Lens covers 132 colleges with big-time sports, 114 public and 18 private. They range from University of Tulsa (2,813 undergraduates) to Arizona State University (64,674). Acceptance rates run from 4% to 100%, and 94 of the 132 admit at least half of applicants.
Colleges with big-time sports play NCAA Division I football in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), where game days are big campus events (Equity in Athletics, 2024–25).
Open these 132 colleges in the College Filter → Narrow them by cost at your rate, majors, size and more.
The 132 colleges with big-time sports
Listed A to Z. Lens never ranks colleges.
| College | Location | Undergraduates | Acceptance rate | Tuition & fees (before aid) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appalachian State University | Boone, North Carolina | 19,444 | 90% | $7,579 in-state · $25,212 out-of-state |
| Arizona State University | Tempe, Arizona | 64,674 | 90% | $12,223 in-state · $33,139 out-of-state |
| Arkansas State University | Jonesboro, Arkansas | 9,110 | 82% | $8,090 in-state · $14,522 out-of-state |
| Auburn University | Auburn, Alabama | 26,816 | 46% | $12,890 in-state · $34,922 out-of-state |
| Ball State University | Muncie, Indiana | 13,988 | 86% | $11,082 in-state · $29,630 out-of-state |
| Baylor University | Waco, Texas | 14,785 | 51% | $58,100 |
| Boise State University | Boise, Idaho | 17,674 | 87% | $9,048 in-state · $27,788 out-of-state |
| Boston College | Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts | 10,085 | 16% | $70,702 |
| Bowling Green State University | Bowling Green, Ohio | 12,812 | 81% | $14,460 in-state · $22,448 out-of-state |
| Brigham Young University | Provo, Utah | 32,952 | 68% | $6,688 |
| California State University, Fresno | Fresno, California | 21,605 | 95% | $7,350 in-state · $19,950 out-of-state |
| Central Michigan University | Mount Pleasant, Michigan | 10,035 | 90% | $14,760 |
| Clemson University | Clemson, South Carolina | 23,300 | 38% | $15,554 in-state · $40,866 out-of-state |
| Coastal Carolina University | Conway, South Carolina | 10,377 | 75% | $11,640 in-state · $29,628 out-of-state |
| Colorado State University–Fort Collins | Fort Collins, Colorado | 25,538 | 89% | $13,373 in-state · $34,783 out-of-state |
| Duke University | Durham, North Carolina | 6,442 | 6% | $68,758 |
| East Carolina University | Greenville, North Carolina | 19,896 | 89% | $7,361 in-state · $23,638 out-of-state |
| Eastern Michigan University | Ypsilanti, Michigan | 10,055 | 80% | $16,240 |
| Florida Atlantic University | Boca Raton, Florida | 23,757 | 66% | $4,879 in-state · $17,324 out-of-state |
| Florida International University | Miami, Florida | 39,508 | 55% | $6,565 in-state · $18,964 out-of-state |
| Florida State University | Tallahassee, Florida | 32,212 | 24% | $5,656 in-state · $18,786 out-of-state |
| Georgia Institute of Technology | Atlanta, Georgia | 18,785 | 14% | $12,058 in-state · $34,484 out-of-state |
| Georgia Southern University | Statesboro, Georgia | 21,790 | 88% | $6,022 in-state · $17,734 out-of-state |
| Georgia State University | Atlanta, Georgia | 26,623 | 55% | $8,664 in-state · $24,840 out-of-state |
| Indiana University–Bloomington | Bloomington, Indiana | 37,806 | 78% | $12,144 in-state · $41,891 out-of-state |
| Iowa State University | Ames, Iowa | 25,367 | 89% | $10,787 in-state · $28,881 out-of-state |
| Jacksonville State University | Jacksonville, Alabama | 7,036 | 78% | $12,894 in-state · $23,334 out-of-state |
| Kansas State University | Manhattan, Kansas | 15,142 | 82% | $11,221 in-state · $28,568 out-of-state |
| Kent State University at Kent | Kent, Ohio | 19,320 | 86% | $13,232 in-state · $23,082 out-of-state |
| Liberty University | Lynchburg, Virginia | 50,012 | 99% | $22,465 |
| Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College | Baton Rouge, Louisiana | 30,594 | 73% | $11,954 in-state · $28,631 out-of-state |
| Louisiana Tech University | Ruston, Louisiana | 8,312 | 86% | $10,125 in-state · $16,866 out-of-state |
| Marshall University | Huntington, West Virginia | 7,266 | 96% | $9,162 in-state · $20,342 out-of-state |
| Miami University–Oxford | Oxford, Ohio | 16,656 | 75% | $18,161 in-state · $41,221 out-of-state |
| Michigan State University | East Lansing, Michigan | 40,922 | 85% | $16,458 in-state · $43,842 out-of-state |
| Middle Tennessee State University | Murfreesboro, Tennessee | 16,301 | 69% | $10,266 in-state · $31,574 out-of-state |
| Mississippi State University | Mississippi State, Mississippi | 18,397 | 78% | $10,202 in-state · $27,637 out-of-state |
| New Mexico State University | Las Cruces, New Mexico | 11,946 | 89% | $8,183 in-state · $25,307 out-of-state |
| North Carolina State University at Raleigh | Raleigh, North Carolina | 27,371 | 42% | $8,799 in-state · $32,847 out-of-state |
| Northern Illinois University | Dekalb, Illinois | 11,301 | 70% | $13,248 |
| Northwestern University | Evanston, Illinois | 9,201 | 8% | $68,322 |
| Ohio State University | Columbus, Ohio | 45,638 | 61% | $13,244 in-state · $40,022 out-of-state |
| Ohio University | Athens, Ohio | 19,633 | 85% | $14,158 in-state · $24,838 out-of-state |
| Oklahoma State University | Stillwater, Oklahoma | 21,773 | 75% | $10,234 in-state · $25,754 out-of-state |
| Old Dominion University | Norfolk, Virginia | 17,514 | 90% | $12,750 in-state · $33,780 out-of-state |
| Oregon State University | Corvallis, Oregon | 30,743 | 77% | $14,400 in-state · $38,190 out-of-state |
| Pennsylvania State University | University Park, Pennsylvania | 42,284 | 61% | $20,644 in-state · $41,790 out-of-state |
| Purdue University | West Lafayette, Indiana | 44,503 | 50% | $9,992 in-state · $28,794 out-of-state |
| Rice University | Houston, Texas | 4,776 | 8% | $64,144 |
| Rutgers University–New Brunswick | New Brunswick, New Jersey | 37,751 | 58% | $17,929 in-state · $37,441 out-of-state |
| Sam Houston State University | Huntsville, Texas | 17,743 | 90% | $9,228 in-state · $19,068 out-of-state |
| San Diego State University | San Diego, California | 35,377 | 36% | $8,728 in-state · $21,328 out-of-state |
| San Jose State University | San Jose, California | 27,601 | 85% | $8,410 in-state · $21,010 out-of-state |
| Southern Methodist University | Dallas, Texas | 7,277 | 63% | $67,040 |
| Stanford University | Stanford, California | 7,554 | 4% | $65,910 |
| Syracuse University | Syracuse, New York | 15,477 | 46% | $65,528 |
| Temple University | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | 20,970 | 80% | $23,011 in-state · $38,958 out-of-state |
| Texas A&M University–College Station | College Station, Texas | 59,615 | 57% | $13,154 in-state · $40,124 out-of-state |
| Texas Christian University | Fort Worth, Texas | 11,026 | 44% | $61,740 |
| Texas State University | San Marcos, Texas | 36,177 | 89% | $11,450 in-state · $22,930 out-of-state |
| Texas Tech University | Lubbock, Texas | 32,394 | 73% | $11,852 in-state · $24,451 out-of-state |
| The University of Alabama | Tuscaloosa, Alabama | 33,227 | 77% | $12,180 in-state · $34,172 out-of-state |
| The University of Tennessee–Knoxville | Knoxville, Tennessee | 30,418 | 42% | $13,812 in-state · $33,256 out-of-state |
| The University of Texas at Austin | Austin, Texas | 42,855 | 27% | $11,688 in-state · $44,908 out-of-state |
| The University of Texas at El Paso | El Paso, Texas | 21,005 | 100% | $9,744 in-state · $25,502 out-of-state |
| The University of Texas at San Antonio | San Antonio, Texas | 30,580 | 87% | $9,011 in-state · $22,051 out-of-state |
| Troy University | Troy, Alabama | 9,805 | 96% | $10,176 in-state · $20,352 out-of-state |
| Tulane University of Louisiana | New Orleans, Louisiana | 7,767 | 14% | $68,678 |
| United States Air Force Academy | USAF Academy, Colorado | 4,114 | 14% | – |
| United States Military Academy | West Point, New York | 4,408 | 12% | – |
| United States Naval Academy | Annapolis, Maryland | 4,474 | 9% | – |
| University at Buffalo | Buffalo, New York | 20,112 | 74% | $10,936 in-state · $31,536 out-of-state |
| University of Akron | Akron, Ohio | 9,052 | 60% | $13,135 in-state · $20,815 out-of-state |
| University of Alabama at Birmingham | Birmingham, Alabama | 11,635 | 88% | $9,098 in-state · $22,562 out-of-state |
| University of Arizona | Tucson, Arizona | 42,537 | 86% | $13,926 in-state · $42,278 out-of-state |
| University of Arkansas | Fayetteville, Arkansas | 28,677 | 74% | $10,104 in-state · $29,966 out-of-state |
| University of California, Berkeley | Berkeley, California | 33,068 | 11% | $16,347 in-state · $50,547 out-of-state |
| University of California, Los Angeles | Los Angeles, California | 33,475 | 9% | $15,203 in-state · $49,403 out-of-state |
| University of Central Florida | Orlando, Florida | 59,146 | 40% | $6,368 in-state · $22,467 out-of-state |
| University of Cincinnati | Cincinnati, Ohio | 29,882 | 85% | $13,976 in-state · $29,310 out-of-state |
| University of Colorado Boulder | Boulder, Colorado | 31,939 | 78% | $15,666 in-state · $44,918 out-of-state |
| University of Connecticut | Storrs, Connecticut | 19,835 | 52% | $21,044 in-state · $43,712 out-of-state |
| University of Florida | Gainesville, Florida | 35,629 | 24% | $6,381 in-state · $28,659 out-of-state |
| University of Georgia | Athens, Georgia | 32,137 | 38% | $11,450 in-state · $31,688 out-of-state |
| University of Hawaii at Manoa | Honolulu, Hawaii | 15,029 | 87% | $12,186 in-state · $34,218 out-of-state |
| University of Houston | Houston, Texas | 38,380 | 74% | $9,717 in-state · $22,547 out-of-state |
| University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | Champaign, Illinois | 36,258 | 42% | $16,004 in-state · $35,124 out-of-state |
| University of Iowa | Iowa City, Iowa | 22,264 | 84% | $11,283 in-state · $33,371 out-of-state |
| University of Kansas | Lawrence, Kansas | 21,217 | 93% | $12,102 in-state · $30,432 out-of-state |
| University of Kentucky | Lexington, Kentucky | 24,763 | 93% | $13,502 in-state · $34,140 out-of-state |
| University of Louisiana at Lafayette | Lafayette, Louisiana | 12,428 | 87% | $10,418 in-state · $24,146 out-of-state |
| University of Louisiana at Monroe | Monroe, Louisiana | 5,022 | 85% | $9,190 in-state · $21,290 out-of-state |
| University of Louisville | Louisville, Kentucky | 14,727 | 79% | $13,136 in-state · $29,482 out-of-state |
| University of Maryland–College Park | College Park, Maryland | 30,760 | 45% | $11,809 in-state · $41,186 out-of-state |
| University of Massachusetts–Amherst | Amherst, Massachusetts | 23,671 | 60% | $17,772 in-state · $40,449 out-of-state |
| University of Memphis | Memphis, Tennessee | 12,701 | 72% | $10,728 in-state · $15,384 out-of-state |
| University of Miami | Coral Gables, Florida | 12,913 | 19% | $62,616 |
| University of Michigan–Ann Arbor | Ann Arbor, Michigan | 34,177 | 16% | $17,736 in-state · $60,946 out-of-state |
| University of Minnesota–Twin Cities | Minneapolis, Minnesota | 31,855 | 80% | $17,214 in-state · $38,362 out-of-state |
| University of Mississippi | University, Mississippi | 21,473 | 97% | $9,772 in-state · $28,600 out-of-state |
| University of Missouri–Columbia | Columbia, Missouri | 23,929 | 78% | $14,837 in-state · $36,056 out-of-state |
| University of Nebraska–Lincoln | Lincoln, Nebraska | 19,178 | 87% | $10,434 in-state · $28,584 out-of-state |
| University of Nevada–Las Vegas | Las Vegas, Nevada | 24,622 | 96% | $9,748 in-state · $27,411 out-of-state |
| University of Nevada–Reno | Reno, Nevada | 15,599 | 74% | $9,578 in-state · $27,720 out-of-state |
| University of New Mexico | Albuquerque, New Mexico | 17,244 | 95% | $10,140 in-state · $33,060 out-of-state |
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | Chapel Hill, North Carolina | 20,752 | 15% | $8,994 in-state · $41,203 out-of-state |
| University of North Carolina at Charlotte | Charlotte, North Carolina | 24,453 | 80% | $7,239 in-state · $22,492 out-of-state |
| University of North Texas | Denton, Texas | 34,341 | 72% | $11,309 in-state · $21,149 out-of-state |
| University of Notre Dame | Notre Dame, Indiana | 8,818 | 11% | $65,025 |
| University of Oklahoma | Norman, Oklahoma | 22,734 | 77% | $9,797 in-state · $27,377 out-of-state |
| University of Oregon | Eugene, Oregon | 20,497 | 88% | $16,137 in-state · $44,598 out-of-state |
| University of Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | 20,370 | 58% | $21,926 in-state · $41,430 out-of-state |
| University of South Alabama | Mobile, Alabama | 8,879 | 71% | $10,116 in-state · $19,092 out-of-state |
| University of South Carolina–Columbia | Columbia, South Carolina | 29,820 | 60% | $12,688 in-state · $35,972 out-of-state |
| University of South Florida | Tampa, Florida | 37,207 | 43% | $6,410 in-state · $17,324 out-of-state |
| University of Southern California | Los Angeles, California | 20,443 | 10% | $72,097 |
| University of Southern Mississippi | Hattiesburg, Mississippi | 10,075 | 99% | $9,998 in-state · $11,998 out-of-state |
| University of Toledo | Toledo, Ohio | 9,770 | 92% | $12,744 in-state · $22,104 out-of-state |
| University of Tulsa | Tulsa, Oklahoma | 2,813 | 62% | $50,061 |
| University of Utah | Salt Lake City, Utah | 27,264 | 86% | $9,620 in-state · $30,860 out-of-state |
| University of Virginia | Charlottesville, Virginia | 17,597 | 17% | $21,803 in-state · $59,512 out-of-state |
| University of Washington–Seattle | Seattle, Washington | 31,942 | 39% | $12,973 in-state · $43,209 out-of-state |
| University of Wisconsin–Madison | Madison, Wisconsin | 36,902 | 45% | $11,603 in-state · $42,103 out-of-state |
| University of Wyoming | Laramie, Wyoming | 7,944 | 97% | $7,768 in-state · $24,178 out-of-state |
| Utah State University | Logan, Utah | 20,272 | 92% | $9,228 in-state · $24,802 out-of-state |
| Vanderbilt University | Nashville, Tennessee | 7,208 | 6% | $67,498 |
| Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | Blacksburg, Virginia | 30,923 | 55% | $15,948 in-state · $37,764 out-of-state |
| Wake Forest University | Winston-Salem, North Carolina | 5,485 | 22% | $67,642 |
| Washington State University | Pullman, Washington | 21,099 | 87% | $13,391 in-state · $29,950 out-of-state |
| West Virginia University | Morgantown, West Virginia | 17,385 | 89% | $10,104 in-state · $28,608 out-of-state |
| Western Kentucky University | Bowling Green, Kentucky | 12,155 | 94% | $11,652 in-state · $27,000 out-of-state |
| Western Michigan University | Kalamazoo, Michigan | 12,568 | 85% | $15,252 in-state · $19,034 out-of-state |
Sources: IPEDS (fall 2024 enrollment and admissions); College Scorecard (published tuition and fees before aid, about 2023–24). You may pay less if receiving grants or scholarships.
Related lists
- Colleges with Big-Time Sports in the Northeast
- Colleges with Big-Time Sports in the Southeast
- Colleges with Big-Time Sports in the Midwest
- Colleges with Big-Time Sports in the South and Southwest
- Colleges with Big-Time Sports in the Mountain West
- Colleges with Big-Time Sports on the West Coast
FAQ
Which colleges with big-time sports admit at least half of applicants? 94 of the 132: Appalachian State University, Arizona State University, Arkansas State University, Ball State University, Baylor University, Boise State University, Bowling Green State University, Brigham Young University, California State University, Fresno, Central Michigan University, Coastal Carolina University, Colorado State University–Fort Collins and 82 more (fall 2024).
What are the largest and smallest colleges with big-time sports? Arizona State University is the largest, with 64,674 undergraduates, and University of Tulsa is the smallest, with 2,813 (fall 2024).
How many colleges with big-time sports are public? 114 of the 132 are public and 18 are private.
Where these numbers come from
Lens covers the 850 four-year public and private nonprofit colleges that receive the most applications, so some smaller colleges are not listed. Enrollment, acceptance rates and degrees come from IPEDS (U.S. Department of Education, fall 2024); published prices from the College Scorecard. Each college's page lists its own sources. See the data behind Lens.