Degrees of Prestige: A Deep Dive into University Costs, Sizes, and Country Graduation Rates

Top 10 US Universities and Colleges by Enrollment

Ohio State University: Located in Columbus, Ohio, often has an enrollment exceeding 60,000 students across its various campuses.

University of Central Florida (UCF): Located in Orlando, Florida, UCF also has enrollments around or exceeding the 60,000 mark.

Texas A&M University: Based in College Station, Texas, recently, its enrollments have also exceeded 60,000 students.

University of Florida: Located in Gainesville, Florida, it usually has an enrollment figure above 50,000 students.

Arizona State University: With its main campus in Tempe and multiple other campuses in the Phoenix metropolitan area, it has enrollment figures above 50,000 students.

Pennsylvania State University: Commonly known as Penn State, its combined campuses often have enrollments that come close to or exceed 50,000 students.

University of Texas at Austin: Located in Austin, Texas, UT Austin has a reported student body of over 50,000.

University of Texas Austin in the Evening, picture by Kumar Appaiah, CC.

Michigan State University: Located in East Lansing, Michigan, MSU also has enrollments often in the 50,000 range.

University of Minnesota: Its Twin Cities campus (covering both Minneapolis and St. Paul) often reports enrollment figures above 50,000 students.

Indiana University: The combined campuses, especially the Bloomington campus, have significant student enrollments often exceeding the 50,000 mark.

Which Universities have the Largest Enrolment in the World?

It is difficult to keep track on the exact enrollment numbers (as these change bases on academic year, which can start on different dates). That said, here is a list of know universities around the world known consistently have a very large student enrollment.

Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), India: One of the world’s largest universities in terms of student enrollment, with several million students.

Anadolu University, Turkey: Has one of the largest enrollments because of its open education faculty, enrollments often exceed 1 million.

Bangladesh National University, Bangladesh: Often cited to be over a million students.

Allama Iqbal Open University, Pakistan: Another massive Asian open university, with enrollments of over a million students.

University of the Punjab, Pakistan: One of the oldest institutions in South Asia, and also among those with the largest student bodies.

State Open University, China: The State Open University, with its distance education programs, is among the largest in China.

University of the Philippines: The country’s national university has several campuses, with tens of thousands of students enrolled.

University of Tehran, Iran: As one of the major universities in Iran, it also has a significant student body.

Cairo University, Egypt: It’s one of the leading universities in the MENA region.

Universitas Terbuka (Open University of Indonesia): Located in Indonesia, this open university focuses on distance learning and in recent years its enrollment has frequently exceeded 500,000 students,

Which USA Colleges have the Highest Fees?

Nb. 2023 tuition fees are given where known. These are currently thought to be the American universities with the highest tuition fees.

Columbia University: Located in New York City, it frequently tops the list with one of the highest tuition costs ($65,524).

University of Chicago: This Illinois-based institution currently has a tuition fee of $62,940.

Harvard University: Based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Harvard is not only known for its prestige but also its high tuition fee of $57,261.

Yale University: Located in New Haven, Connecticut, Yale’s tuition is on par with its Ivy League peers ($62,250).

Stanford University: Located in California’s Silicon Valley, Stanford’s tuition fees are $56,169.

University of Pennsylvania: This Ivy League institution has tuition fees comparable to its peers ($63,452).

Dartmouth College: Based in Hanover, New Hampshire, Dartmouth often has tuition rates that place it among the top in the nation ($62,430).

Duke University: Located in Durham, North Carolina, Duke’s tuition fees ($63,054) are among the highest for private universities in the U.S.

Brown University: This Providence, Rhode Island-based Ivy League school also has high tuition costs ($65,146).

Northwestern University: Located near Chicago in Evanston, Illinois, Northwestern’s tuition is comparable to other elite private institutions ($63,468).

Which USA Universities have the Lowest In-State Tuition Fees?

University of Wyoming: Based in Laramie, Wyoming, this university often boasts some of the lowest in-state tuition rates ($6,621) in the country.

Florida A&M University: Located in Tallahassee, Florida, has been noted for its affordable in-state tuition ($5,785).

University of Florida: Also in Florida, located in Gainesville, offers competitive in-state rates ($6,380).

New Mexico Highlands University: Located in Las Vegas, New Mexico , it offers competitive in-state rates ($6,876).

Southern University at New Orleans: This Louisiana-based institution has historically had affordable in-state tuition rates ($3,550).

University of North Carolina at Pembroke: Part of the UNC system, this institution offers some of the more affordable in-state rates in the country ($3,496)

Elizabeth City State University: Located in North Carolina, ECSU in-state tuition rate is $4,047.

West Texas A&M University: Part of the Texas A&M system, offers competitive in-state rates ($9,204).

Alcorn State University: Located in Mississippi, has affordable in-state tuition fees ($8,549).

(Nb. 2023 instate tuition fees are given where known).

How many people in the USA have an Ordinary degree, how many a Masters, & How many a PhD ?

About 35% of adults aged 25 and over in the U.S. held at least a bachelor’s degree. Given that the U.S. adult population is roughly 210 million, this suggests around 73.5 million people had at least a bachelor’s degree.

Master’s Degrees: About 13.1% of U.S. adults aged 25 and over had earned a master’s degree. Using the same adult population figure, this equates to approximately 27.5 million people.

Doctoral Degrees (includes Ph.D., Ed.D., and other doctorates): Around 2% of U.S. adults aged 25 and older held a doctorate. So roughly 4.2 million people.

(Information from the National Center for Education Statistics)

How Many People in the UK have an Ordinary or Graduate Level Degree?

Approximately 30% of people in the UK aged 16 and over have a Level 4 qualification or above, which includes bachelor’s degrees and higher.

Master’s Degrees and higher. (or equivalent): Around12% of the adult population has a Level 7 (Master’s) or Level 8 (PhD) qualification.

Source: UK Office for National Statistics.

What are the Top 10 Rising Star Universities in the World?

Asian Institutes: Universities in Asia, particularly in countries like China, South Korea, and Singapore, have seen a surge in standards. Institutions such as Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore and Tsinghua University in China have rapidly risen in global rankings.

Younger Universities: Some institutions under 50 years old making significant progress include Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) and KAIST – Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology.

Middle Eastern Hubs: Institutions such as the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia are making a mark with substantial research output.

Australian Institutions: The University of Technology Sydney (UTS) and Queensland University of Technology (QUT) have made impressive climbs in the global rankings.

Latin American Charge: Institutions such as the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile have seen significant progress in global university rankings.

African Strength: The Stellenbosch University in South Africa has made strides in both research and inclusive education.

Indian Institutes: The Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), particularly IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, and IIT Kharagpur, have been rapidly increasing their global presence and worldwide reputation.

Canadian Spotlight: The University of Calgary has gained attention for its research innovation, community engagement, and entrepreneurial emphasis, leading to its ascent in both national and global rankings.

What are the top USA Green and Sustainable Universities?

Here are five notable American universities based on their sustainability efforts.

Stanford University, California: Stanford has made significant efforts in sustainability research and on-campus practices. The university has a comprehensive energy system that improves efficiency and sustainability. Their efforts span areas like water conservation, green building initiatives, and promoting sustainable living among students.

University of California, Davis: UC Davis has long been a leader in sustainability. The campus has been recognized for its bike-friendly infrastructure, its commitment to local and organic foods in dining services, and its extensive research into sustainable agriculture and environmental science.

Colorado State University: Located in Fort Collins, CSU is often recognized for its green initiatives and sustainability commitments. The university has aimed to achieve 100% renewable electricity. Its School of Global Environmental Sustainability ensures a multi-disciplinary approach to tackle complex environmental issues.

University of Washington, Seattle: UW has made significant strides in its sustainability practices, from green building standards to waste reduction efforts. Its campus includes a sustainably managed urban forest and a commitment to locally-sourced foods in dining services.

Yale University, Connecticut: Yale’s commitment to sustainability is comprehensive, from its research endeavors to on-campus practices. The university’s ambitious Sustainability Plan covers multiple aspects, including carbon neutrality, conservation, sustainable transportation, and more.

What are the top European Green and Sustainable Universities?

European universities have been at the forefront of sustainability initiatives for years. Here are five leading institutions based on their sustainability commitments and achievements.

University of Oxford, UK: Oxford has shown a strong commitment to sustainability, both in terms of research and on-campus practices. It houses numerous institutes dedicated to environmental research and has made pledges towards significant carbon reduction.

Wageningen University & Research, Netherlands: Known globally for its courses and research in sustainable agriculture, food production, and environmental science, Wageningen is often at the top of sustainability rankings. The university is also focused on achieving carbon neutrality for its campus operations.

ETH Zurich – Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Switzerland: ETH Zurich conducts impactful research in areas of environmental engineering, renewable energy, and sustainability. The university also has green initiatives on-campus and has been recognized for its efforts in promoting sustainable living and operations.

University of Copenhagen, Denmark: This institution has been a leader in sustainability research and has made firm commitments to green their operations, with an emphasis on reducing its carbon footprint and ensuring sustainable practices in every aspect of campus life.

University of Leeds, UK: The University of Leeds has been acknowledged for its robust sustainability strategy. This includes commitments to biodiversity, waste reduction, and the promotion of sustainable transportation. The university also has a dedicated sustainability service that undertakes a wide range of projects and initiatives.

I hope you find these university and College facts to be of use when trying to decide your future place of study.

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