Military academies throughout the United States form the backbone of officer training programs across the U.S. Armed Forces. One sizable advantage of the US military is that it is capable of mass education of its officers through these institutions, the largest of which are capable of turning out thousands of officers each year. They each provide extensive training and a premier military education which translates to a winning position on the battlefield.
The United States Military Academy at West Point, on the Hudson River in New York State, about 50 miles from New York City, is one of the country’s largest military academies by student body in the country. Established in 1802, it has a current enrollment of roughly 4,600 cadets. West Point is known for providing a comprehensive education to cadets, which includes academic coursework, military training, and character development. It is only the fourth-largest American military academy, however. (Here’s a roster of the most famous West Point grads.)
To determine the 28 largest U.S. military academies, 24/7 Wall St. referenced Military School USA’s online database of military academies, an online directory of military academies designed to help families understand the ins and outs of military school education. We ranked these schools from smallest to largest according to their total student body, starting with schools that had enrollments of 500 or greater. We included supplemental data from Military School USA on each school’s location, type, and founding date, and whether or not the school is coeducational.
Click here to see the biggest military schools in the country.
A majority of these larger academies are on the East Coast, and in many cases are among the older schools on this list – reflecting the historical concentration of population density in the country’s eastern reaches. Three, however, are in California, the oldest of them dating from 1930 and the other two products of the early 21st century – and the largest one of all, founded in 1962, is in Galveston, Texas. (These are the oldest U.S. military academies still in operation.)
The Biggest Military Schools in the Country – 24/7 Wall St.
