Arizona among States with the Highest University Enrollment, Study Reveals

New research has revealed which US states had the highest university enrollment this academic year, with Arizona ranking fourth on the list.

Personal finance experts Wealth of Geeks analyzed data from the National Student Clearinghouse on the number of undergraduates across the US who started a degree in 2023, to determine which state has the highest university enrollment. The research also revealed whether each state’s university enrollment has increased or decreased since 2022.

At the top of the list is Utah, with 6.83% of the population starting an undergraduate degree at the start of this academic year. Out of 3.4 million citizens, 230,980 enrolled in university, which is an increase of 4.3% from 2022. There are 36 university and college options in the state. The highest rated is the University of Utah, where basketball sensation Andrew Bogut studied. Its top major is psychology.

In second place is Idaho. In 2023, 5.78% of the state’s population enrolled in an undergraduate degree, which is 112,058 people. This figure is 2.4% higher than 2022. The state has 15 colleges and universities and a total population of 1.9 million. Three-time Olympic gold medallist Kristen Armstrong gained a degree in sports physiology at the University of Idaho. The top major at the university is psychology.

Third is North Dakota, which has under 800,000 citizens. 5.46% of the population, equating to 42,565 people, enrolled in university in 2023. This is an increase of 1.9% from 2022. Actor Sam Anderson studied at the University of North Dakota, where the top major is aerospace science and technology. It is one of 11 public colleges and seven private universities in the state.

Arizona is fourth, with 5.43% of the population who enrolled in university in 2023. The state has a total population of 7.4 million, with 399,397 who began their undergraduate degrees at the start of the academic year. This is an increase of 0.3% from 2022. In total, there are 57 colleges and universities in Arizona, which have educated many famous people, including socialite Kourtney Kardashian who attended the University of Arizona. The top major here is psychology.

Fifth is California, where 5.41% of citizens enrolled in university in 2023. It is home to over 281 universities and colleges, including Stanford, where the top major is computer science. The prestigious university educated golf sensation Tiger Woods, as well as many other successful people. Out of a total population of 39 million, 2,113,108 people in California started an undergraduate degree at the start of the academic year, which is a 3.1% increase from 2022.

Rank	State	Undergraduate enrollment 2023	Population enrolled in university (%)
1	Utah	230,980	6.83%
2	Idaho	112,058	5.78%
3	North Dakota	42,565	5.46%
4	Arizona	399,387	5.43%
5	California	2,113,108	5.41%
6	Rhode Island	57,257	5.24%
7	Kansas	151,109	5.14%
8	Nebraska	98,474	5.00%
9	Iowa	156,232	4.88%
10	Vermont	30,604	4.73%

Rhode Island is in sixth place, with 5.24% of its population enrolled in an undergraduate degree in 2023, or 57,257 out of one million people. This is an increase of 1% from 2022. The state only has 13 universities, including the University of Rhode Island, where nursing is the top major, and former basketball player Lamar Odom studied.

In seventh place is Kansas, with 5.14% of the population who enrolled in university in 2023. That’s 151,109 people out of a population of 2.9 million, which is an increase of 2.9% from 2022. There are 30 colleges and universities in the state, including the University of Kansas, where actor Paul Rudd studied. The top major at the university is psychology.

Next on the list is Nebraska. 5% of its population started an undergraduate degree in 2023, which is 98,474 people out of a population of just under two million. Although this percentage is the eighth highest in the US, it is a decrease of 0.9% from 2022. There are 25 four-year colleges and universities in the state. The highest rated university in the state, the University of Nebraska, has business administration and management as its top major.

Ninth is Iowa, with 4.88% of citizens who enrolled in university in 2023. Actor Ashton Kutcher completed an engineering degree at the University of Iowa, one of 43 colleges and universities in the state. The top major at the university is finance. In total, 156,232 people began their degree last year, which is a decrease of 1.1% from 2022.

In tenth place is Vermont, with 4.73% of the population who began an undergraduate degree in 2023, which is 30,604 people out of a population of under 650,000. The number of people who enrolled in university decreased by 1.9% from 2022. The state has 22 colleges and universities, including the University of Vermont, where the top major is business administration and management. It has educated many successful people, including actor Ben Affleck.

On the other hand, the state with the lowest university enrollment in 2023 was Alaska, with just 2.39% of its population, 17,506 people, starting an undergraduate degree. The states with the second and third lowest university enrollment were New Hampshire and Nevada, at 2.75% and 2.99% respectively.

“This research offers a fascinating insight into higher education in the US. High university enrollment is reflective of state policies that support students in reaching their full academic potential,” said Michael Dinich, founder of Wealth of Geeks. “However, it is also important to consider the many pathways to success that exist outside the traditional university route; a state’s low university enrollment doesn’t always mean that its citizens can’t be successful.”