University of Phoenix facts for kids
| Motto | Career Services for Life |
|---|---|
| Type | Private for-profit university |
| Established | 1976 |
| Founders | John Sperling John D. Murphy |
|
Parent institution
|
Apollo Global Management and Vistria Group |
| Accreditation | HLC |
| President | Chris Lynne |
|
Academic staff
|
2,727 (2022) |
|
Total staff
|
4,578 (2022) |
| Students | 101,150 (2023) |
| Undergraduates | 80,637 (2023) |
| Postgraduates | 13,500 (2023) |
| 2,300 (2023) | |
| Location |
,
,
U.S. (headquarters)
|
| Campus | Online, 1 campus under direct control |
 |
|
The University of Phoenix (often called UoPX) is a private university. It is based in Phoenix, Arizona. The university started in 1976. It offers many types of learning programs and degrees. These include certificates, associate's, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees. The school is officially recognized by the Higher Learning Commission. Many of its undergraduate programs have an open enrollment policy. This means it's easier to get in if you have a high school diploma. The university is owned by Apollo Global Management and Vistria Group.
Contents
History of the University of Phoenix
How the University Started and Grew (1970s–2000s)
The University of Phoenix was started in 1976 by John Sperling and John D. Murphy. In 1980, it opened a new location in San Jose, California. The university also began offering online classes in 1989. At first, many companies helped pay for their employees to study at UoPX.
In 1994, the university's parent company, Apollo Group, became a public company. This meant its shares could be bought and sold on the stock market. By 1999, more than 100,000 students were enrolled. Some people, like co-founder John D. Murphy, felt that the university started focusing more on making money. They believed it stopped focusing only on working adults.
The university faced some challenges. In 2000, the government fined it for how it counted teaching hours. In 2003, a lawsuit claimed the school improperly got financial aid. This was because it paid admission counselors based on how many students they enrolled. The university's parent company settled this case by paying the government $67.5 million. They did not admit to doing anything wrong. In 2004, the university paid another fine of $9.8 million for similar reasons.
In 2008, UoPX spent a lot on advertising. During the 2008–2009 school year, it received a large amount of money from federal student aid programs. This included Pell Grant money. The university's graduation rate was 17 percent for full-time undergraduate students.
Changes and Online Learning (2010s)
In 2010, the University of Phoenix had its highest number of students, over 470,000. Its online graduation rate was about five percent at that time. The university also paid $154.5 million for the right to name the State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. It was called the University of Phoenix Stadium until 2018.
In 2010, an investigation found a recruiter trying to enroll students from a homeless shelter. Another recruiter gave false information about teaching degrees. A former senior vice president said the university chose growth over academic quality.
In 2013, the university's official recognition was put on "notice" for two years. This was because of concerns about its independence from its parent company. By 2015, these concerns were resolved.
In 2014, the Department of Education asked for records about marketing and student enrollment. The university also partnered with 47 historically black colleges and universities. This allowed UoPX classes to transfer to these schools.
From 2009 to 2015, the University of Phoenix received about $1.2 billion from the G.I. Bill. This helps military members and veterans pay for school. In 2015, the Department of Defense temporarily stopped the university from recruiting on military bases. This suspension was lifted in 2016.
In 2019, UoPX agreed to pay $191 million to settle charges of using misleading advertisements. This included $50 million in cash for former students. It also canceled $141 million in student debt. The university did not admit to any wrongdoing.
Between 2010 and 2016, the number of students at UoPX dropped by more than 70 percent. This happened during several investigations and lawsuits.
New Ownership and Recent Events (2016–Present)
In 2016, a group of private investment companies bought Apollo Group for $1 billion. This group included Apollo Global Management and the Vistria Group. The sale was approved by the Department of Education. After the sale, UoPX laid off some full-time teachers.
In 2020, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) temporarily stopped G.I. Bill funds for new students. They cited deceptive recruiting practices. The VA later withdrew this threat. The university also received money from government relief funds during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2021, UoPX continued to close many of its physical campuses. The Phoenix, Arizona campus was the only one accepting new in-person students. The university later announced that only one campus would remain open in 2025.
The University of Phoenix was one of many schools included in a student loan cancellation in 2022. This was due to claims of fraud. In April 2023, the Supreme Court allowed this debt cancellation to go forward. In September 2023, the government canceled nearly $37 million in student loan debt for over 1,200 former UoPX students.
In April 2024, the university settled an investigation with the California Attorney General. This was about its military student recruitment tactics from 2012 to 2015. The university agreed to pay $4.5 million in penalties.
Proposals for New Ownership
Since 2021, Apollo Global Management has been trying to sell the University of Phoenix. Several other universities have been approached.
In May 2023, the University of Idaho announced a plan to buy the University of Phoenix. The cost would be $685 million. A new group called Four Three Education was created for this purchase. The Higher Learning Commission approved the continued recognition of UoPX under this new group.
However, the Idaho Attorney General sued the Idaho State Board of Education. He claimed the purchase violated Idaho's Open Meetings Law. The case went to court and was dismissed in January 2024. The Attorney General appealed this decision. In December 2024, the Idaho Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Attorney General. The case is now scheduled to return to a lower court.
In March 2024, the Idaho legislature asked the Idaho State Board of Education to change its decision about the purchase. The original purchase agreement deadline was May 31st. Both sides agreed to extend it to June 10, 2025. As part of this agreement, Phoenix will pay the University of Idaho $5 million for legal fees. If the deal doesn't happen by the new deadline, Phoenix owes the University of Idaho another $5 million. If Phoenix is bought by another school or sells its shares publicly, it agreed to pay the University of Idaho $15 million.
In March 2025, Apollo Global and Vistria Group announced they were thinking about selling the University of Phoenix or offering its shares to the public.
Academics at the University of Phoenix
UoPX has an open admissions policy for most of its undergraduate programs. This means you can get in if you have a high school diploma or GED. The university has a student-to-teacher ratio of 132 to 1. More than 78% of its students work while attending school.
The university helps students get financial aid. This includes grants and loans from the government. In the 2017–18 school year, over 51,000 UoPX students received the Federal Pell Grant.
Besides degree programs, the school offers other courses. These include continuing education for teachers and special courses for military personnel. Students spend about 20 to 24 hours with an instructor for each course. They also work together on team projects.
Students can use online resources for their classes. This includes an electronic library with textbooks. Some people have criticized the university for its short courses and team projects. They believe this might lead to a less thorough education. For example, some have called its business degree an "MBA Lite."
The University of Phoenix has been officially recognized since 1978 by the HLC. It also has 18 programs with special recognition. These include programs in business, healthcare, nursing, counseling, and education.
- School of Business: Programs like the Bachelor of Science in business and the Master of Business Administration are recognized by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP).
- College of Education: The Master of Arts in Education is recognized by the Teacher Education Accreditation Council.
- College of Nursing: The B.S. and M.S. degree programs are recognized by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.
- College of Social Sciences: Some Master of Science in Counseling programs are recognized by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs.
Who Are the Students?
The students at the University of Phoenix come from many different backgrounds. In 2022, about 39 percent of students' ethnic backgrounds were unknown. 26 percent were white, 20 percent black, and 11 percent Hispanic.
In 2020, about two-thirds of the students were women. The average student age was 37. More than 83 percent of students were working while in school. Also, 21% of students were connected to the military.
In 2020–21, many students used military benefits to pay for school. The University of Phoenix has worked with the U.S. Army University. It has also had a presence at some military bases.
Student Success Rates
In 2016, a study estimated that 47 percent of University of Phoenix students defaulted on their student loans within five years. The overall graduation rate for the University of Phoenix is 15 percent.
University Rankings
In 2024, Washington Monthly ranked UoPX 360th out of 438 national universities. The university is not ranked in the 2025 edition of the U.S. News & World Report "National Universities" list.
Leadership and Teachers
UoPX is part of Apollo Global Management and Vistria Group. The president of the university is Chris Lynne. The chief academic officer is John Woods.
Teachers at the University
Most of the teachers at the University of Phoenix work part-time. About 97 percent of instructors teach part-time. This is much higher than the national average of 47 percent. The classes are mostly designed in a central office. This helps keep them consistent. Teachers do not get tenure, which is a type of permanent job status. Part-time teachers earn about $1000–$2000 per course. About 21 cents of every dollar paid for tuition goes to teaching.
The student to faculty ratio is 110 to 1 in Arizona. The university reported having 76 full-time teachers and 3,143 part-time teachers in Arizona. This means full-time teachers make up only 2 percent of all teachers.
Famous Alumni and Connections
Many people who studied at the University of Phoenix have become successful.
- Government: Howard Schmidt, Mary Peters (1994), and Brad Dee (1991).
- Private Sector: Diane Hamilton, a radio host.
- Military and Law Enforcement: Lisa Franchetti, Kirkland H. Donald, and Harold Hurtt (1991).
- Media: Former MSNBC anchor Christina Brown.
- Athletes: Shaquille O'Neal (2005), Lisa Leslie, Michael Russell (2012), wrestler Adam Pearce, and Larry Fitzgerald (2016). Larry Fitzgerald also became a spokesperson for UoPX.
The University of Phoenix has connections with several American policymakers. Margaret Spellings, a former Secretary of the Department of Education, is on the Apollo Group Board of Directors. The university also works with groups like the Boys and Girls Clubs of America and the American Red Cross. In 2016, it partnered with the ASIS Foundation to offer scholarships for security-related degrees.
