Higher-education information website, eCollegeFinder, mapped the oldest colleges around by state. Check out the list below to find out when the colleges were founded!
Top 10 Oldest States:
- Massachusetts – Harvard University – 1636
- Virginia – College of William & Mary – 1693
- Maryland – St. John’s College – 1696
- Connecticut – Yale University – 1701
- Pennsylvania – University of Pennsylvania – 1740
- Delaware – University of Delaware – 1743
- New Jersey – Princeton University – 1746
- New York – Columbia University – 1754
- Rhode Island – Brown University – 1764
- New Hampshire – Dartmouth College – 1769
State by State Breakdown:
Alabama – University of North Alabama
- Location – Florence, AL
- Date Founded – 1830
- UNA was founded in January 1830 vs. Spring Hill College wasn’t founded until May
Alaska – University of Alaska Fairbanks
- Location – Fairbanks, AK
- Date Founded – 1917
Arizona – University of Arizona
- Location – Tucson, AZ
- Date Founded – 1885
- Both U of A and ASU were founded during the Thirteenth Legislative Assembly of Arizona Territory, however ASU was founded as a normal school and U of A opened up for classes first
Arkansas – University of the Ozarks
- Location – Clarksville, AR
- Date Founded – 1834
California – Santa Clara University
- Location – Santa Clara, CA
- Date Founded – 1851
Colorado – University of Denver
- Location – Denver, CO
- Date Founded – 1864
Connecticut – Yale University
- Location – New Haven, CT
- Date Founded – 1701
Delaware – University of Delaware
- Location – Newark, DE
- Date Founded – 1743
Florida – Florida State University
- Location – Tallahassee, FL
- Date Founded – 1851
Georgia – University of Georgia
- Location – Athens, GA
- Date Founded – 1785
Hawaii – University of Hawaii at Manoa
- Location – Honolulu, HI
- Date Founded – 1907
Idaho – Brigham Young University – Idaho
- Location – Rexburg, ID
- Date Founded – 1888
Illinois – McKendree University
- Location – Lebanon, IL
- Date Founded – 1828
Indiana – Vincennes University
- Location – Vincennes, IN
- Date Founded – 1801
Iowa – Loras College
- Location – Dubuque, IA
- Date Founded – 1839
Kansas – Baker University
- Location – Baldwin City, KS
- Date Founded – 1858
Kentucky – Transylvania University
- Location – Lexington, KY
- Date Founded – 1780
Louisiana – Centenary College of Louisiana
- Location – Shreveport, LA
- Date Founded – 1825
Maine – Bowdoin College
- Location – Brunswick, ME
- Date Founded – 1794
Maryland – St. John’s College
- Location – Annapolis, MD
- Date Founded – 1696
Massachusetts – Harvard University
- Location – Cambridge, MA
- Date Founded – 1636
Michigan – University of Michigan – Ann Arbor
- Location – Ann Arbor, MI
- Date Founded – 1817
Minnesota – University of Minnesota – Twin Cities
- Location – Minneapolis, MN
- Date Founded – 1851
Mississippi – Mississippi College
- Location – Clinton, MS
- Date Founded – 1826
Missouri – Saint Louis University
- Location – St. Louis, MO
- Date Founded – 1818
Montana – Rocky Mountain College
- Location – Billings, MT
- Date Founded – 1878
Nebraska – Peru State College
- Location – Peru, NE
- Date Founded – 1867
Nevada – University of Nevada – Reno
- Location – Reno, NV
- Date Founded – 1874
New Hampshire – Dartmouth College
- Location – Hanover, NH
- Date Founded – 1769
New Jersey – Princeton University
- Location – Princeton, NJ
- Date Founded – 1746
New Mexico – New Mexico State University
- Location – Las Cruces, NM
- Date Founded – 1888
New York – Columbia University
- Location – New York, NY
- Date Founded – 1754
North Carolina – Salem College
- Location – Winston Salem, NC
- Date Founded – 1772
North Dakota – University of North Dakota
- Location – Grand Forks, ND
- Date Founded – 1883
- UND was founded in February, while University of Jamestown was founded in October
Ohio – Ohio University
- Location – Athens, OH
- Date Founded – 1804
Oklahoma – University of Central Oklahoma
- Location – Edmond, OK
- Date Founded – 1890
Oregon – Willamette University
- Location – Salem, OR
- Date Founded – 1842
Pennsylvania – University of Pennsylvania
- Location – Philadelphia, PA
- Date Founded – 1740
Rhode Island – Brown University
- Location – Providence, RI
- Date Founded – 1764
South Carolina – College of Charleston
- Location – Charleston, SC
- Date Founded – 1770
South Dakota – Augustana College
- Location – Sioux Falls, SD
- Date Founded – 1860
Tennessee – Tusculum College
- Location – Tusculum, TN
- Date Founded – 1794
Texas – Southwestern University
- Location – Georgetown, TX
- Date Founded – 1840
Utah – University of Utah
- Location – Salt Lake City, UT
- Date Founded – 1850
Vermont – Castleton State College
- Location – Castleton, VT
- Date Founded – 1787
Virginia – College of William & Mary
- Location – Williamsburg, VA
- Date Founded – 1693
Washington – University of Washington
- Location – Seattle, WA
- Date Founded – 1861
West Virginia – Bethany College
- Location – Bethany, WV
- Date Founded – 1840
Wisconsin – Carroll University
- Location – Waukesha, WI
- Date Founded – 1846
Wyoming – University of Wyoming
- Location – Laramie, WY
- Date Founded – 1886