Universities With The Highest Student Enrolment Numbers

The largest colleges in the US have student populations that rival those of small cities. The Pennsylvania State University, for example, had 88,900 students enrolled as of Fall 2021, while Texas A&M University in College Station, with nearly 75,000 students, has a similar population to the city of DeSoto, a suburb of Dallas. Arizona State University enrolled almost 65,200 students in Fall 2023, while other large universities include NYU, the University of Texas at Austin, and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Texas A&M University

The university offers a wide range of academic programs, with students pursuing degrees in 17 academic colleges. Texas A&M provides access to over 140 undergraduate and more than 270 graduate programs. The student body is diverse, with a nearly equal gender distribution (52.9% male and 47.1% female) and a significant proportion of ethnic minority students (42.2%). The university maintains a large number of student organizations, with over 1,000 groups, including academic, service, religious, and social clubs, as well as Greek Letter Organizations (GLOs).

Texas A&M has a rich history and notable alumni. The Fightin' Texas Aggie Band, a precision military marching band, is the nation's largest, and the Corps of Cadets, with over 2,300 cadets, is the oldest student organization on campus. The university's sports teams are a significant aspect of campus life, and Kyle Field, the university's football stadium, is the largest in the Southeastern Conference. Notable alumni include Heisman Trophy winners John David Crow and Johnny Manziel, as well as country singers Robert Earl Keen and Lyle Lovett.

The university has a strong focus on international education, sending over 5,600 students to 110 countries each year through its Education Abroad program. Texas A&M also values community and connection, as evidenced by its expansive Aggie Network, which connects former students worldwide. The university's in-state tuition and fees are $12,413, while out-of-state tuition and fees are significantly higher at $40,307. Texas A&M's ranking in the 2025 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, #51.

Arizona State University

ASU offers over 350 majors to undergraduate students, and more than 100 graduate programs leading to numerous master's and doctoral degrees in the liberal arts and sciences, design and arts, engineering, journalism, education, business, law, nursing, public policy, technology, and sustainability. The university also offers more than 450 graduate degree and certificate programs.

ASU has over 183,000 students attending classes, with more than 74,000 students attending online, and 142,000 undergraduates and over 41,000 postgraduates across its four campuses and four regional learning centres throughout Arizona. The university generated an economic impact of $6.128 billion on the state's gross product, $3.828 billion in labour income, and 55,688 jobs in FY24.

ASU's athletic teams are called the Sun Devils, which is also the nickname used to refer to students and alumni of the university. They compete in the Big 12 Conference in 20 varsity sports. The Sun Devil teams have won 165 national championships, including 24 NCAA trophies.

Pennsylvania State University

The Pennsylvania State University, also known as Penn State, is one of the largest public universities in the United States. In fall 2024, the university had 87,995 students enrolled across its campuses, according to the annual enrollment snapshot. The number was even higher in fall 2021, with 88,900 students enrolled.

Penn State has a long history, dating back to its founding in 1855. The university has grown significantly over the years and has a vast number of campuses. The largest of these is the University Park campus, located in State College and College Township in Centre County, central Pennsylvania. The campus has a dedicated ZIP code, 16802, and covers 7,958 acres. During the fall 2018 semester, 40,363 undergraduate students and 5,907 graduate students were enrolled at University Park, with 46.5% being female and 42.4% non-Pennsylvania residents. The campus is known for its selectivity, with an undergraduate acceptance rate of 49%, making it the most selective campus in the Penn State system.

In addition to its main campus, Penn State maintains 19 commonwealth campuses and five special mission campuses located across Pennsylvania. These campuses offer a unique set of degree programs tailored to the student demographics at each location. The Commonwealth Campuses play a crucial role in providing access to a Penn State education for students across the state, with many first-year students beginning their studies at these locations. The University guarantees any student in good academic standing a spot at University Park to complete their degree if desired, through the "2+2 program."

Penn State is classified as an "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity" institution and is a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities (AAU). It has two law schools, Penn State Law and Penn State Dickinson Law, and the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, established with a $50 million gift from the Hershey Trust Company. The university's athletic teams, known as the Penn State Nittany Lions, compete in the Big Ten Conference in Division I of the NCAA. Penn State has a rich history in sports, having won 82 national collegiate team championships and 54 NCAA titles across various sports. The university's students, alumni, faculty, and coaches have also achieved Olympic success, bringing home a total of 74 Olympic medals, including 20 golds.

Kennesaw State University

The largest university in the U.S. serves more than 80,000 students, with some colleges enrolling an average of nearly 44,300 undergraduate students.

KSU is a Carnegie-designated, doctoral research institution (R2) and is recognised as one of only 6% of U.S. colleges with an R1 or R2 status by the Carnegie classification of institutions of higher learning. The university offers award-winning degrees and programs, including the state's third-largest business school and the second-largest engineering college. KSU also offers the highest number of teaching and nursing degrees in Georgia.

KSU has over 300 student-led organisations and various sports and athletic programs, including baseball, basketball, football, cross country, track and field, golf, tennis, soccer, softball, volleyball, and lacrosse. The university prioritises student success and provides academic advising to help students identify and achieve their academic, career, and personal goals. KSU's Core IMPACTS curriculum ensures that every undergraduate gains knowledge in diverse disciplines, fostering personal growth, professional success, and active citizenship.

University of Central Florida

The University of Central Florida (UCF) is a public research university with its main campus in unincorporated Orange County, Florida. The university was founded in 1963 and opened its first classes in 1968 as Florida Technological University. It was later renamed the University of Central Florida in 1978. UCF's initial enrollment in 1968 was 1,948 students, while enrollment in 2022 exceeded 68,000 students from over 150 countries, all 50 states, and Washington, D.C. The university offers more than 230 degrees through 13 colleges, including the Health Sciences Campus at Lake Nona Medical City, the Rosen College of Hospitality Management in south Orlando, and the city campus in downtown Orlando.

UCF is one of Florida's 12 public colleges, offering 111 bachelor's, 98 master's, 33 research doctorates, 3 professional doctorates, and 3 specialist degree programs. It leads all universities in Florida in conferring more than 18,000 degrees per year. UCF is classified as a "large four-year, primarily nonresidential" university with a "comprehensive doctoral" graduate instructional program. The university is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and is ranked among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity".

UCF employs more than 13,000 faculty and staff members and has a significant impact on the economy, adding $7.73 billion in value according to a 2009-10 study. The university's researchers have earned over $1 billion in external grants and contracts in the past decade. UCF students have access to numerous resources, including the UCF Libraries collections, which offer over 2.2 million print volumes, 3.2 million microforms, 330,000 government documents, and a wide range of electronic resources. The university also provides opportunities for personal growth and academic excellence, with students completing 33,055 co-op, internship, and service-learning experiences annually.

UCF has a strong reputation, with more freshmen and transfer students applying in 2015 than any other public university in Florida. It was ranked 2nd in Florida and 34th in the United States in 2010 by the number of National Merit Scholars enrolled. The university is committed to innovative community partnerships, world-class research with local impact, and the integration of technology and learning. With its space roots, UCF continues to have connections in this field, developing and overseeing the Florida Space Institute and managing the National Astronomy and Ionosphere Center, among other initiatives.

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