Home » Emigration Guides » USA » Education » Top US Cities For Students

Many small American cities have a major university at their heart that helps fuel the local economy and provide loads of energy and atmosphere to the place. Basically, if there is a four-year university in town it is going to have a major influence on the local environment. There are hundreds of top four-year universities in America, so it isn’t hard to find a city with a great atmosphere for learning and fun.

Depending on your particular educational focus or needs, each college town has its own unique vibe. Many colleges have massive sports programs that play a big role in the town’s scene. From the Wildcats of the University of Arizona (Tucson, Arizona) to the Penn State Lions (State College, Pennsylvania) these college towns literally stop when a big game is scheduled. College towns with popular sports programs tend to be the liveliest, and are often associated with a fun partying environment.

In addition to the sports, a good college town also has a lively bar scene with local music and other cultural events. The student population helps keep things fresh and active in a college town and is responsible for attracting an array of businesses such as restaurants, shops, outdoor gear, and travel services.

Most college towns also have beautiful campuses that can easily serve as parklike settings for non-students. Bike paths, lakes, and recreation facilities are commonplace on major university campuses and are typically open to public use. College towns in America are also known for having low crime rates and decent job opportunities.

Many college towns are like small cities, just large enough to provide loads of amenities and entertainment but never congested or polluted. Cities like Boulder, Colorado have the entire Rocky Mountains in its backyard for outdoor recreation, while U Cal Berkeley is right next door to San Francisco and all its urban fun.

Many major universities are located within huge cities like New York and Boston. These locations can also be very exciting to study and live in because of all the world-class amenities and diversity within the greater city. Thus students in America have the best of both worlds. They can choose to immerse themselves in a pure college town environment or exist as a sub-group within a larger cosmopolitan setting like Los Angeles.

There are so many to choose from that it’s hard to make a list. But here are some of the most famous college towns in America.

University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, Michigan)
University of Wisconsin (Madison, Wisconsin)
Arizona State University (Tempe, Arizona)
Stanford University (Palo Alto, California)
UCLA (Los Angeles, California)
New York University (New York City, New York)
Penn State (College Station, Pennsylvania)
University of Georgia (Athens, Georgia)
University of Texas (Austin, Texas)
University of California at Berkeley (Berkeley, California)
University of Colorado (Boulder, Colorado)
Duke University (Chapel Hill, North Carolina)