A few of the United States’ oldest colleges date back to the 17th century, and some of them predate the American Revolution of 1765. Several of the oldest universities in the United States are also among the esteemed members of the Ivy League.
In order, let’s find out more about some of the oldest universities in the United States!
The USA’s Oldest Colleges and Universities
Harvard College (1636)
6% of applications are accepted.
The best courses are in political science, economics, and computer science.
The oldest university in the United States and one of the most prestigious in the world is Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it was established by the state legislature of Massachusetts. It is an esteemed private university that belongs to the Ivy League.
According to the Q.S. World University Rankings, Harvard is now placed third. It is also ranked first globally in the broad topic area of life sciences and medicine and second in the arts and humanities, according to the Q.S. World University Rankings by subject.
William and Mary College (1693)
33% of applications are accepted.
Best Courses: Marine Science, Public Policy, and Law
The College of William and Mary, a public research institution, is the second oldest college in the United States according to our ranking. Williamsburg, Virginia, in the United States, is home to William and Mary. The institution was founded by Queen Mary III and King William III. It was the first American higher education school to create a code of honor for its students.
This 330-year-old U.S. higher education institution features a selective admissions process based on grades, entrance examinations, and previous academic success.
\The college is among the top 450 in the world for the arts and humanities and is ranked 601-650 globally. There, Thomas Jefferson and two other American presidents received their education.
(1696) St. John’s College (SJC)
87% of applicants were accepted.
Best Courses: Philosophy and Mathematics
The oldest college in the country is St. John’s College (SJC). Originally called King William’s School, it was the first “free” school established in the Maryland colony. It is now a liberal arts college that is private.
Santa Fe, the state capital of New Mexico, and Annapolis, the state capital of Maryland, are home to SJC’s two campuses. The college was ranked among the top 100 liberal arts colleges in the US by U.S. News & World Report, despite not being included in the Q.S. World University Rankings.
Yale College (1701)
6% of applications are accepted.
Best Subjects to Take: Computer Science, Economics, and Political Science
Yale University, which was founded as a “Collegiate School,” is ranked fourth on our list and is currently ranked 17th in the world. The school was renamed Yale in 1718 to reflect a bequest from British East India Company governor and affluent British trader Elihu Yale, who bequeathed the school a sizeable sum of money.
The University is well-known for being an Ivy League school and for being located in New Haven, Connecticut. Yale is organized into three main departments:
Schools of undergraduate arts and sciences
graduate programs, such as law schools
Professional schools in medicine and business
Pennsylvania University (1740)
10% Acceptance Rate
Top Courses: Political Science, Finance, and Biology
Benjamin Franklin, one of the founding fathers of the United States, founded the University of Pennsylvania, also referred to as Penn. Penn is a private, non-profit university for higher learning located in Philadelphia. It was the pioneering institution in the US to offer graduate and undergraduate courses.
In addition, Penn was the first university in the US to give degrees, start a business school (1881), a law school (1834), and offer a comprehensive range of liberal arts and sciences curricula.
As of right now, the university is ranked fifth in the world for business and management and fifteenth overall. The university is renowned for its vigorous research efforts as well.
College of Moravia (1742)
86 percent of applicants were accepted.
Best Courses: Business, Nursing, and Psychology
Our next stop is Moravian College. Founded as the first women’s residential school in history, Moravian University is a non-profit private liberal arts university situated in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Countess Benigna von Zinzendorf, then 16 years old, founded the college as Bethlehem Female Seminary in 1742. North America’s oldest university is this one.
Because of Moravian University’s stellar reputation, George Washington asked the headmaster to grant his great-nieces entrance. The University eventually became coeducational in 1954 when the two genders’ colleges combined.
Delaware University (1743)
68 percent acceptance rate
Best Courses: Business, Environmental Studies, and Engineering
The University of Delaware, commonly referred to as U.D., is a well-known public research university that is well-known for its academic offerings, research possibilities, and commitment to innovation. Located in Newark, Delaware, the university offers graduate and undergraduate degrees. The university was founded as a private college by Reverend Jonathan Dickinson’s Sergeant and Francis Alison. Their goal was to construct an inclusive college that would serve individuals from many backgrounds, including genders, races, and religions.
The University of Delaware presents a distinctive fusion of traditional and contemporary features, such as the well-known Memorial Hall and the ground-breaking, LEED-certified Roselle Centre for the Arts. The university, which is ranked jointly 491st overall in the Q.S. World University Rankings, has an exceptional record of providing high-quality instruction.
Princeton University (1746)
7% of applications are accepted.
Best Courses: Business, Molecular Biology, and Computer Science.
Princeton University is the next oldest university in the United States on our list. Established as the College of New Jersey, it was given a land gift by British King George II. Princeton University is a private Ivy League research university that is renowned for its intellectual brilliance, excellent education, and beautiful campus. It is also one of the most elite universities in the United States.
Princeton is ranked fourth in mathematics, seventh in the humanities and arts, and thirteenth overall.
University of Washington and Lee (1749)
19% of applications are accepted.
Top Courses: Mass Communications, Law, Journalism, and Business Administration
A private liberal arts university, Washington and Lee University is situated in Lexington, Virginia. The university bears the names of Robert E. Lee, who served as president following the Civil War, and George Washington, who made significant financial gifts to the institution.
The historic Lee Chapel and Museum, honoring the life and memory of Robert E. Lee, is located at Washington and Lee University, or W&L. In addition to more than 40 undergraduate and graduate programs, individualized attention, interdisciplinary learning, and the Honour System are among the main factors that W&L graduates succeed in their employment.
Columbia College (1754)
7% of applications are accepted.
Top Courses: Political science, journalism, and economics
Columbia University, one of the oldest universities in the US, comes in at number 10. It is a research university in Upper Manhattan, New York City, and a private Ivy League institution. In 1754, British King George II authorized the founding of Columbia University as King’s College. After the United States attained independence in 1784, the university was renamed Columbia College. Columbia Institution is the oldest institution in New York as well as one of the oldest colleges in America.
It consistently ranks in the top 15 universities and is a member of the Association of American Universities. Furthermore, the institution granted its first degree to a woman in 1860, again ahead of any other university, and was the first to grant medical degrees to women in 1859.
Acceptance Rate (1764) at Brown University: 9%
Best Courses: Creative Writing, Biology, and Computer Science
One of America’s greatest heroes, Moses Brown, founded Brown University, a private Ivy League research university. It was founded primarily to provide residential programs for the education of Native Americans, African Americans, and other minorities. So, the things that make Brown University most renowned are its diversity, inclusion, and student autonomy!
The university’s stunning campus in Rhode Island is home to both the contemporary Friedman Hall and the ancient Van Wickle Gates.
University of Rutgers (1766)
60% Acceptance Rate
Top Courses: Computer Science, Pharmacy, and Psychology
New Brunswick, New Jersey’s Rutgers University is ranked eleventh. The Dutch Reformed Church established Rutgers as a private Queens College in 1766.
Founded before the Declaration of Independence, it was one of the nine colonial universities. Harvard, Yale, William and Mary, Princeton, Dartmouth, the University of Pennsylvania, Brown, King’s or Columbia, Queen’s or Rutgers, and the University of Pennsylvania are these universities. At the moment, it consistently ranks among the best public institutions in the United States.
These prestigious educational establishments all provide a wide range of programs and courses to overseas students. Visit any of these colleges’ official websites to learn more about admissions!
FAQs
1. Which American college is the oldest?
Founded in 1636, Harvard University is the oldest and first college in the United States.
2. Which Ivy League university is the oldest?
One of the most selective Ivy League universities and the oldest university in the country is Harvard University. We are tied for second place in the National Universities rating.
3. What is the nation’s oldest public university?
The first state-chartered public institution in America was the Institution of Georgia, which is situated in Athens, Georgia. It was granted a state charter in 1785.
4. Which South American university is the oldest?
North America’s oldest university is called the University of the Andes. It was established in 1948 by a group of academics from Colombia and is situated there.
5. Which university in North America is the oldest?
The oldest university in North America is Moravian University. The Moravians founded it in 1742.