The Oldest Colleges in the United States

1. Introduction

While parts of the world have had centers of learning for thousands of years, the relative youth of the United States of America has given us colleges that are only hundreds of years old.

These historic institutions, primarily located in New England, were established by European settlers seeking knowledge. Today, they remain among America’s most prestigious universities.

2. Top 10 Oldest U.S. Colleges

2.1 Harvard University (1636)

• Oldest college in the United States
• Founded to train Puritan clergy
• Current Statistics:
  • Student Population: 20,000+
  • Average SAT Score: 1540
  • College Factual Ranking: #2 nationally
• Historical Context:
  • Founded during construction of Taj Mahal
  • Five years after Italian plague
  • Same year France entered Thirty Years' War

2.2 College of William and Mary (1693)

• Named after King William III and Queen Mary II
• Location: Williamsburg, Virginia
• Current Statistics:
  • Student Population: ~8,400
  • Type: Public research university
  • College Factual Ranking: #66 nationally
• Notable: Educated several U.S. presidents

2.3 St. John’s College (1696)

• Originally founded as King William’s School
• Chartered as St. John’s in 1785
• Location: Annapolis, Maryland
• Current Statistics:
  • Student Population: <1,000
  • Average SAT Score: 1370
  • College Factual Ranking: #298 nationally
• Unique Feature: Offers single bachelor’s degree in liberal arts

2.4 Yale University (1701)

• Founded to train ministers
• Named after benefactor Elihu Yale
• Location: New Haven, Connecticut
• Current Statistics:
  • Average SAT Score: 1540
  • College Factual Ranking: #6 nationally
  • Type: Large private university

2.5 University of Pennsylvania (1740)

• Founded by Benjamin Franklin
• One of nine colonial colleges
• Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Current Statistics:
  • Average SAT Score: 1510
  • College Factual Ranking: #4 nationally
  • Known for: Finance and business programs

2.6 Moravian College (1742)

• First girls' boarding school in U.S.
• Part of Moravian Theological Seminary
• Location: Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
• Current Statistics:
  • Student Population: ~2,000
  • Average SAT Score: 1090
  • College Factual Ranking: #459 nationally
• Popular Programs: Nursing and business administration

2.7 University of Delaware (1743)

• Founded by Presbyterian minister
• Chartered in 1833
• Location: Newark, Delaware
• Current Statistics:
  • Type: Large public university
  • Average SAT Score: 1240
  • College Factual Ranking: #90 nationally
• Popular Programs: Liberal arts, finance, health

2.8 Princeton University (1746)

• Originally College of New Jersey
• Location: Princeton, New Jersey
• Current Statistics:
  • Student Population: ~5,400 undergraduates
  • Average SAT Score: 1530
  • College Factual Ranking: #19 nationally, #1 in NJ
• Notable: Association with Albert Einstein

2.9 Washington and Lee University (1749)

• Originally Augusta Academy
• Named after Robert E. Lee (president 1865-1870)
• Location: Lexington, Virginia
• Current Statistics:
  • Student Population: ~2,200
  • Type: Private liberal arts university
  • College Factual Ranking: #46 nationally
• Popular Programs: Business Administration, Accounting, Economics

2.10 Columbia University (1754)

• Originally King’s College
• Renamed after American Revolution
• Location: New York City, New York
• Current Statistics:
  • Student Population: 32,000+
  • Average SAT Score: 1530
  • College Factual Ranking: #27 nationally

3. Compare These Schools

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