Best Child Development Schools Near Flagstaff, AZ (2026)

Updated September 5, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Flagstaff, Arizona is home to about 76,333 residents. Median household income is $68,041 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 51.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Arizona, the top-earning child development-related role is Special Education Teachers, Preschool at a median $60,130 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Child Development Schools to Flagstaff

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer child development programs near Flagstaff, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Flagstaff city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Flagstaff. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

Arizona Christian University

Glendale, AZ 112.7 miles from Flagstaff
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
30.9 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 71%
Graduation rate 41%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,612
Avg net price $32,839/yr
Tuition
In‑state$35,098
Out‑of‑state$35,098
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 54%
  • Programs offered: 21

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Arizona State University Campus Immersion

Tempe, AZ 123.6 miles from Flagstaff
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
76.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 68%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $62,668
Avg net price $14,967/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 86%
  • Programs offered: 305

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

University of Arizona

Tucson, AZ 207.7 miles from Flagstaff
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
69.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 63%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,979
Avg net price $16,674/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 250

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Arizona Western College

Yuma, AZ 238.7 miles from Flagstaff
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
51.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 35%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $36,857
Avg net price $8,983/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 71

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Arizona schools on the Arizona child development page.

Child Development Wages Near Flagstaff

Flagstaff is part of the Flagstaff, AZ metro area (BLS area code 22380). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Arizona statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education $36,330 Flagstaff, AZ $36,221
Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare $48,160 AZ statewide $48,016
Child, Family, and School Social Workers $50,060 Flagstaff, AZ $49,910
Childcare Workers $39,640 Flagstaff, AZ $39,521
Special Education Teachers, Preschool $60,130 AZ statewide $59,950
Social and Human Service Assistants $38,690 Flagstaff, AZ $38,574
Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education $57,670 Flagstaff, AZ $57,498
Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other $52,410 AZ statewide $52,253

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.

Flagstaff at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 76,333 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $68,041 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 51.8% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 100.3 (above U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Flagstaff-Area Cities With Child Development Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the highest-paying child development roles near Flagstaff?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying child development-related roles near Flagstaff are: Special Education Teachers, Preschool ($60,130), Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education ($57,670), Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other ($52,410). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Arizona statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Prescott Valley instead of Flagstaff?

Prescott Valley, AZ is 56.8 miles from Flagstaff and has its own set of local child development programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Flagstaff an affordable place to study child development?

Flagstaff’s median household income of $68,041 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Flagstaff while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Arizona public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.

Learn More About Child Development Programs

Other Programs Available in Flagstaff

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Flagstaff:

Data verified: September 5, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.

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