University of Phoenix vs Western Governors University:Which is searched more?
In September 2026, University of Phoenix had more branded searches than Western Governors University among university online degrees worldwide. University of Phoenix had about 550,000 branded searches, while Western Governors University had 165,000. University of Phoenix made up 11.2% of all university online degree searches we track, and Western Governors University accounted for 3.4%. These are worldwide searches for English-language branded terms.
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Is University of Phoenix or Western Governors University more popular in search?
Compare the university online degrees schools and universities use. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time.
Share of searches by month for University of Phoenix, Western Governors University. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Coursera | University of Phoenix | Open University | edX | Western Governors University | Udacity | University of Florida Online | Arizona State University Online | SNHU |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 68.6% | 9.2% | 7.5% | 9.2% | 2.8% | 2.3% | 0.2% | 0.11% | 0.05% |
| Nov 2025 | 65.8% | 8.8% | 8.8% | 10.8% | 3.2% | 2.2% | 0.16% | 0.11% | 0.05% |
| Dec 2025 | 69.5% | 7.6% | 6.2% | 9.3% | 4.2% | 2.8% | 0.17% | 0.11% | 0.06% |
| Jan 2026 | 68% | 9.1% | 7.5% | 9.1% | 4.1% | 1.8% | 0.2% | 0.11% | 0.07% |
| Feb 2026 | 67.1% | 9% | 7.4% | 11% | 3.3% | 1.8% | 0.24% | 0.11% | 0.06% |
| Mar 2026 | 64.9% | 10.7% | 7.1% | 10.7% | 3.9% | 2.1% | 0.43% | 0.13% | 0.06% |
| Apr 2026 | 67.4% | 11.1% | 7.4% | 7.4% | 4% | 2.2% | 0.24% | 0.13% | 0.09% |
| May 2026 | 67.6% | 11.1% | 7.4% | 7.4% | 4.1% | 1.8% | 0.3% | 0.16% | 0.06% |
| Jun 2026 | 69.4% | 11.4% | 6.2% | 7.6% | 3.4% | 1.5% | 0.17% | 0.11% | 0.05% |
| Jul 2026 | 67.6% | 11.1% | 9.1% | 7.4% | 3.3% | 1.2% | 0.13% | 0.11% | 0.05% |
| Aug 2026 | 68.2% | 11.2% | 7.5% | 7.5% | 4.1% | 1.2% | 0.16% | 0.13% | 0.05% |
| Sep 2026 | 68.5% | 11.2% | 9.2% | 6.2% | 3.4% | 1.2% | 0.13% | 0.11% | 0.05% |
How has the University of Phoenix and Western Governors University comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- University of Phoenix was ahead of Western Governors University in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, University of Phoenix’s share of searches among university online degrees worldwide moved from 9.2% to 11.2%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 550K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Western Governors University’s share of searches among university online degrees worldwide moved from 2.8% to 3.4%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 165K.
How did search popularity change for university online degrees worldwide in September 2026?
1 change
In September 2026, Western Governors University lost share of searches among university online degrees worldwide, from 4.1% to 3.4%.
How are branded searches counted?
2 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using University of Phoenix’s and Western Governors University’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
University of Phoenix
1 branded search term
- university of phoenix
Western Governors University
1 branded search term
- western governors university
Other head-to-heads among university online degrees

Coursera vs University of Phoenix: compare search popularity
Coursera vs Open University: compare search popularity
Coursera vs edX: compare search popularity
Coursera vs Western Governors University: compare search popularity
University of Phoenix vs Open University: compare search popularity
University of Phoenix vs edX: compare search popularity

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