University of Arizona College of Engineering

What University of Arizona College of Engineering does

The University of Arizona College of Engineering is a public engineering college within the University of Arizona, governed by the Arizona Board of Regents. Founded in 1961 (when the nation's first Systems Engineering academic department was established), the college now offers 18 ABET-accredited undergraduate engineering majors and graduate degree programs across 8 departments, including Aerospace, Biomedical, Civil, Electrical and Computer, Mechanical, Mining, Optical Sciences and Engineering, Software, and Systems Engineering. The college supports 200+ graduate research assistants across 100+ complex research projects and reports 91% graduate job placement at an $81,198 average starting salary (NACE data), with a 15-to-1 student-to-faculty ratio.

The college operates several distinctive, capital-intensive facilities that double as research and training infrastructure: the Micro/Nano Fabrication Center (currently being expanded with $35.5M in Arizona Commerce Authority funding for semiconductor manufacturing workforce development), the San Xavier Underground Mining Lab (the only student-run multi-level mine in the United States with a 150-foot vertical shaft), and the CyberApolis cyber training platform developed by the Cyber Convergence Center. The college is part of the AIM Photonics consortium and leads UA's role in the NSF Center for Quantum Networking through the Wyant College of Optical Sciences.

The revenue model is hybrid: state appropriations and federal research grants from NSF, DOD, and DOE form the largest funding base (the University of Arizona reports over $1B in FY 2024 research expenditures), supplemented by undergraduate and graduate tuition, private donations channeled through the Da Vinci Circle donor recognition society, and corporate partnerships for sponsored research, senior design projects, and recruiting relationships. Customer segments span undergraduate and graduate students (the primary learner segment), K-12 students via the ENGR 102 HS dual-credit program across 30+ Arizona and California high schools, industry employers (Honeywell, Raytheon, Intel, Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Northrop Grumman, Meta, and others), and government/defense agencies. Distribution channels include the main Tucson campus, Arizona Online for online degrees and certificates, the Yuma Campus for Software Engineering, and direct industry engagement through career fairs and the Craig M. Berge Engineering Design Program.

Name

University of Arizona College of Engineering

Legal name

Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of the University of Arizona

Website

https://engr.arizona.edu

Company type

Public

Founded year

1961

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

The University of Arizona College of Engineering is a public R1 engineering college in Tucson, Arizona, offering 18 ABET-accredited undergraduate majors and graduate programs across 8 departments, serving students, industry employers, and government/defense agencies with notable semiconductor, mining, and cyber research infrastructure.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Engineering Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Engineering Services (8711)

akta.pro primary industry

Engineering & Technology Institutes (Comprehensive) (EDAHAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Online Technology & Computer Science Universities (EDAHALAH), Technical Community Colleges (Applied/CTE-Focused) (EDAHADAD)

Keywords

• Engineering education
• Undergraduate engineering majors
• Graduate engineering programs
• Engineering research facilities
• Workforce development

Headquarters

HQ city

Tucson

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. State Funding and Research Grants: Primary revenue includes Arizona state appropriations, federal research grants from agencies including NSF, DOD, and DOE, and contracts from industry partners. FY 2024 research expenditures exceed $1 billion across the University of Arizona.
2. Tuition and Fees: Revenue from undergraduate and graduate tuition, including reduced-tuition dual credit ENGR 102 HS program for high school students ($525 for 3 units plus fees).
3. Private Donations and Endowments: Private gifts at all sizes supporting scholarships, faculty chairs, facilities, and programs. Da Vinci Circle recognition society requires cumulative gifts of $2,500 annually. Major donors include Eric and Janie Carmichael, Paul and Judith Gray, Robert Hall, and others at Visionary ($10,000+) and Pioneer ($5,000-$9,999) levels.
4. Industry Partnerships and Sponsorships: Corporate partnerships through advisory boards, industry-sponsored research projects, Design Day sponsorships, and recruitment relationships with companies such as Honeywell, Raytheon, Intel, and others.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The University of Arizona College of Engineering delivers undergraduate and graduate engineering degree programs across 18 ABET-accredited majors and 8 academic departments, complemented by hands-on industry-sponsored design projects, research programs in semiconductor manufacturing, cybersecurity, photonics, and quantum networking, and specialized training facilities such as the San Xavier Underground Mining Lab, Micro/Nano Fabrication Center, and CyberApolis cyber training platform.

Product overview

The University of Arizona College of Engineering offers a comprehensive portfolio of educational products and programs centered around its 18 undergraduate engineering majors and graduate degree programs. The core offering consists of degree programs across disciplines including aerospace, biomedical, civil, electrical, mechanical, and software engineering, along with specialized programs like the Craig M. Berge Engineering Design Program providing hands-on industry experience. The college also operates unique facilities including the San Xavier Underground Mining Lab and the Micro/Nano Fabrication Center for semiconductor research. Supporting programs include the ENGR 102 High School dual-credit program and the Da Vinci Circle donor recognition program for faculty and student support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 18 Undergraduate Engineering Majors
• Graduate Engineering Programs
• Craig M. Berge Engineering Design Program
• ENGR 102 High School Dual Credit Course
• San Xavier Underground Mining Lab
• Micro/Nano Fabrication Center
• Online Certificates in Intelligence & Information Operations
• Wyant College Industrial Affiliates Program

Quantifiable outcome

• 91% job placement rate for graduates
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Regional UniversitiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnerships with regional universities as part of Micro/Nano Fabrication Center expansion to support semiconductor manufacturing workforce development across the Southwest region.
• Community Finance CorporationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDa Vinci Scholars Program established in partnership with Community Finance Corporation to reinforce the College's dedication to providing student scholarships. Michael Arnold, chair of the da Vinci Circle board, helped establish this program.
• AIM Photonics (Integrated Photonics Institute for Manufacturing Innovation)coreTechnology or IntegrationUA is part of AIM Photonics, extended in early 2022 to continue efforts in integrated photonics design and manufacturing. The Wyant College of Optical Sciences leads UA's effort in this national photonics initiative.
• NSF Center for Quantum NetworkingcoreTechnology or IntegrationThe Wyant College of Optical Sciences leads UA's effort in Quantum Engineering through the NSF Center for Quantum Networking, advancing quantum communications, imaging, and computing research.
• Wyant College Industrial Affiliates ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOver 50 companies from around the world participate in the Industrial Affiliates Program, meeting and recruiting students of the Wyant College of Optical Sciences twice yearly in Tucson, AZ.
• Honeywell AerospacecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHoneywell Aerospace actively recruits engineering talent from the college, with senior technical manager Marla Peterson (1983 alumna) representing the company at recruiting events.
• Horrocks EngineersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEngineering firm recruiting transportation engineers, with transportation project engineer Elizabeth Barnes-Hansen citing passion and technical foundation of UA engineering students.
• Defense Contractors (Raytheon, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Boeing, General Dynamics)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor defense contractors recruiting graduates from Intelligence & Information Operations program for cybersecurity, intelligence analysis, and defense technology roles.

Scale indicators16 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Virginia Tech - College of Engineering: Public engineering college with comparable scale, defense and government contractor employer relationships, and ABET-accredited programs. Competes for similar talent demographics and federal research funding.
• Texas A&M University - College of Engineering: Large public engineering school with strong defense, energy, and aerospace employer pipelines similar to UA. Competes for top high school talent through dual credit and outreach programs in a comparable regional market.
• Georgia Institute of Technology - College of Engineering: Premier public technological university with strong industry alignment, co-op programs, and high graduate placement rates. Comparable in scale of research expenditures and employer partnerships with defense/aerospace firms.
• Purdue University - College of Engineering: Top-ranked public engineering school with similar emphasis on hands-on design, industry partnerships, and aerospace/defense employer pipelines. Competes for faculty and graduate students in overlapping disciplines.
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology - School of Engineering: Global leader in engineering research and education with strengths in semiconductors, AI, cybersecurity, and quantum. Direct competition for top faculty, sponsored research, and student recruitment, especially in technical domains like photonics and materials.
• University of Michigan - College of Engineering: One of the largest and highest-ranked public engineering colleges in the U.S., with deep research expenditures across automotive, aerospace, and quantum domains. Comparable in offering 18+ engineering majors and a multi-department structure.
• California Institute of Technology - Division of Engineering and Applied Science: Highly selective engineering school with strong federal research funding, particularly in quantum, photonics, and aerospace. Competes for top graduate students and faculty in overlapping disciplines.
• University of California, Berkeley - College of Engineering: Top-ranked public engineering school with comprehensive programs across all 18+ majors offered by UA. Competes for out-of-state talent, federal research grants, and faculty, and sets the national benchmark for engineering education outcomes.
• Stanford University - School of Engineering: Elite private engineering school that competes for top-tier faculty, graduate students, and federal research grants across nearly every UA Engineering discipline. Sets the bar for industry partnerships and graduate outcomes.

Direct peers

• Arizona State University - Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering: In-region public engineering school within Arizona operating at significantly larger scale. Directly competes for the same in-state student pool, faculty hires, and state appropriations, and offers overlapping majors in software, electrical, mechanical, and biomedical engineering.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/uaeng
• Facebookfacebook.com/UACollegeofEngineering
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/54275423
• Instagraminstagram.com/azengineering

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about University of Arizona College of Engineering