With 68,100 students, Arizona State University is the biggest university in the country by enrollment. The university offers more than 250 majors and its main campus is located in the city of Tempe, Arizona. The president of Arizona State University, as of 2011, is Michael M. Crow, who worked at Columbia University prior to his term. He has worked to expand the university's research facilities and outreach.
The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio is second in enrollment with 55,100 students. The college first accepted students and started teaching in 1873. It was originally centered on agricultural and mechanical studies, but expanded its program within a few years of its opening. The first woman graduated in 1879. Ohio State has 160 areas of study and an extensive study-abroad program with options in more than 40 countries. The out-of-state cost of tuition is $33,768 for the academic school year, as of 2011.
The University of Central Florida is fairly young, only 40 years old, but has 53,500 students, making it the third biggest university in America. The main campus sits on more than 1,400 acres. The school has over 200 majors to choose from. The specialized colleges include the College of Education, the College of Engineering and Computer Sciences and the College of Arts and Humanities. Out-of-state tuition fees average $28,631 per year as of 2011.
In fourth place is the University of Minnesota with 51,700 students on four campuses. The university was founded in 1851 as a preparatory school seven years before Minnesota became a state. The school shut down briefly during the Civil War due to financial issues, but reopened in 1867. The approximate cost for a year of school for a non-resident is $27,358, as of 2011.
The University of Texas closes the top five with an enrollment of over 51,000 students. It opened in September of 1883 but land was set aside for a university as early as 1839. The university has many traditional symbols, such as the large clock tower on campus that has 27 floors. Bevo, the name given to the Texas longhorn bull, is a symbol of the university's pride and the iconic hand gesture, the "Hook 'em, Horns," was created in 1955. A year of study in one of the school's 170 programs will cost $34,180 for a non-resident as of 2011.