This is a list of colleges and universities in the U.S. state of Nevada. The higher education system of Nevada is composed primarily of public two and four-year institutions, private four-year institutions and two and four-year for-profit schools. The largest college in the state is the University of Nevada, Las Vegas with nearly 33,000 students.
The eight public institutions are under the control of the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) (formerly the University and Community College System of Nevada "UCCSN") and are divided into comprehensive colleges and community colleges. An unusual characteristic of the community colleges is that they award bachelor's degrees in recognition of the limited resources of the state.
The oldest college in the state is the University of Nevada, Reno was founded in 1874 in Elko, Nevada as a political compromise and later became a Morrill Act Land Grant institution. Following a period of inactivity, the college was re-founded in Reno in 1886. In 1951, an extension campus was created in Las Vegas. In 1957, the extension became the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. In 1971, the College of Southern Nevada was founded to serve the growing population of Nevada. The most recent public college is Nevada State University in Henderson, which was founded in 2002.
The private colleges of Nevada are divided into non-profit and for-profit institutions, with several branches of national for-profit institutions such as Chamberlain University.
Public colleges and universities NameLocationTypeFoundedEnrollment (fall 2024)NotesCollege of Southern NevadaLas VegasFour and Two year197128,313Founded as Clark County Community College, later renamed the Community College of Southern Nevada.Great Basin CollegeElkoFour year19673,320Founded as Elko College, it was later renamed Northern Nevada College.Nevada State UniversityHendersonFour year20027,549Truckee Meadows Community CollegeRenoTwo year197110,885Split from Western Nevada College in 1979.University of Nevada, Las VegasParadiseFour year195732,911University of Nevada, RenoRenoFour year187423,024Includes Desert Research Institute branch campusWestern Nevada CollegeCarson CityTwo year19714,284Formerly known as Western Nevada Community College.
Private, nonprofit colleges and universities NameLocationTypeFoundedEnrollment (fall 2024)Notes Roseman University of Health SciencesHendersonFour year20011,367Formerly known as Nevada College of Pharmacy, later changed to University of Southern Nevada. Most recent name change occurred in 2011 to reflect the university's large presence in Utah.Touro University NevadaHendersonGraduate20041,600Sister colleges are located in California and New York.Wongu University of Oriental MedicineLas VegasFour year and Graduate201229A Las Vegas Oriental Medical University and Acupuncture School approved by the Nevada State Board of Oriental Medicine.
For-profit colleges and universities NameLocationTypeFoundedEnrollment (fall 2024)Arizona College of NursingLas VegasFour year19911,222Carrington CollegeLas Vegas & RenoTwo year1967947Chamberlain UniversityLas VegasFour year1889414Galen College of NursingLas VegasFour year1989293Las Vegas CollegeLas VegasFour year1979536Nevada Career InstituteLas VegasTwo year1993461Northwest Career CollegeLas VegasTwo year19972,937Pima Medical InstituteLas VegasTwo year2003678
See also
Higher education in the United States List of college athletic programs in Nevada List of American institutions of higher education List of colleges and universities List of colleges and universities by country List of recognized higher education accreditation organizations Nevada System of Higher Education
References
External links Department of Education listing of accredited institutions in Nevada