What Is the Difference Between a College and a University?
Learn the differences between colleges and universities and discover types of each.
The terms college and university are often used interchangeably, but they technically mean different things.
While both are learning institutions that offer degrees, there are a few areas where they differ. Keep reading to learn more about the difference between a college and a university.
What Is the Difference Between a College and a University?
Colleges and universities are both institutes of higher learning, but there are some slight differences between them when it comes to things like size and what degrees they offer.
It's important to note that there are no hard and fast regulations for what constitutes a college or university.
As a result, there are some colleges that really fit the criteria of a university better and vice versa.
Colleges and universities are more similar than they are different. Both can be public or private, and both offer degrees.
However, the degrees they offer are often where they differ. Universities nearly always offer both undergraduate degrees (associate and bachelor's) and graduate degrees (master's and doctorate).
Colleges typically offer undergraduate degrees. If they offer any graduate degrees, it's usually a relatively small percentage of the total degrees they offer.
Another aspect that usually differentiates colleges and universities is size. Colleges are usually smaller institutions, and universities are usually larger.
The amount of research conducted by the institution also differentiates colleges and universities. Universities are often highly research-focused, while colleges may do some research but not nearly the same amount.
In general, you can expect universities to be larger, offer a wider variety of degrees, and be more research-focused, while colleges are smaller institutions that are less focused on research.
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What Are the Types of Universities?
Universities typically offer bachelor's degrees, master's degrees, and doctoral degrees. They may also offer associate degrees and certificates.
Some of the largest universities in the United States are:
- Texas A&M University with 74,869 enrolled students
- University of Central Florida with 68,442 students
- Rutgers University with 67,620 students
- University of Florida with 61,112 students
- Ohio State University with 60,540 students
The majority of universities are public, but there are still a large number of private universities in the United States.
The Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education is the primary body that categorizes colleges and universities.
It divides universities into two main categories: doctoral universities and master's universities.
Doctoral Universities
Doctoral universities are universities that award at least 20 research doctoral degrees or at least 30 professional degrees in at least two programs.
The classification system further divides these programs by the amount of research activity, categorizing them as either very high research, high research, or doctoral/professional universities.
All the largest universities listed above are categorized as high research activity universities, as are most of the Ivy League universities.
There are over 130 high research activity universities in the United States including:
- Creighton University
- DePaul University
- Marquette University
- Villanova University
- Wake Forest University
Over 185 universities are classified as doctoral/professional universities, meaning the doctoral degrees they offer are primarily professional degrees like Doctor of Medicine (MD).
Master's Universities
Master's universities are classified as those that award at least 50 master's degrees but fewer than 20 doctoral degrees a year.
These are further classified by size: larger (200 or more graduate degrees), medium (100 to 199) and small (50 to 99).
Some examples of master's universities include:
- Appalachian State University (large)
- Fayetteville State University (medium)
- Monmouth University (large)
- Siena Heights University (medium)
Master's universities aren't as large as doctoral universities and often don't have as much research activity.
What Are the Types of Colleges?
The term college can be used to describe a wide variety of institutions, including master's colleges, baccalaureate colleges, associate colleges, and colleges within universities.
Master's Colleges
The Carnegie Classification system doesn't differentiate between master's universities and master's colleges.
If a program awards at least 50 master's degrees but fewer than 20 doctoral degrees a year, they're classified under 'master's colleges and universities.' The only distinction is the name.
Some colleges listed under this classification include:
- Florida Southern College (medium)
- Granite State College (small)
- John Jay College of Criminal Justice (large)
- New England College (large)
- Pacific Oaks College (medium)
Baccalaureate Colleges
Baccalaureate colleges are institutions where bachelor's or higher degrees represent at least 50% of all degrees but with fewer than 50 master's degrees or 20 doctoral degrees.
The Carnegie Classification divides these into two categories: arts and science focus and diverse fields.
There are about 225 colleges that focus on arts and sciences, and just over 300 colleges classified as focusing on diverse fields.
The Carnegie Classification also lists some colleges as baccalaureate/associate's colleges, which have some bachelor's programs but predominantly offer associate programs.
Associate Colleges
Associate colleges are colleges at which the highest level of degree offered is an associate degree.
These types of colleges are most commonly called community colleges. They may also be called:
- career colleges
- technical colleges
- trade schools
- vocational colleges
The Carnegie Classification doesn't categorize special-focus institutions, like cosmetology schools, in this category but in their own category.
However, these types of trade and career schools are often colleges that don't offer degrees higher than an associate degree.
Associate colleges may also offer certificates and diplomas to students as well as associate degrees.
Colleges Within Universities
Oftentimes, specific divisions within a university are referred to as colleges. These divisions often focus on a broad area of study and are made up of several smaller departments.
For example, Texas A&M includes a College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, a College of Arts and Sciences, and a College of Engineering.
Meanwhile, the University of Central Florida has a College of Arts and Humanities, College of Engineering and Computer Science, and College of Health Professions and Sciences, among others.
These colleges may also be referred to as 'schools' within the university; these terms are typically interchangeable.
Colleges Versus Universities
Colleges and universities are both institutions of higher learning. The key differences are that universities are usually larger and have more research activity, and master's colleges offer fewer graduate degrees.
With the guide above, you'll be able to understand all the nuances between colleges and universities.
