Who is in the Big Ten? (Updated 2026)
The Big Ten Conference is one of the most historic and competitive college athletic conferences in the United States.
In the 2024-2025 season, the Big Ten expanded to 18 schools with the addition of USC, UCLA, Oregon, and Washington from the Pac-12. This move strengthens the conference’s national reach and secures even bigger media deals, making the Big Ten more competitive than ever.
While the Big Ten is best known for its powerhouse football programs, it’s a force in nearly every sport, from buzzer-beaters on the basketball court to Olympic-caliber wrestling and championship-winning hockey. Year after year, the Big Ten delivers top-tier athletics, unforgettable gamedays, and unmatched school spirit.
The Big Ten Conference: member universities
If you’re wondering who is in the Big Ten today, we’ve got you covered. Here is a brief overview of each university in the conference.
Indiana University
Home of the Indiana Hoosiers
Student population: 43,064Percentage of students accepted: 80%In-state tuition per year: $11,790Location: Bloomington, Indiana
University of Maryland
Home of the Maryland Terrapins
Student population: 40,521Percentage of students accepted: 52%In-state tuition per year: $10,955Location: College Park, Maryland
University of Michigan
Home of the Michigan Wolverines
Student population: 47,907Percentage of students accepted: 26%In-state tuition per year: $17,193Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan
Michigan State University
Home of the Michigan State Spartans
Student population: 49,695Percentage of students accepted: 76%In-state tuition per year: $16,665Location: East Lansing, Michigan
Ohio State University
Home of the Ohio State Buckeyes
Student population: 61,369Percentage of students accepted: 54%In-state tuition per year: $11,936Location: Columbus, Ohio
Pennsylvania State University
Home of the Penn State Nittany Lions
Student population: 46,810Percentage of students accepted: 76%In-state tuition per year: $18,454Location: State College, Pennsylvania
Rutgers University
Home of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Student population: 50,411Percentage of students accepted: 67%In-state tuition per year: $15,804Location: New Brunswick, New Jersey
University of Illinois
Home of the Illinois Fighting Illini
Student population: 52,697Percentage of students accepted: 63%In-state tuition per year: $17,634Location: Urbana-Champaign, Illinois
University of Iowa
Home of the Iowa Hawkeyes
Student population: 31,317Percentage of students accepted: 84%In-state tuition per year: $10,353Location: Iowa City, Iowa
University of Minnesota
Home of the Minnesota Golden Gophers
Student population: 52,017Percentage of students accepted: 70%In-state tuition per year: $15,254Location: Twin Cities, Minnesota
University of Nebraska
Home of the Nebraska Cornhuskers
Student population: 25,104Percentage of students accepted: 78%Tuition per year: $9,590Location: Lincoln, Nebraska
Northwestern University
Home of the Northwestern Wildcats
Student population: 22,603Percentage of students accepted: 9%Tuition per year: $60,768Location: Evanston, Illinois
Purdue University
Home of the Purdue Boilermakers
Student population: 46,655Percentage of students accepted: 67%Tuition per year: $9,992Location: West Lafayette, Indiana
University of Wisconsin
Home of the Wisconsin Badgers
Student population: 44,640Percentage of students accepted: 57%Tuition per year: $10,720Location: Madison, Wisconsin
New to the Big Ten Conference in 2025
UCLA
Home of the UCLA Bruins
Student population: 46,000Acceptance rate: 11%Tuition per year: $16,500Location: Los Angeles, California
Oregon
Home of the Oregon Ducks
Student population: 22,500Acceptance rate: 93%Tuition per year: $17,650Location: Eugene, Oregon
USC
Home of the USC Trojans
Student population: 49,314Acceptance rate: 10%Tuition per year: $64,726Location: Los Angeles, California
Washington
Home of the Washington Huskies
Student population: 29,843Acceptance rate: 86%Tuition per year: $17,950Location: Pullman, Washington
In 2025, these schools officially joined the Big Ten Conference, expanding it to a coast-to-coast powerhouse. Their move from the Pac-12 brings greater financial stability, national visibility, and high-caliber competition.
Is a Big Ten college right for you?
Big Ten schools offer a lot more than top-tier athletics. Oftentimes, a Big Ten school influences the culture, spirit, social life, and even job opportunities of its hometown.
In fact, Big Ten schools anchor some of the best college towns in the United States, according to WalletHub.
Whether it’s the high-caliber athletic programs, the atmosphere on college gameday, the size of the student population, or the college town experience itself, there are a variety of reasons why a Big Ten school may be on your radar.
Big Ten schools are just a few of the country's many outstanding colleges and universities. If you are a high school student planning to attend college, you'll also want to learn about the many other colleges and their unique experiences.
To get a curated list of perfect-match colleges based on the attributes that are most important to you —from budget to academic majors, the school's location, campus services, clubs and organizations, and more, click the link below and create a free Appily account.
