In this article we are going to list the 25 biggest universities in the world. Few can deny the importance of education. It is an essential tool if one wants to make it in this world. And getting higher education gives you a few important tools to not just make it but make it big. Colleges and Universities around the globe offer students a chance to find their potential and utilize it effectively by gearing them with some of the best tools that knowledge can offer. Great minds gather under their specialized fields to help pass their own knowledge and experience to their thirsty potential successors. Although it sounds like a dream come true for many, it alas remains to be a dream for others. Getting a higher education in today’s world is one of the most expensive luxuries that a student partakes in. There are of course the options of acquiring aid or scholarships but those must be won on merit and only a few students are awarded this privilege.
Aside from that there is always an option to take out student loans to pay for a university experience but that too comes with its own sets of problems. One of the biggest problems facing education is student loan debt and in the United States of America, it has been making headlines for quite a few years now. According to the Center for Responsible Learning, the student loan crises has reached $1.5 trillion in the last few years. On average, a student loan graduates with approximately $30,000 in debt. Some of them work their whole lives to pay them off. This is one of the major setbacks which pushes students away from getting into a good college. The problem has plagued the country for several years now and each new government proposes a different plan to tackle the problem, but it is still at large. It is interesting to note that tackling student loans is one of the most common goals in the competing political parties’ manifesto. With the change of presidency this year, there have been a few promises made about eradicating this issue and it remains to be seen how it will play out. Head over to our list of the 15 cheapest universities in the USA for international students for viable options for students around the globe to have the American education experience.
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One of the other problems facing education all around last year, and continuing in this year, is the global coronavirus pandemic. The virus has pushed everyone into their homes as social distancing has been ordered. Schools, colleges across the globe have switched to online education and it seems that this method is here to stay. The tumultuous closing of on campus education has forced quite a bit of pressure on American universities. There were already a few debates on whether the existing education model was failing, and the effects of the coronavirus and resultant social distancing have thrown the benefits of remote learning in sharp focus. Students and educators alike have noticed the price and value proposition of online knowledge delivery as compared to physical, traditional classrooms. Government leaders have noticed how much cost the education system is saving costs as resultantly, academic institutions across the globe are offering discounted tuition rates in stark contrast to previous rates in their whole history. Elite universities like Princeton University and American College have offered slashed tuition for a wholly immersed online education experience.
There were already a few colleges offering online education pre-pandemic. According to the United States Department of Education, about one third of US universities offered some form of online education in the form of courses or some full-fledged degrees. The other two thirds remained fully physical. But the recent developments have shifted the course and it is likely to produce some long-term changes in the traditional model. Given the present scenario, it is likely to be fruitful to keep an eye on a few education stocks. According to Yahoo! Finance, K12 Inc. (NYSE:LRN) is an education company which facilitates online schooling and curriculum. It specializes in delivering online services to students in kindergarten through K-12. The expected growth in earnings for the country is 100%. Another stock to invest in is American Public Education, Inc. (NASDAQ:APEI). Serving primarily the military and public service community, this online education company is expected to increase its earnings by 4.6%. Grand Canyon Education, Inc. (NASDAQ:LOPE) is another promising company which is expected to grow its earnings by 12.9%. The company provides services to students in the fields of business, education, and health care 2U Inc. (NASDAQ:TWOU) is among the education stocks which have profited significantly from the challenges faced in 2020. The company works with non-profit organizations and schools to offer online degree programs. It reported earnings of $201.1 million in the third quarter of 2020. One Smart International Education Group Limited (NYSE: ONE) is another company expected to have a growth rate of more than 100% this year.
Although the present shift in the education environment has posed significant difficulties in students plans for higher education, it is also a big challenge for universities to cater to the needs of the current student body as remote learning is implemented. Here we have a list of 25 of the biggest universities in the US according to number of enrollments. Most of the data has been taken from fall of 2019 but where it was not available it has been compensated by data for fall 2018. The listed graduation rates are for first time, full time undergraduates according to the US Department of Education.
25. Texas Tech University
Starting off with number 25 we have Texas Tech University. With a strength of 32,125 undergraduates, the public research college is in Lubbock, Texas and was established in 1923. It used to be named Texas Technological College until 1969. Some of its popular majors include, Business, Engineering and Journalism. It has an acceptance rate of 71%, and a graduation rate of 60%.
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24. University of North Texas
Almost tying with Texas Tech, we have University of North Texas with 32,126 undergraduates. It is also a public research university and is located in Denton, Texas. The university boasts 14 colleges and schools and has been ranked as a tier one university by the Carnegie Classification. It has an acceptance rate of 71%, and a graduation rate of 64%.
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23. Kennesaw State University
Next, we have Kennesaw State University in the state of Georgia. The institute boasts a student body of 32,274*. Some of the majors it offers are Business, Marketing and Computer and Information Sciences. It has an acceptance rate of 58%, and a graduation rate of 41%.
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22. Purdue University
The first land-grant university on our list, Purdue University has a student body of around 32,670*. The flagship campus of the Purdue University System is in West Lafayette, Indiana. Founded in 1869, It has an acceptance rate of 58%, and a graduation rate of 76%.
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21. California State University — Long Beach
With a 322-acre campus, California State University’s Long Beach extension has an undergraduate strength of 32,786 students. Business, Psychology and Family Studies are some of its popular majors. It has an acceptance rate of 31%, and a graduation rate of 68%.
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20. Indiana University — Bloomington
Indiana University’s Bloomington chapter boasts a strength of 32,794 undergraduates. The university is the largest university in the Indiana University System. It is counted in the list of public ivy league universities. It has an acceptance rate of 77%, and a graduation rate of 76%.
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19. Florida State University — Tallahassee
Founded in 1851, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida has an undergraduate enrollment of 33,000. Known informally for being a party school, the university has a low acceptance rate of 37%, and a graduation rate of 80%.
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18. University of Alabama
University of Alabama is in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Starting operations in 1831, the university is the oldest and the largest in the state. It is the flagship of the University of Alabama System. It has a student body of 33,028* students. The school has an acceptance rate of 59%, and a graduation rate of 69%.
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17. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Located in the Twin cities of Urbana and Champaign, the University of Illinois has an undergraduate population of 33,673 students. Its School of information technology is ranked as being one of the best in the country. The school has an acceptance rate of 62%, and a graduation rate of 85%.
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16. Texas State University
Established in 1899, Texas State University is in San Marcos. The University has a population of 33,956 students. It was previously known as Southwest Texas State Normal School. The school has an acceptance rate of 46%, and a graduation rate of 54%.
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15. California State University — Northridge
Ranked as the nation’s fourth school on CollegeNET’s 2020 Social Mobility Index, California State University in Northridge has an undergraduate population of 34,633 students. The school has an acceptance rate of 51%, and a graduation rate of 50%.
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14. California State University — Fullerton
With the highest number of undergraduate students at the California State University System, the Fullerton chapter has 34,812 undergraduates. The school has an acceptance rate of 43%, and a graduation rate of 83%.
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13. University of Florida
Located in Gainesville, the University of Florida has 35,491 undergraduates enrolled. It traces its origins as far back as 1853. The school has an acceptance rate of 39%, and a graduation rate of 87%.
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12. University of Cincinnati
The oldest institution of higher education in Cincinnati, the University of Cincinnati was founded in 1819. It has a population of 35,498 undergraduates. The school has an acceptance rate of 73%, and a graduation rate of 66%.
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11. Rutgers University — New Brunswick
The oldest campus in the Rutgers University System, the New Brunswick chapter has a population of 36,036 students. The school has an acceptance rate of 60%, and a graduation rate of 80%.
10. Florida International University
Offering more than 190-degree options, the Florida International University has 37,047 undergraduates enrolled. The school has an acceptance rate of 59%, and a graduation rate of 72%.
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9. University of Houston
With over 300-degree programs, University of Houston is the third largest university in Texas with an undergraduate population of 38,597. The school has an acceptance rate of 62%, and a graduation rate of 59%.
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8. Michigan State University
Located in East Lansing, Michigan State University has 39,176 undergraduate enrollments. It was one of the first land grant universities. The school has an acceptance rate of 78%, and a graduation rate of 78%.
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7. Utah Valley University
Previously called Utah Valley State College, this university has 39,397 undergraduates. It attained university status in 2008. The school has a graduation rate of 32%.
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6. Penn State University — University Park
This state related public research university has a population of 40,363 undergraduates. It was founded in 1855 and used to be known as the Farmers’ High School of Pennsylvania. The school has an acceptance rate of 56%, and a graduation rate of 85%.
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5. UT Austin
Situated in Austin, Texas, our first entry into the top five has a population of 40,804 undergraduates. It is one of the most selective public universities in the country. The school has an acceptance rate of 39%, and a graduation rate of 81%.
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4. Arizona State University — Tempe
Arizona State university is located across five campuses in the Phoenix metropolitan area. It also has four learning centers throughout Arizona. With a student body of 44,461 undergraduates, its acceptance rate is 85% and graduation rate is 67%.
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3. The Ohio State University — Columbus
Founded in 1870, the third biggest university on our list has a population of 46,818 students. It was originally known as the Ohio agricultural and mechanical college. The school has an acceptance rate of 52%, and a graduation rate of 83%.
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2. Texas A&M University — College Station
Our runner up with 54,476 undergraduates was ranked as the top university in Money Magazine’s best new value rankings in 2020. It was inaugurated in 1876. The school has an acceptance rate of 68%, and a graduation rate of 80%.
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1. University of Central Florida
With a population of 59,483 undergraduates, the University of Central Florida easily tops our list for the 25 biggest universities in the US. Situated in the unincorporated Orange County, the school has an acceptance rate of 43%, and a graduation rate of 75%.
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Disclosure: No position. 25 biggest companies universities in the US is originally published at Insider Monkey.
