POPULATION (2021): 3.1 million
CAPITAL: Carson City
LARGEST PUBLIC UNIVERSITY IN NEVADA: University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV)
LARGEST PRIVATE UNIVERSITY IN NEVADA: Touro University
Nevada is most well-known for its world-renowned tourist city of Las Vegas, but there is a lot to do, well beyond “The Strip,” with year-round weather that allows for outdoor exploration, and mountains, deserts, forests, and other landscapes throughout the state, there is something for everyone who decides to go to college in Nevada.
The western part of the state, near the city of Reno, is very mountainous and also home to a few of the colleges on this list. Lake Tahoe is not only a place on the Nevada/California border but also a trendy destination for students from all over the region for ski weekends and spring break.
Most of the population lies near the cities of Las Vegas and Reno, as much of the state is a desert. With that, most colleges are located near these places as well. Have a closer look at the college landscape in “The Silver State.”
Universities in Nevada – 4-Year Colleges and Online
UNLV is, by far, the largest school in Nevada, and a section below will take a closer look at colleges specifically in Las Vegas. There are a few other public and private universities in Nevada to choose from.
Public Universities in Nevada
In addition to UNLV, there are 4 other public universities in Nevada. The University of Nevada has a second location in Reno, and the Desert Research Institute also has campuses in Reno and Las Vegas. Additionally, Nevada State College in Henderson and Great Basin College in Elko round out the options for 4-year public colleges in Nevada.
Private Universities in Nevada
Just like with the public universities in Nevada, most of the private schools are located near Las Vegas (which includes Henderson) or Reno. Here is a list of those private universities, with the city in parentheses:
- University of Phoenix (Las Vegas)
- DeVry University (Henderson)
- Touro University Nevada (Henderson)
- Sierra Nevada University (3 campuses – Incline Village, Reno, Henderson)
- Roseman University of Health and Sciences (Henderson)
- Wongu University of Oriental Medicine and Acupuncture (Las Vegas)
- National University (Henderson)
Community Colleges in Nevada
Community college offerings in Nevada are also fairly limited. Pima Medical Institute, Northwest Career College, and the Career College of Northern Nevada are all 2-year, private schools. Here is a list of the publicly funded community colleges in Nevada:
- College of Southern Nevada
- Truckee Meadows Community College
- Western Nevada College
Prominent Online Colleges in Nevada
The University of Nevada has more than 200-degree programs that are at least partially online, and many of them can be completed 100% from the comfort of your own home. A few degrees require some hands-on experience at either the Reno or Las Vegas campus, but usually, students can schedule that part of the program for one or two days to limit travel.
Great Basin College and Nevada State College both receive high rankings for their online offerings, too.
Universities in Las Vegas
Las Vegas is as famous as any city in the country thanks to the allure of the Vegas Strip (and legal gambling doesn’t drive too many away). It’s also home to the largest college in the state, the University of Nevada – Las Vegas, and these other schools that offer 4-year degrees to Las Vegas residents:
- Arizona College – Las Vegas
- Chamberlain University – Nevada
- College of Southern Nevada
- University of Phoenix – Nevada
Get to Know Nevada
Nevada is home to 2 of the fastest-growing cities in the country in Las Vegas and Reno, and one of the main reasons for this is a tech boom fueled by a very low cost of living (i.e., people who can work from anywhere really like how cheap it is). One of the reasons for this low cost, however, is the fact that much of the state is desert, making it difficult to build in many places outside of the major cities that already exist.
The summers get very hot, and the winters get very cold in the desert cities like Reno and Las Vegas, but almost every day offers some sunshine and enough warmth (or coolness in the summer evenings) to enjoy a bike ride or a hike!