Universities in District of Columbia
District of Columbia has 21 postsecondary institutions reporting to the U.S. Department of Education: 1 public, 14 private nonprofit, 6 for-profit, together enrolling about 55,676 undergraduates (2024-25 data). Each links to a full financial-health and student-outcomes profile. 2 are historically Black colleges or universities.
| # | Institution | Sector | Undergrads |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | George Washington UniversityWashington · R1: Very High Research Spending and Doctorate Production | Private | 11,182 |
| 2 | Howard UniversityWashington · R1: Very High Research Spending and Doctorate Production | Private | 10,108 |
| 3 | Strayer University-Global RegionWashington · Special Focus: Business | Private for-profit | 9,376 |
| 4 | Georgetown UniversityWashington · R1: Very High Research Spending and Doctorate Production | Private | 7,569 |
| 5 | American UniversityWashington · R1: Very High Research Spending and Doctorate Production | Private | 7,266 |
| 6 | University of the District of ColumbiaWashington · Professions-focused Associate/Baccalaureate | Public | 3,351 |
| 7 | The Catholic University of AmericaWashington · R1: Very High Research Spending and Doctorate Production | Private | 3,154 |
| 8 | Trinity Washington UniversityWashington · Professions-focused Undergraduate/Graduate-Master's Small | Private | 1,414 |
| 9 | Gallaudet UniversityWashington · Mixed Undergraduate/Graduate-Doctorate Small | Private | 812 |
| 10 | University of the Potomac-Washington DC CampusWashington · Special Focus: Business | Private for-profit | 809 |
| 11 | Bennett Career InstituteWashington · Less-than-two-year institution (not classified by Carnegie) | Private for-profit | 176 |
| 12 | Strayer University-District of ColumbiaWashington · Special Focus: Business | Private for-profit | 156 |
| 13 | Saint Michael College of Allied HealthWashington · Special Focus: Nursing | Private for-profit | 136 |
| 14 | The Salon Professional Academy-Washington DCWashington · Less-than-two-year institution (not classified by Carnegie) | Private for-profit | 117 |
| 15 | NewU UniversityWashington · Four-year institution (not classified by Carnegie) | Private | 34 |
| 16 | National Conservatory of Dramatic ArtsWashington · Two-year institution (not classified by Carnegie) | Private | 16 |
| 17 | Institute of World PoliticsWashington · Special Focus: Graduate Studies | Private | – |
| 18 | Pontifical Faculty of the Immaculate Conception at the Dominican House of StudiesWashington · Special Focus: Theological Studies | Private | – |
| 19 | Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and FamilyWashington · Special Focus: Theological Studies | Private | – |
| 20 | The Chicago School at Washington DCWashington · Special Focus: Graduate Studies | Private | – |
| 21 | Wesley Theological SeminaryWashington · Special Focus: Theological Studies | Private | – |
This is a directory, not a ranking, listed by undergraduate enrollment. Counts and figures come from the most recent College Scorecard & IPEDS release (2024-25), which lags the current academic year by 2–3 years. Open each institution’s profile for financial health, outcomes and peer benchmarks.
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Frequently asked
How many colleges and universities are in District of Columbia?
21 postsecondary institutions in District of Columbia report to the U.S. Department of Education: 1 public, 14 private nonprofit, 6 for-profit. Together they enroll about 55,676 undergraduates (2024-25 data).
Which District of Columbia college enrolls the most undergraduates?
George Washington University in Washington, with about 11,182 undergraduates (2024-25 data). It is the largest of the 21 institutions listed on this page by undergraduate enrollment.
Are there historically Black colleges or universities in District of Columbia?
Yes: Howard University, University of the District of Columbia. District of Columbia has 2 HBCUs in this directory.
Where does this District of Columbia college data come from?
The U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS collections, most recent release (2024-25). Every figure is federal, published and free to check. Nothing on this page is estimated or AI-generated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard & IPEDS (most recent release, 2024-25). Compiled by Ibex Insights. See the methodology.