Best Colleges in Nevada

More than just the home of Las Vegas, there are 26 colleges in Nevada. A mix of public, private, and for-profit institutions, the Battle Born State is also home to a number of community colleges which can confer baccalaureate degrees. The colleges are clustered in the far south or upper north regions, where climates differ dramatically. The northern half of the state experiences long, cold winters, while the south’s are mild and short. The oldest college in the state is the University of Nevada in Reno, founded in 1874, and the same college claims the spot of “most selective,” as well. Tourism claims the top industry spot in the Silver State, but geothermal energy and gold mining are ranked highly, as well. The Las Vegas Strip and Bellagio are always prime locations for tourism, but the Great Basin National Park, Lake Tahoe, and the Hoover Dam are notable attractions, too.

How Were the Top Schools in Nevada Chosen?

Appily determines “Best Colleges” based on publicly-available information from the US Department of Education. Several factors include, but are not limited to, data about admitted students’ academic calibers, students’ expected career outcomes after graduation, and colleges’ investments toward making their institution accessible to all students.

Explore the Best Universities in Nevada with Appily!

Create a Appily account to start saving schools to your personal list. Wondering where you stand when applying to the best universities in the USA? You can also see your chances of acceptance and get insights into your target, reach, and likely schools.

University of Nevada-Reno

Founded in 1874, the University of Nevada, Reno is a 4-year public institution and the first university founded in the state. UNR encompasses 11 colleges offering bachelor’s and graduate degrees in more than 460 fields of study. Additionally, the...

“…

My college experience thus far has taught me to work hard, how to prioritize my time better, and how to enjoy a full college experience. Classes here are lots of work, in order to succeed I had to learn great study habits, become friends with my...

” – Jessica from Reno, NV
University of Nevada-Las Vegas

Originally founded as a small branch college, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas is a 4-year public university and an Hispanic-Serving and Minority-Serving institution. UNLV encompasses 16 colleges and schools conferring undergraduate degrees in...

“…

The classes offer an incredible amount of insight and new information. Classes tend to start off a little slow in my experience, but when they did get going they got going quickly and I learned a lot in short amounts of time.

In addition, classes...

” – Adam from Las Vegas, NV
Great Basin College

Founded in 1967, Great Basin College is a public institution located in Elko, Nevada. Along with its traditional classes, the college also offers a wide variety of fully online degree programs. The campus of GBC, including its 20 satellite facilities...

“…

Great Basin College is the perfect transition college for people looking to go back to school or go to college for the first time.

” – Louden from Elko, NV
College placeholder image

Established in 2002, Nevada State College is a public, 4-year institution located in the city of Henderson. The 511-acre, sustainable energy campus is home to over 50 major and minor programs in the fields of nursing, education, and the liberal arts...

“…

Teachers at Nevada State College work one-on-one with the students any time available. They help students understand the criteria and are wonderful to work with.

” – Stephanie from Las Vegas, NV
College of Southern Nevada

The College of Southern Nevada is a 2-year institution that was founded in 1971. CSN has three main campuses, in Las Vegas, North Las Vegas, and Henderson, making it the state’s largest higher education institution. As a community college, CSN...

“…

I have met so many different people from many different cultures. Because of its' low cost for basic courses, many people from other countries come here! It is so cool!

” – Anayanci from North Las Vegas, NV
Truckee Meadows Community College

Truckee Meadows Community College is a 2-year institution with a main campus and four extension sites in Reno. TMCC is home to academic divisions in Liberal Arts, Sciences, Business & Social Sciences, and Technical Sciences. In addition to its...

“…

I had dreams of going to a giant college. In my senior year I destroyed my chances by failing math. I was devastated. TMCC was really my only option. My first day I walked in with the attitude of pessimism and negativism. I was so so surprised by the...

” – Jacob from Sparks, NV
College placeholder image

Western Nevada College is a 2-year community college with a main campus in the state capital of Carson City as well as four satellite campuses. In addition to associate degrees and certificates in over 25 areas of study, the college offers a bachelor...

“…

A community college is a great way to get the feel of how a university is like. The teachers at this school are very hands on and very knowlegable in their fields. I have learned a lot from being at this school. It has also helped me get the feel of...

” – Jessica from Dayton, NV
College placeholder image
College placeholder image

Expertise Cosmetology Institute is a beauty school in Las Vegas and the first cosmetology academy founded and owned by African Americans. Expertise features five full-time cosmetology training programs in beauty subjects such as Nail Technology and...

College placeholder image

Roseman University of Health Sciences is a medical training academy with three campuses in Nevada and Utah. Roseman is home to colleges of Nursing, Medicine, Pharmacy, and Dental Medicine conferring bachelor’s and graduate degrees. All classes at...

College placeholder image

Touro University Nevada is a private, graduate education institution established in Henderson and is a member of The Touro College and University System. The college offers bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs for students aiming to become...

“…

Great academic atmosphere. Top-notch professors and evidence-based learning/practice. Best choice of my life was to attend Touro.

” – John from Henderson, NV
College placeholder image

The Wongu University of Oriental Medicine is a holistic medical school in the Las Vegas metro area and Nevada’s first and only school of Asian medical techniques. Wongu grants a master’s degree in Oriental Medicine featuring classes on acupuncture...