What is a Land-Grant College or University?

Key takeaways:

• Land-grant universities were created due to the Morrill Acts of 1862 and 1890 and the Equity of Educational Land-Grant Status Act of 1994. 
• They include schools that originally focused on agriculture, military tactics, mechanical studies, or educating African Americans, as well as tribal institutions. 
• There are more than 100 land-grant universities, including University of Iowa, University of California – Berkeley, and MIT just to name a few. 

Land-grant colleges and universities have three origins, based on the federal law they were funded by. Some land-grant institutions originally focused on agricultural, military tactics, and mechanical studies. Others are historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and tribal schools. 

In this article, we investigate the history of how they came about and highlight the land-grand universities across the United States and its associated territories. 

What is a land-grant university?

Also known as a land-grant college or land-grant institution, land-grant universities are higher education institutions that came about thanks to the Morrill Acts of 1862 and 1890 and the Equity of Educational Land-Grant Status Act of 1994. 

The Morrill Act of 1862 focused on creating schools that offered agricultural, military tactics, or mechanical studies, such as engineering, as their main program. States that accepted the terms were granted 30,000 public acres of land to use to fund, open, and support these institutions. 

The 1862 Act forbade Confederate states from benefiting, but the Morrill Act of 1890 changed criteria slightly. The government gave states the option to either show that race was not bar to admission or open land-grant institutions for African Americans, which led to the creation of many of the HBCUs that exist today. 

The Equity of Educational Land-Grant Status Act of 1994 extended the definition of these institutions, adding Native American colleges and universities. 

List of land-grant colleges and universities

There are over 100 land-grant colleges and universities in the United States and its associated territories. Many are public schools, funded by the state, though a select few are private. 

Alabama

• Alabama A&M University  
• Auburn University 
• Tuskegee University 

Alaska

• University of Alaska Fairbanks 

Arizona

• Dine College 
• University of Arizona 

Arkansas

• University of Arkansas  
• University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff 

California

• University of California–Berkeley  
• University of California – Davis 
• University of California – Irvine 
• University of California – Los Angeles 
• University of California – Merced  
• University of California – Riverside 
• University of California – San Diego 
• University of California – San Francisco 
• University of California – Santa Barbara 
• University of California – Santa Cruz 

Colorado

• Colorado State University 

Connecticut

• University of Connecticut 

Delaware

• University of Delaware 
• Delaware State University 

DC

• University of the District of Columbia 

Florida

• University of Florida 
• Florida A&M University 

Georgia

• University of Georgia 
• Fort Valley State University 

Hawaii

• University of Hawai’i at Manoa 

Idaho

• University of Idaho 

Illinois

• University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign 

Indiana

• Purdue University 

Iowa

• Iowa State University 

Kansas

• Kansas State University 
• Haskell Indian Nations University 

Kentucky

• University of Kentucky 
• Kentucky State University 

Louisiana

• Louisiana State University 
• Southern University and A&M College 

Maine

• University of Maine 

Maryland

• University of Maryland, College Park 
• University of Maryland, Eastern Shore 

Massachusetts

• University of Massachusetts, Amherst  
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology 

Michigan

• Michigan State University 

Minnesota

• University of Minnesota 
• Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College  
• Leech Lake Tribal College  
• Red Lake Nation College   
• White Earth Tribal and Community College  

Mississippi

• Mississippi State University 
• Alcorn State University 

Missouri

• University of Missouri  
• Lincoln University  

Montana

• Montana State University 

Nebraska

• University of Nebraska, Lincoln  

Nevada

• University of Nevada – Reno 
• University of Nevada – Las Vegas  

New Hampshire

• University of New Hampshire 

New Jersey

• Rutgers University (Newark, Camden, New Brunswick) 
• New Jersey Institute of Technology 

New Mexico

• New Mexico State University 

New York

• Cornell University 

North Carolina

• North Carolina State University 
• North Carolina A&T University 

North Dakota

• North Dakota State University 
• Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College 

Ohio

• Ohio State University  
• Central State University 

Oklahoma

• Oklahoma State University 
• Langston University 

Oregon

• Oregon State University 

Pennsylvania

• Pennsylvania State University 

Rhode Island

• University of Rhode Island 

South Carolina

• Clemson University 
• South Carolina State University 

South Dakota

• South Dakota State University 

Tennessee

• University of Tennessee 
• Tennessee State University 

Texas

• Texas A&M University 
• Prairie View A&M University 

Utah

• Utah State University 

Vermont

• University of Vermont 

Virginia

• Virginia Polytechnic Institute State University 
• Virginia State University 

Washington

• Washington State University 

West Virginia

• West Virginia University 
• West Virginia State University 

Wisconsin

• University of Wisconsin, Madison 

Wyoming

• University of Wyoming 

Territories

• American Samoa Community College 
• University of Guam 
• Northern Marianas College 
• University of Puerto Rico – Mayagüez 
• University of the Virgin Islands 

Over the years, land-grant institutions have broadened their focuses and available majors, growing into sprawling universities with vast opportunity. Many have changed names, too. The movement also inspired sea grant, sun grant, and space grant programs throughout the United States. 

Whether you’re interested in studying agriculture, engineering, or military tactics or are just curious about these land-grant schools, College Raptor can help you compare your options and find the right institution for you. Sign up for College Match today to start exploring – it’s free!