This article needs to be updated.(December 2018) |
This is a list of the largest United States colleges and universities by enrollment for colleges and universities in the United States.
What this list includes:
What this list does not include:
For other lists that measure university enrollment, see the see also section below.
The United States Department of Education's Integrated Post-secondary Education Data System contains information on all 6,125 officially recognized institutions of higher education in the United States. The following is a list of the ten largest institutions of higher education by Fall 2020 enrollment, meaning it is the number of unique individuals who were enrolled in at least one class on the 21st day of the Fall 2020 semester. Whether a system of individual campuses is counted as one or multiple institutions depends on how that institution is accredited and chartered. All data can be verified on the IPEDS system website. [1]
U.S. Department of Education Fall 2020 Enrollment [2] | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Rank | Name | Classification | Location | Enrollment |
1 | Western Governors University | Private | Online | 147,866 |
2 | Southern New Hampshire University | Private, Non-profit | New Hampshire | 134,345 |
3 | Grand Canyon University | Private, For-profit | Arizona | 103,427 |
4 | Liberty University | Private | Virginia | 93,349 |
5 | The Pennsylvania State University | Public | Pennsylvania | 89,816 |
6 | University of Phoenix-Arizona | Private, For-profit | Arizona | 89,763 |
7 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion | Public research university | Arizona | 74,795 |
8 | Dallas College | TBC | Texas | 74,781 |
9 | University of Central Florida | Public | Florida | 71,881 |
10 | Texas A & M University-College Station | Public | Texas | 70,418 |
Wayne State University is a public research university in Detroit, Michigan. It is Michigan's third-largest university. Founded in 1868, Wayne State consists of 13 schools and colleges offering approximately 350 programs to nearly 24,000 graduate and undergraduate students. Wayne State University, along with the University of Michigan and Michigan State University, compose the University Research Corridor of Michigan. Wayne State is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity".
San José State University is a public university in San Jose, California. Established in 1857, SJSU is the oldest public university on the West Coast and the founding campus of the California State University (CSU) system.
In the higher education system of the United States, minority-serving institution (MSI) is a descriptive term for universities and colleges that enroll a significant percentage of students from minority groups.
The Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, or simply the Carnegie Classification, is a framework for classifying colleges and universities in the United States. It was created in 1970 by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. It is managed by the American Council on Education.
California State University, Sacramento is a public university in Sacramento, California. Founded in 1947 as Sacramento State College, it is part of the California State University system.
The University of Minnesota Rochester (UMR) is a public college in Rochester, Minnesota. It is part of the University of Minnesota system and focuses primarily on general health sciences. It was formally established by an act of the state legislature in December 2006. UMR currently offers two bachelor's degrees in the health sciences, Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences and Bachelor of Science in Health Professions.
A Hispanic-serving institution (HSI) is defined in U.S. federal law as an accredited, degree-granting, public or private nonprofit institution of higher education with 25% or higher total undergraduate Hispanic or Latino full-time equivalent (FTE) student enrollment. In the 2021–22 academic year, 572 institutions met the federal criteria, up from 539 institutions in the 2018–19 academic year.
Northwest State Community College is a public community college near Archbold, Ohio. It is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Its current president is Todd Hernandez.
The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) is a system of interrelated surveys conducted annually by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a part of the Institute for Education Sciences within the United States Department of Education. IPEDS consists of twelve interrelated survey components that are collected over three collection periods each year as described in the Data Collection and Dissemination Cycle. The completion of all IPEDS surveys is mandatory for all institutions that participate in, or are applicants for participation in, any federal financial assistance program authorized by Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended.
San Juan College is a public community college in Farmington, New Mexico. Founded in 1956 as a branch of the New Mexico College of Agriculture and Mechanical Arts, San Juan College became an independent community college following a county election in 1981.
The Connecticut State Universities (CSU) are part of the Connecticut State Colleges & Universities, the largest public higher education system in Connecticut, and the second largest in New England. The four comprehensive state universities enroll almost 35,000 students and 180,000 alumni. The first of the universities to be founded was Central Connecticut State University, established in 1849 as a normal school for teacher education. Over time the other three institutions were founded as normal schools and in 1959 they were converted into state colleges to reflect their expanded mission. From their founding until 1965, they were overseen by the Connecticut State Department of Education. In 1965 the General Assembly transferred control of the then-colleges to an independent board of trustees. In 1983, the four institutions were converted into universities, together constituting the Connecticut State University System.