The Peace Corps today announced its rankings of colleges and universities that have produced the highest all-time number of Peace Corps Volunteers since the agency was established in 1961. Over the last six decades, more than 240,000 Volunteers from more than 3,000 colleges and universities have accepted the agency’s Bold Invitation to serve in 144 countries. This year, University of Washington (UW) ranked No. 3 in the large-sized enrollment category, with over 2,342 Huskies serving as Peace Corps Volunteers to date. Through service, the Peace Corps equips alumni of schools like these with adaptive leadership, intercultural competence, and problem-solving skills that are highly valued by employers across federal, state, and local governments; non-profits; and the private sector.
“Today’s world requires problem solvers and people who understand that it is only through shared impact that we will change the trajectory of global issues. Curiosity and openness to others are cultivated in school, but must be nurtured throughout our lifetimes,” said Peace Corps Director Carol Spahn. “I am so grateful to these outstanding institutions for challenging and inspiring their students to not only be exceptional students but also to go on to be informed and intentional global citizens.”
Below are the 2024 rankings of top, all-time Volunteer-producing colleges, universities, and graduate schools. Undergraduate schools are divided into large, medium, and small categories based on school enrollment. 2024 Top Large Colleges and Universities Historically Producing the Most Peace Corps Volunteers More than 15,000 Undergraduates Enrolled
- University of California, Berkeley – 2,862
- University of Wisconsin-Madison – 2,766
- University of Washington – 2,342
- University of Colorado, Boulder – 2,131
- University of Michigan-Ann Arbor – 2,065
- Michigan State University – 2,004
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign – 1,674
- The University of Texas at Austin – 1,549
- The Ohio State University – 1,523
- University of California, Santa Barbara – 1,510
