Colleges in Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City is the capital of Oklahoma, as well as the largest city in the state. Hosting one of the world’s largest livestock markets and situated on an active oil field, they’re the largest sectors of the economy for the city, though there are big information technology, health services, and administration sectors, as well. OKC has a handful of institutions within the city borders, but many are settled in the surrounding suburban area or in adjacent counties.
In the 405 area code itself is the Oklahoma City Community College, the second largest community college system in the state. O-triple-C serves 20,000 students a year from its primary campus on South May Avenue along with three satellites in the south metro area. In nearby Midwest City is Rose State College and in El Reno is Redlands Community College.
The only major public university in the city is Oklahoma State University-Oklahoma City campus. Founded in 1961, it’s situated on 110-acres of land in OKC and offers certificates or degrees in 40 areas of study. The main campus, up in Norman, is about a half hour north. Also to the North, in Langston, is the state’s only historically black university, Langston University, which has University Centers in both Tulsa and OKC. Less than 30 minutes from OKC is also the University Of Central Oklahoma, the third largest in the state, and also features one of the largest School of Music Jazz Divisions in the entire region. In Chickasha, about 45 minutes south, is the only public liberal arts-focused institution in the state, the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma.
A handful of private colleges call OKC home, including Mid-America Christian University, Oklahoma Christian University, and Oklahoma City University, all three of which are affiliated with religious institutions. Through eight colleges and a seminary, Oklahoma City U offers more than 100 degrees at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Outside of OKC, Oklahoma Baptist University is in Shawnee and Southern Nazarene University is in Bethany.
Overall, Oklahoma residents rely on vehicles to get around, but several downtown areas have high walkability scores. The public transit system, Embark, works in a hub-and-spoke system, but the city has no light rail or commuter rail service. The Will Rogers World Airport and Wiley Post Airport both serve the OKC community, and the largest military air depot in the nation is a short distance from the city, as well, Tinker Air Force Base.
