Colleges in Big Cities: A Comprehensive Guide
Choosing the right college involves considering many factors, with campus size and location often ranking high on a student's priority list. Urban colleges offer access to diverse populations, thriving businesses, and abundant opportunities, providing a dynamic environment that rural schools may lack. This article explores colleges located in or near major cities, highlighting both large universities and smaller colleges that offer a personalized experience within an urban setting.
Small Colleges with Big City Access
For students seeking a close-knit community with the advantages of an urban environment, several small colleges offer an ideal balance.
Barnard College: Located in upper Manhattan, New York City, Barnard College is home to 3300 female undergraduates. With 70% of classes having 19 or fewer students and a 10:1 student-to-faculty ratio, Barnard provides personalized attention. The college leverages its New York City location as an extension of its campus.
Emerson College: Situated in Boston's Theatre District, Emerson College places its 4100 students within easy reach of performing arts venues, museums, and the Boston Common park. Students can also take courses through the ProArts Consortium of colleges, supplementing the offerings of Emerson's 450 professors.
Macalester College: Located in St. Paul, Minnesota, Macalester College offers its 2100 undergraduates access to both Minneapolis and St. Paul (the Twin Cities). The school boasts hundreds of internship sites close to campus and 60 courses that involve community-based learning and partnerships with local businesses.
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Occidental College: Located just 7 miles from downtown Los Angeles, California, Occidental College provides its 1800 undergraduates with a small community environment and access to everything LA offers. With an average class size of just 17 students and an 87% first-year retention rate, Oxy emphasizes personalized attention.
Reed College: A short bus or bike ride from downtown Portland, Oregon, Reed College is home to 1300 undergraduates. All classes are taught by professors, feedback is emphasized over letter grades, and new students live in first-year neighborhoods to ease their adjustment to campus life.
Large Universities in Metropolitan Areas
Many large universities are located within or near major cities, providing a wide range of academic programs and extensive resources. These universities often have a significant impact on the local economy and culture.
Arizona State University (ASU), Tempe: ASU's Tempe campus has a total student enrollment of nearly 80,000, with 95% of undergraduate courses offered in-person or in a hybrid format. With an acceptance rate of 90%, ASU is accessible to a wide range of students. The campus is located a short drive or light rail trip away from metropolitan Phoenix. All first-year undergraduates are expected to live on campus, where students select housing assignments based on their major. Academic programs available at Tempe include the W. P. Carey School of Business, the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts, the Honors College, the School of Sustainability, and many more.
Texas A&M University: With a total student enrollment of over 76,000, Texas A&M's campus is located in College Station. Students have access to over 140 undergraduate and roughly 270 graduate programs. Kyle Field, the Aggies' stadium, is the largest in the Southeastern Conference.
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The Ohio State University, Main Campus: Located in Columbus, Ohio, The Ohio State University's main campus has a total student enrollment of over 60,000. Roughly 46,000 undergraduates and 14,400 graduate students attend the campus. Students are generally required to live on campus for at least two years.
University of Central Florida (UCF): Located in Orlando, UCF is one of Florida’s 12 public colleges, offering 111 bachelor’s degrees, 98 master’s, and 33 doctorates.
University of Washington, Seattle: With a total student enrollment of over 55,000, the University of Washington's Seattle campus offers a wide range of academic programs. About three-quarters of undergraduates at UW hail from the state of Washington, and half are STEM majors. Residence halls offer students nine-month and 12-month living arrangements, so students can live on campus through the summer if desired.
New York University (NYU): Located in New York City, NYU has a total student enrollment of over 57,000. About 11,000 NYU students live in university housing in New York’s Greenwich Village or Brooklyn Heights. Students can find their community in the big city at the NYU Center for Student Life or among the 300 student clubs and organizations.
University of Minnesota, Twin Cities: With a total student enrollment of over 54,000, the University of Minnesota's Twin Cities campus is located in Minneapolis and St. Paul. The school boasts more than 200 graduate and professional studies programs and 900 student organizations. Minneapolis is one of the country’s most bikeable cities.
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University of Texas, Austin: The student body at UT Austin includes more than 41,000 undergraduate and 11,000 graduate students, representing 130 countries and all 50 states. Students at UT Austin get to participate in any of the more than 1,000 student organizations, 70 sororities and fraternities, hundreds of intramural sports leagues, and the largest student-run newspaper in the country.
University of Michigan: The University of Michigan enrolls roughly 33,000 undergraduates and 20,000 graduate students. UM offers students access to more than 1,700 student-run clubs.
Pennsylvania State University, Main Campus: Located in University Park, a few hours’ drive from Philadelphia, it houses roughly 14,000 students in its campus residence halls. PSU offers over 275 undergraduate majors.
Colleges and Universities in Metropolitan Boston
Metropolitan Boston is home to a diverse array of colleges and universities, offering a wide range of academic programs and campus environments.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT): Located in Cambridge, across the Charles River from Boston, MIT is a leading institution for science and technology.
Harvard University: Situated in Cambridge, Harvard is the oldest institution of higher education in the United States and one of the world's most prestigious universities.
Boston University: Located in west Boston on the banks of the Charles River, Boston University is a private research university with over 300 programs.
Northeastern University: Located in the heart of Boston, Northeastern is an urban university known for its co-op program, which integrates classroom study with professional experience.
Boston College (BC): Located in Chestnut Hill, just southwest of Boston, Boston College is a private research institution with a suburban campus.
Tufts University: With campuses in Somerville and downtown Boston, Tufts University offers a range of undergraduate and graduate programs.
Suffolk University: Located in downtown Boston, Suffolk University is a private university with a focus on professional programs.
University of Massachusetts, Boston: Situated on a waterfront campus near downtown Boston, the University of Massachusetts, Boston offers a variety of undergraduate and graduate programs.
Brandeis University: Located outside of Boston city center, Brandeis University provides a shuttle bus service for students to easily access the city.
Largest Universities in the United States
To provide further context, it's helpful to understand the landscape of the largest universities in the United States, both by campus enrollment and online enrollment.
Largest Primarily Online Colleges and Universities
These institutions primarily offer online programs and have the highest enrollments:
- Western Governors University
- Southern New Hampshire University
- University of Phoenix
- Liberty University
- Grand Canyon University
- Arizona State University Digital Immersion
- University of Maryland Global Campus
- American Public University System
- Purdue University Global
- Walden University
Largest Private Universities by Campus Enrollment
These private universities have the largest campus enrollments:
- New York University
- University of Southern California
- Brigham Young University
- Columbia University in the City of New York
- Boston University
- Northeastern University
- Cornell University
- University of Pennsylvania
- Grand Canyon University
- Harvard University
Largest Catholic Universities in the United States
The largest Catholic college in the country by campus enrollment is St. John’s University in New York. However, Depaul in Chicago and Georgetown in Washington, D.C., are larger if you include online enrollment.
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