Hey, I'm doing a comparison of higher education across different states. Does anyone know which US state has the largest college student population? I've heard California has a ton of university students. Is this true?
Hello there! Yes, California does indeed have a large number of college students. As of 2022, California had the highest number of post-secondary students in the U.S., topping the list with over 2.6 million students enrolled in degree-granting postsecondary institutions. This isn't too surprising given the population size of California and the high number of colleges and universities it houses, which includes many public systems like the University of California and California State University, and many private institutions as well.
However, it's also worth noting that the data can change if you compare on a per capita basis or if you consider the types of institutions present in each state (e.g., two-year colleges, four-year colleges, public, private, and so on). For example, states with smaller populations but a high density of universities and colleges may have a high per capita student population. Therefore, the answer can vary depending on how the question is framed. But in terms of sheer numbers, California indeed has the most!
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