Hillel's Top 60 Colleges by Jewish Population (2026): Public, Private, and Percentage Rankings
Hillel International has published its newest Top 60 college rankings by Jewish student population, with data current for the 2025–26 academic year. The numbers answer a question that has moved from the bottom of the college-list checklist to the top for many of the families we counsel: will my child find Jewish community on this campus? We've pulled the top 10 from each of Hillel's three lists below: public universities, private colleges, and campuses ranked by Jewish percentage of the undergraduate student body. All three complete Top 60 tables are in the free downloadable PDF.
Two notes before you scroll. First, these figures are estimates reported by campus Hillel professionals, not registrar counts; no college asks students to declare a religion at enrollment. Second, Hillel's lists span the United States and Canada, so you'll find McGill University and the University of Toronto alongside the American flagships.
Jump to: Public colleges | Private colleges | Colleges by Jewish percentage
Want every school, not just the top 10? Get all three complete Top 60 tables in one free PDF.
Download the full Top 60 rankings (PDF)Raw numbers and density tell two different stories
A Jewish population figure answers one question; a Jewish percentage answers another. Both matter, and they often point in opposite directions.
The University of Florida leads all public universities with roughly 6,500 Jewish undergraduates, a community larger than the entire student body of many liberal arts colleges. But because the University of Florida enrolls more than 34,000 undergraduates, that community represents 19% of campus. Compare that with Tulane University: only 2,866 Jewish undergraduates, yet at 39% of the student body, it's the most densely Jewish campus on Hillel's list. Brandeis University (36%) and CUNY's Brooklyn College (38%) tell similar stories.
What does that difference mean in practice?
A large absolute population (the University of Florida, Rutgers University–New Brunswick, the University of Maryland, the University of Michigan) usually means institutional depth: multiple Jewish organizations, Chabad (the other major Jewish campus organization) alongside Hillel, kosher dining infrastructure, active Greek life with historically Jewish chapters, and a critical mass for every flavor of observance.
A high percentage (Tulane University, Brandeis University, Binghamton University, Muhlenberg College) means Jewish life shapes the campus culture itself. Holidays are visible, community is unavoidable in the best sense, and a student doesn't have to seek out Jewish life. It finds them.
Some schools deliver both. The University of Maryland, College Park posts 5,800 Jewish students and 19% density. Binghamton University pairs 3,700 students with 25%.
Neither lens is "correct." A student who wants Jewish community available but not central might thrive at the University of Michigan (5,000 students, 15%). A student who wants it woven into daily life might prefer Tulane University or American University. That's a fit conversation, not a rankings conversation – the same principle that drives how we build a final college list with every family.
The top 10 public colleges by Jewish population
Florida families, take note: six of Florida's public universities appear on Hillel's full Top 60 – the University of Florida (#1) and the University of Central Florida (#3) in the top 10 below, with Florida State University (#13), Florida International University (#14), Florida Atlantic University (#37), and the University of South Florida (#58) in the complete rankings. For students weighing Bright Futures (Florida's merit scholarship program) against out-of-state options, the data confirms what we tell families regularly: you do not have to leave Florida to find substantial Jewish community.
| Rank | University | Undergrad Population | Jewish Undergrads | Jewish % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Florida | 34,102 | 6,500 | 19% |
| 2 | Rutgers University, New Brunswick | 37,751 | 6,400 | 17% |
| 3 | University of Central Florida | 59,169 | 6,300 | 11% |
| 4 | University of Maryland, College Park | 30,760 | 5,800 | 19% |
| 5 | University of Michigan | 34,177 | 5,000 | 15% |
| 6 | Indiana University | 37,806 | 4,500 | 12% |
| 7 | CUNY, Brooklyn College | 10,542 | 4,000 | 38% |
| 8 | Queens College | 12,550 | 4,000 | 32% |
| 9 | University of Wisconsin, Madison | 36,902 | 4,000 | 11% |
| 10 | Pennsylvania State University, University Park | 42,619 | 4,000 | 9% |
| Showing the top 10 of Hillel's Top 60 list. Source: Hillel International, Hillel College Guide (2025–26 data); figures are estimates reported by campus Hillel professionals. Download the complete Top 60 rankings (PDF) . | ||||
The top 10 private colleges by Jewish population
Boston University tops the private list at 4,000 Jewish undergraduates, 22% of campus. George Washington University and Tulane University follow. The scale differs from the public list, and that matters: a private college with 1,500 Jewish students can feel every bit as Jewishly alive as a flagship with 4,000, because the whole campus is smaller. Watch the interplay between the two right-hand columns as you read. Washington University in St. Louis (#9, with 1,750 Jewish students at 22%) offers far denser Jewish life than its raw number suggests, and just past the top 10 on the full list, Brandeis University pairs 1,300 Jewish students with 36%.
| Rank | University | Undergrad Population | Jewish Undergrads | Jewish % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boston University | 18,248 | 4,000 | 22% |
| 2 | George Washington University | 11,182 | 3,000 | 27% |
| 3 | Tulane University | 7,283 | 2,866 | 39% |
| 4 | Cornell University | 12,470 | 2,500 | 20% |
| 5 | Syracuse University | 15,477 | 2,500 | 16% |
| 6 | New York University | 28,663 | 2,500 | 9% |
| 7 | University of Miami | 12,913 | 2,000 | 15% |
| 8 | University of Southern California | 21,163 | 2,000 | 9% |
| 9 | Washington University in St. Louis | 7,897 | 1,750 | 22% |
| 10 | Brown University | 7,125 | 1,700 | 24% |
| Showing the top 10 of Hillel's Top 60 list. Source: Hillel International, Hillel College Guide (2025–26 data); figures are estimates reported by campus Hillel professionals. Download the complete Top 60 rankings (PDF) . | ||||
The top 10 colleges by Jewish percentage
This is the list families see least often, and in some ways it's the most revealing. It mixes publics and privates, large and small. The top 10 below runs from Tulane University to Brown University; the full 60 in the PDF surfaces small campuses that population-driven rankings miss entirely, including Goucher College, Bryn Mawr College, Pitzer College, and Haverford College. For a student drawn to small liberal arts colleges, this third list is the one to study.
| Rank | University | Undergrad Population | Jewish Undergrads | Jewish % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tulane University | 7,283 | 2,866 | 39% |
| 2 | CUNY, Brooklyn College | 10,542 | 4,000 | 38% |
| 3 | Brandeis University | 3,618 | 1,300 | 36% |
| 4 | Queens College | 12,550 | 4,000 | 32% |
| 5 | George Washington University | 11,182 | 3,000 | 27% |
| 6 | Barnard College | 3,264 | 850 | 26% |
| 7 | Binghamton University | 14,654 | 3,700 | 25% |
| 8 | Ithaca College | 4,242 | 1,050 | 25% |
| 9 | Mitchell College | 493 | 120 | 24% |
| 10 | Brown University | 7,125 | 1,700 | 24% |
| Showing the top 10 of Hillel's Top 60 list. Source: Hillel International, Hillel College Guide (2025–26 data); figures are estimates reported by campus Hillel professionals. Download the complete Top 60 rankings (PDF). | ||||
How to actually use these tables
Treat Hillel's numbers as a starting filter, not a verdict. Two cautions from our counseling work:
Population is not the same as climate. A large Jewish community and a comfortable campus climate usually travel together, but not always; the years since October 7, 2023 have made that distinction impossible to ignore. We've written a separate guide on evaluating how colleges respond to campus antisemitism, and we'd encourage any family using these tables to read it alongside the tables.
Visit with the right questions. Numbers get you to the shortlist; visits get you to the answer. Eat a Friday-night Shabbat dinner at the campus Hillel if you can. Ask current students how visible Jewish life felt after October 7, 2023, and how the administration responded. Ask whether Jewish organizations feel supported or merely tolerated.
A strong college list balances three kinds of fit: academic, financial, and communal. These tables inform the third, and for many of the families we work with, it has never mattered more. Our college guidance and counseling team folds cultural data like this into every list we build if it is important to the family. Because ultimately, where your child attends matters less than whether they belong there.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which college has the largest Jewish student population?
The University of Florida has the largest Jewish undergraduate population of any public university, with roughly 6,500 Jewish students (about 19% of its undergraduates) according to Hillel International's 2025–26 data. Among private institutions, Boston University leads with approximately 4,000 Jewish undergraduates, or 22% of its student body.
Which college has the highest percentage of Jewish students?
Among the colleges Hillel International tracks, Tulane University has the highest Jewish percentage at 39% of undergraduates. CUNY's Brooklyn College (38%) and Brandeis University (36%) follow. Percentage measures density: on a high-percentage campus, Jewish life shapes the broader culture rather than existing alongside it. Note that predominantly Jewish institutions such as Yeshiva University are not included in Hillel's rankings.
Where does Hillel's Jewish population data come from?
The figures are reported by Hillel professionals on each campus and updated annually in the Hillel College Guide. They are informed estimates rather than official registrar counts, since colleges don't collect religious affiliation at enrollment. Treat the numbers as directionally reliable rather than exact.
Do Florida universities have strong Jewish communities?
Yes. Six Florida public universities appear on Hillel's Top 60 public list, led by the University of Florida (6,500 Jewish students, the largest of any public university) and the University of Central Florida (6,300). Florida State University, Florida International University, Florida Atlantic University, and the University of South Florida also make the list, along with the University of Miami on the private side.
What are the best colleges for Jewish students?
The best college for a Jewish student balances academics, cost, and the kind of Jewish community that student actually wants. Large flagships like the University of Florida and the University of Maryland offer scale; high-percentage campuses like Tulane University and Brandeis University offer density. Hillel's Top 60 tables are the starting filter; campus visits and climate research complete the picture.
JRA Educational Consulting helps families navigate every stage of the admissions process, from building the college list to making the final decision. To learn more, visit jraeducationalconsulting.com.
