How many universities are there in China? Latest data and hot topics inventory
In recent years, China's higher education has developed rapidly, with the number of colleges and universities and the number of students ranking among the top in the world. So, how many universities are there in China? This article will give you a detailed explanation based on the latest data and hot topics on the Internet in the past 10 days.
1. The latest statistics on the number of universities in China

According to the latest data released by the Ministry of Education in 2023, the number of various types of higher education institutions in China is as follows:
| College type | Quantity (place) | Proportion |
|---|---|---|
| Ordinary colleges and universities | 2,856 | 78.3% |
| Adult higher education institution | 256 | 7.0% |
| independent college | 164 | 4.5% |
| military academies | 44 | 1.2% |
| Other higher education institutions | 330 | 9.0% |
| total | 3,650 | 100% |
2. Geographical distribution of universities in top 10 provinces
The distribution of the number of universities in China varies greatly in different provinces. The following are the 10 provinces with the largest number of universities:
| Ranking | Province | Number of colleges and universities (institutions) | Number of key universities |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jiangsu Province | 168 | 16 |
| 2 | Guangdong Province | 160 | 11 |
| 3 | Shandong Province | 156 | 7 |
| 4 | Henan Province | 141 | 3 |
| 5 | hubei province | 132 | 9 |
| 6 | Sichuan Province | 126 | 8 |
| 7 | Hunan Province | 124 | 5 |
| 8 | Hebei Province | 122 | 3 |
| 9 | Anhui Province | 119 | 3 |
| 10 | Zhejiang Province | 109 | 8 |
3. Hot topics in higher education in the past 10 days
1.A new round of "double first-class" construction trends: Many universities have announced construction plans, and some newly promoted "double first-class" universities have attracted attention.
2.Progress of the College Entrance Examination Reform in 2024: Many places have announced college entrance examination reform plans, and the scope of unified examinations for art majors has been expanded.
3.Employment situation of college graduates: The number of graduates in the class of 2024 is expected to reach 11.79 million, and many places have introduced employment assistance policies.
4.International education in universities: The number of Sino-foreign cooperative education institutions and projects continues to increase, and the latest approved list has been announced.
5.Artificial Intelligence Professional Construction: More than 500 colleges and universities offer artificial intelligence-related majors, and talent training plans have attracted heated discussions.
4. Characteristics of the development of higher education in China
1.The scale continues to expand: The gross enrollment rate of higher education has exceeded 57.8%, entering the stage of universalization.
2.Quality continues to improve: In the latest QS World University Rankings, 71 universities in mainland China are on the list, a record high.
3.Regional layout optimization: The higher education revitalization plan in the central and western regions continues to advance, and regional gaps are gradually narrowing.
4.Dynamic adjustment of disciplines and majors: The number of emerging disciplines and majors continues to increase, and traditional disciplines are optimized and upgraded.
5.Increased internationalization: The scale of studying abroad in China is stable, and international cooperation in running schools is in depth.
5. Outlook on future development trends
1. The number of colleges and universities will maintain steady growth and is expected to exceed 4,000 by 2025.
2. Higher education will pay more attention to connotative development and improve the quality of talent training.
3. As digital transformation accelerates, smart campus construction will become an important direction.
4. The trend of interdisciplinary integration is obvious, and the construction of new engineering, new medical, new agricultural, and new liberal arts continues to advance.
5. The ability to serve national strategic needs has been continuously enhanced, and the effectiveness of scientific and technological innovation and achievement transformation has been significantly improved.
To sum up, China currently has 3,650 universities of various types, ranking among the top in the world. While expanding in scale, higher education is transforming into high-quality development, providing strong support for building an educational power.
check the details
check the details