The University of Utah’s achievements stand as a testament to our bold vision to inspire, innovate, and serve as we strive toward unsurpassed societal impact. We invite our campus community to use these selected facts and figures to showcase the broad reach and excellence of Utah’s flagship university.
Established
1850
Campus Elevation
4,738 Feet
Campus Size
1,534 Acres
Flagship University
State of Utah
Location
Salt Lake City, Utah
International Campus
Incheon, South Korea
Notable Rankings
- #1 public university in the West, Wall Street Journal (2023)
- #8 among public universities in the nation, Wall Street Journal (2023)
- Division of Games undergrad and grad programs ranked #4 in the nation, Princeton Review (2025)
- Undergrad entrepreneur program ranked #5 among public schools and #8 overall by U.S. News & World Report (2025)
- Physician assistant program ranked #8 in the nation and #4 among public universities, U.S. News & World Report (2023)
- Undergraduate psychology online program ranked #9 in the nation, U.S. News & World Report (2025)
Enrollment
- Record enrollment for 5 years in a row (2020-24)
- Enrollment as of Fall 2024:
- 36,970 total
- 28,140 undergrad students
- 8,830 graduate students
- 6,001 incoming class (2024)
- 1,522 transfer students
- Student body represents:
- 29 counties in Utah
- 50 states
- 108 countries
- 25% of students identify as first generation
- 28% of domestic incoming freshmen are students of color, above 25% for the 14th year in a row
- 68% of total student body are Utah residents
- Lowest tuition among AAU public universities in the West
Student Success
- At $67,170, U graduates’ median earnings are 25% higher than the national average
- Six-year graduation rate: 64% (highest of all Utah public universities)
- 82% of degrees awarded are in programs related to high-demand jobs, as defined by the Utah System of Higher Education
- 23 Rhodes scholars have come from the U
- Average term GPA: 3.44
- First year retention rate: 85%
- 76% undergraduate to 24% graduate student ratio
- 100+ undergraduate majors, 200+ graduate programs
- 18:1 student-to-faculty ratio, the lowest among Utah public institutions
- Average class size: 36
Campus Life
- 600+ student organizations, including an active student government and community service programs
- 13 fraternities and 9 sororities with 2,000+ members
- 10 world-class ski areas within an hour of campus and 5 national parks in the state
- 50+ miles of pristine hiking trails in foothills surrounding campus
- Campus recreation climbing wall is 54 ft. high with more than 4,600 sq. ft. of climbable surface
- 687,117 UCard swipes last year at the Eccles Student Life Center, the main campus recreation facility (2023-24)
- 16,279 people rented gear at Outdoor Adventures in the past year (2023-24)
- 5,000+ students attend Crimson Nights, the U’s biggest campus party
- 1,021 student-focused events posted on Campus Connect
- 5,500 undergraduate students living in residence halls
- Guaranteed housing for ALL first-year students
- 20+ living-learning and theme communities
Research & Innovation
- Member of the AAU (Association of American Universities), an invitation-only, prestigious group of 71 leading research institutions
- Classified by the Carnegie Foundation among the 137 research universities with the “highest research activity” in the nation
- $691M in research funding in FY24
- 2,634 awarded research grants in FY24
- 962,000+ sq. ft. of research space on campus
- Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine: Mario Capecchi
- Awards 51% of all STEM degrees from public universities in Utah
- Boasts one of the world’s largest population databases for research
- Home of the Utah Bionic Leg, one of TIME Magazine’s Best Inventions of 2023
- Member of the University Innovation Alliance, a coalition of 17 top public research universities dedicated to student success and innovation
- Since 2000, has launched 361 companies and more than 750 products, generating 27,000 life sciences jobs
- 145 patents issued to faculty in 2023
- 508 business startup teams launched through Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute (2024)
- #2 in innovation impact productivity from the George W. Bush Institute
Service & Community Impact
- 7,473 students participated in volunteer activities through the Bennion Center in FY23
- Students provided 42,475 hours of community service last year
- 30,000 people attend Continuing Education’s 2,700 classes annually
- Utah Education Network provides internet service to 2,000+ Utah schools, libraries, and telehealth sites
- 15,739 businesses have received training from Rocky Mountain Center for Occupational and Environmental Health
- 27,365 chats started with SafeUT counselors (operated through the U’s Huntsman Mental Health Institute)
- University Neighborhood Partners supports west-side residents with education and community programs, serving 7,000+ through the Hartland Partnership Center
- The S.J. Quinney College of Law Pro Bono Initiative operates 14 monthly brief legal advice programs, serving 1,800+ clients annually
- Free clinics staffed by U of U Health providers and students serve 10,000+ low-income, uninsured, and unhoused individuals annually
- Staffed by U experts, Utah Poison Control has managed over 2 million cases in 70 years and handles 40,000 calls annually, providing free guidance 24/7
- The John A. Moran Eye Center’s Operation Sight Program has conducted 600+ free cataract surgeries for those in need since 2012
Health Care
- The University of Utah is the only academic medical center in the Mountain West
- 50+ telemedicine sites
- 5 hospitals
- 12 community health care centers
- U of U Health had 4 million patient visits in FY24
- Care in more than 250 specialties
- Home to the renowned Huntsman Cancer Institute and Huntsman Mental Health Institute
- University of Utah Hospital ranked #1 Hospital in Utah for 11 consecutive years, U.S. News & World Report (2024-25)
- John A. Moran Eye Center ranked top 10 nationally, U.S. News & World Report (2024-25)
- U of U Health named a top performer for 15 consecutive years for inpatient care and 10 consecutive years for ambulatory care, Vizient
- U of U Health trains 2/3 of Utah’s physicians
- U of U Health provided $232M in uncompensated care for patients in FY23
Athletics
- 95% student-athlete graduation rate (7th consecutive year at 93% or higher)
- Member of a Power 4 conference (joined Big 12 in 2024)
- Football team has had 26 bowl appearances
- Only school to qualify for all 42 NCAA Gymnastics Championships
- 20 NCAA D1 sports
- The MUSS is one of the nation’s top student sections with approximately 7,400 student fans
- 30 team national championships
- 16 in skiing
- 10 in women’s gymnastics
- 3 in men’s basketball
- 1 in women’s cross country
- 123 individual national champions (includes 86 in skiing and 32 in women’s gymnastics)
- 72 Olympians (includes student-athletes in sponsored intercollegiate sports at the U):
- Skiing: 46
- Women’s gymnastics: 9
- Men’s basketball: 4
- Women’s basketball: 6
- Softball: 2
- Men’s swimming & diving: 1
- Women’s swimming & diving: 1
- Women’s track & field: 3
Alumni
- 300,000+ living alumni
- U alumni live in all 50 states and 100+ countries
- 76% of U alumni earned undergraduate degrees and 24% earned graduate degrees
- Top 5 states where alumni live: (1) Utah, (2) California, (3) Washington, (4) Texas, (5) Colorado
- Besides U.S., top 5 countries where alumni live: (1) South Korea, (2) Canada, (3) China, (4) Norway, (5) Japan
- Top 5 schools/colleges alumni graduate from:
1. Social and Behavioral Science
2. Business
3. Humanities
4. Engineering
5. Health
Operations & Sustainability
- University endowment: $1.6B
- Total operating expenses (including hospital): $7.2B
- 85% of students receive some form of financial aid (scholarships, grants, loans, etc.)
- Net tuition for 2024 academic year:
- Utah resident: $9,620
- Non-resident: $30,860
- The U employs 46,000+ people, making it one of the largest employers in the state
- Employee estimates as of January 2025:
- Main Campus: 8,900 full-time (FT); 9,400 part-time (PT)
- Health Academics: 7,900 FT; 4,500 PT
- Hospital: 14,000 FT; 2,300 PT
- Main Campus and Health Academics Faculty: 4,400FT; 3,500 PT *includes adjunct
- Main Campus and Health Academics Staff: 12,700 FT; 10,400 PT *some part-time employees have multiple jobs in different categories
- 71% of all energy used on campus comes from renewable resources
- Recognized with a Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS) Gold rating
Arts, Culture & Community Assets
- Together, the 1,500-acre campus and Red Butte Garden’s 100 acres in the foothills above are the State Arboretum of Utah
- The Natural History Museum of Utah houses approximately 2 million objects
- Utah Museum of Fine Arts holds 20,000 original works and is the state’s official art museum
- The U is the origin of 7 major Utah performing arts organizations: Pioneer Theatre Company, Ballet West, Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company, Repertory Dance Theatre, Tanner Dance, Utah Presents, and the Utah Symphony
- The U’s Tanner Dance Program serves 40,000 Utah school kids annually
- The U is home to 9 performing arts venues
- The U operates Utah’s source for PBS television (PBS Utah) and the state’s largest National Public Radio affiliate (KUER)
Salt Lake City & Utah
- Utah named America’s hottest job market by The Wall Street Journal (2023)
- Salt Lake City leading the country for economic growth, Milken Institute (2024)
- Salt Lake City named in the top 9 places to live in the western U.S. by Travel+Leisure (2024)
- Salt Lake City will be 2x host to Winter Olympic Games (2002 & 2034)
- SLC boasts nearly 45 miles of TRAX light rail, serving the valley with 3 lines and 51 stations
- Salt Lake City climate:
- Average annual rainfall: 20 in.
- Average annual snowfall: 54 in.
- Average number of sunny days per year: 222
- Nearby Great Salt Lake is the largest saltwater lake in the Western Hemisphere, covering approximately 1,700 square miles
- Salt Lake City maintains more than 80 public parks
- Salt Lake City population: 212,000
- Salt Lake Valley population: nearly 1.3 million
- 41st largest metropolitan area in the U.S.
- Utah is home to 5 national parks and 46 state parks
Additional Sources
- About page: about.utah.edu
- UAIR site: data.utah.edu
- VPR facts: research.utah.edu/facts-and-figures
- U of U Health: uofuhealth.utah.edu
If you have questions or suggested updates to these facts & figures, please email melody.murdock@utah.edu.