Resources for Students by State

Search the Best Colleges by State

With so many colleges and universities to choose from in the U.S., it can be tricky to find the school that’s right for you. Maybe you want to know which colleges will serve you best in your state. Or maybe you’re interested in out-of-state colleges and you don’t know which state to begin your search in. Either way, you’re in luck.

We’ve created an all-encompassing resource to help you locate and identify the best colleges by state. This includes sections like the best online colleges, the best public and private colleges, and even the best community colleges. Continue reading to explore these resources for students by state.

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Frequently Asked Questions About U.S. Colleges

What is the oldest college in the U.S.?

Harvard University is the oldest college in the U.S. It was founded in 1636, 140 years before the United States Declaration of Independence. Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Harvard remains a prestigious institution of higher learning and one of the top-ranked colleges in the U.S.

What state has the most colleges?

California has the most colleges of any state. There are 416 colleges in California. That means that California has more colleges than many other states combined. California has 151 public colleges and universities, including 115 community colleges, with a total enrollment of 2.1 million students.

California’s top-ranked private colleges include Stanford University, the University of Southern California, and the California Institute of Technology.

How many colleges are in the U.S.?

There are 3,982 degree-granting postsecondary institutions in the US. According to the National Center of Education Statistics (NCES), there were 5,999 Title IV institutions in the U.S. as of the 2019-20 academic year, including non-degree granting institutions. The majority of U.S. colleges are non-profit private institutions.

According to NCES, in the academic year 2021-22, there were 3,542 degree-granting postsecondary institutions in the United States with first-year undergraduates.

How many college students are in the U.S.?

As of fall 2021, there were 19 million students attending colleges and universities (including non-degree-granting institutions), according to the National Center of Education Statistics. Of those students, 11.6 million students attended full-time, while 7.4 million students attended part-time.

There were 3.2 million students attending graduate programs and 15.8 million students enrolled in undergraduate programs. The majority of students, 14 million, attended four-year institutions.