University of Arizona sports programs brought in $189,649 per athlete in revenue in 2016, meaning its athletes on average generated the most sports revenue of any school in Arizona that year, according to an Arizona Business Daily analysis of U.S. Department of Education data.
The university’s sports programs brought in a total of $88,186,587 in 2016.
The agency's office of postsecondary education collects athletics data annually from all institutions with intercollegiate athletics programs that receive funding through federal financial aid programs. Data for 2016 – the latest year available – includes more than 2,000 schools nationwide.
Arizona's 23 schools with money-generating sports programs reported $261,178,824 in sports revenue in 2016.
---
Arizona college sports revenue
| Rank | School | Total Undergraduates | Sports Total Participation | Total Sports Revenue | Revenue per Athlete |
| 1 | University of Arizona | 29,049 | 465 | $88,186,587 | $189,649 |
| 2 | Arizona State University-Tempe | 38,761 | 608 | $98,972,378 | $162,784 |
| 3 | Grand Canyon University | 14,542 | 393 | $22,250,576 | $56,617 |
| 4 | Northern Arizona University | 21,490 | 333 | $18,511,106 | $55,589 |
| 5 | Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott | 2,255 | 167 | $5,071,209 | $30,367 |
| 6 | Cochise County Community College District | 1,626 | 85 | $1,629,014 | $19,165 |
| 7 | GateWay Community College | 1,265 | 30 | $563,650 | $18,788 |
| 8 | Yavapai College | 1,694 | 84 | $1,569,533 | $18,685 |
| 9 | Tohono O'Odham Community College | 103 | 22 | $379,750 | $17,261 |
| 10 | Estrella Mountain Community College | 2,897 | 24 | $345,325 | $14,389 |
| 11 | Eastern Arizona College | 1,969 | 185 | $2,568,170 | $13,882 |
| 12 | Arizona Western College | 2,163 | 210 | $2,478,868 | $11,804 |
| 13 | Phoenix College | 2,846 | 208 | $1,965,490 | $9,449 |
| 14 | Arizona Christian University | 651 | 414 | $3,865,767 | $9,338 |
| 15 | Central Arizona College | 1,732 | 215 | $1,969,591 | $9,161 |
| 16 | Pima Community College | 7,476 | 367 | $2,858,143 | $7,788 |
| 17 | Chandler-Gilbert Community College | 3,625 | 152 | $1,142,531 | $7,517 |
| 18 | South Mountain Community College | 1,213 | 145 | $891,992 | $6,152 |
| 19 | Scottsdale Community College | 2,342 | 212 | $1,277,561 | $6,026 |
| 20 | Mesa Community College | 5,883 | 397 | $2,123,515 | $5,349 |
| 21 | Paradise Valley Community College | 2,185 | 182 | $941,695 | $5,174 |
| 22 | Glendale Community College | 5,546 | 285 | $1,414,173 | $4,962 |
| 23 | Dine College | 851 | 41 | $202,200 | $4,932 |