Just like every state in the country, Arizona has its publicly funded state schools. These include the state's flagship institution, the University of Arizona, established in Tucson in 1885. Arizona State University, however, founded in Tempe in the same year, is by far the largest in the state with roughly 70,000 students, more than double its rival U of A. Each school has more 300 subjects in which students, undergraduate and graduate, can receive a degree. The other state-funded school is Northern Arizona, which has about 25,000 students; spread over 39 different campuses across the state. All three state schools feature Division I athletic programs.
There are roughly a dozen community colleges in Arizona, most of which are two-year programs. Unlike the larger universities in the state, all of the community colleges were established in the second half of the 20th century or later. Two of the longest running and most populous of these types of schools in Arizona are Glendale Community College and Mesa Community College. Each opened its doors in the mid-sixties; they are home to 45,000 combined students. Both are also part of the Maricopa County Community College District, which, headquartered in Tempe, has grown rapidly in the past four decades to become the largest community college district in the country.
There are also a handful of colleges in Arizona that are purely for those seeking a graduate education, whether a master's or a doctorate. These institutions are typically limited to specific areas of expertise, however. For instance, A.T. Still University in Mesa and Midwestern University in Glendale both specialize in health science and medical studies, while other schools, such as Phoenix School of Law and the Thunderbird School of Global Management in Glendale, focus on law and international management, respectively.
Whether it's technical expertise that students seek in order to immediately join the work force or a more abstract skill such as art, Arizona has a number of trade schools within its borders. As for art schools, prospective students can choose between the The Art Center Design College in Tucson or the Art Institute with locations in Phoenix and Tucson as well. Technical colleges include the University of Advancing Technology in Tempe and The DeVry University in Phoenix. Those who wish to focus on the cooking trades can consider Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Scottsdale.
An interesting section of Arizona schools is represented by the tribal institutions. These colleges are typically located on an Indian reservation and, although they are not limited to Native American students, they do include many courses that focus on that culture. The two tribal colleges in Arizona are Diné College, which is part of the Navajo Nation, and Tohono O'odham Community College, which is part of the Tohono O'odham people from the Sonoran desert.