States with the largest higher education enrollment, fall 2017

Fall 2017 enrollment in U.S. degree-granting higher-education institutions was 18,811,280, according to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center.

The represents a 1 percent decrease from the fall 2016 number—19,010,459 students.

The largest state, California, had by far the most college students—more than 2.5 million.

The 10 states with  the most students enrolled in higher-education institutions account for more than half of the students enrolled in U.S. colleges and universities—more than 9.5 million.

Here are the 10 states that had the most students enrolled in higher-education institutions in fall 2017.