of veterans, service members, and their families every single day.”
In 2022, the Arizona Board of Regents announced that spouses of veterans who are honorably discharged from service and are enrolled at a public university in the state will be eligible to get free tuition on a first-come, first-served basis.
“Our dedication to the men and women who serve, and the families who support them, has only deepened over the generations," said UA President Suresh Garimella. "I am grateful for the many individuals on our campus who contribute to the culture that made this recognition possible.”
In addition to the Military Times ranking:
- UA’s Air Force ROTC was named the No. 1 large detachment in the nation.
- The 2026 U.S. News and World Report’s Best Online Bachelor's Programs rankings listed UA's Arizona Online as the No. 4 online MBA program for veterans.
Reporter Prerana Sannappanavar covers higher education for the Arizona Daily Star and Tucson.com. Contact her at psannappa1@tucson.com or DM her on Twitter.
Prerana Sannappanavar
Higher Education Reporter
