There are six colleges and universities in Delaware. These institutions include two research universities, two master's university, one associates colleges, and one special-focus institution. Three of Delaware's post-secondary institutions are private and three are public.
Delaware's oldest post-secondary institution is the University of Delaware, which was chartered by the Delaware General Assembly as a degree-granting college in 1833. The University of Delaware is also the state's largest institution of higher learning in terms of enrollment, with 24,412 students as of 2024. Wilmington University is Delaware's largest private post-secondary institution, with an enrollment of 13,746. The University of Delaware is also the state's sole participant in the National Sea Grant College Program and the National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program. In addition, Delaware State University is the one historically black college and university in the state, and is a member of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. Delaware previously had two private post-secondary institutions for men and women respectively: St. Mary's College and Wesleyan Female College respectively.
The state does not have a medical school, but the Delaware Institute of Medical Education and Research reserves spaces for Delaware students at two medical schools in Philadelphia. Delaware has one law school, Widener University Delaware Law School. All six of Delaware's post-secondary institutions are institutionally accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
Extant institutions
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:left; width:100%; font-size:95%"
|-
! Institution
! Location(s)
! Control
! Type
! Enrollment<br>(fall 2024)
! Founded
|-
!scope="row" |Delaware State University
|align="center"| Dover
|Public
|Master's university
|align="center"| 5,327
|align="center"| 1891
|-
!scope="row" |Delaware Technical Community College
|align="center"| Dover, Georgetown, Stanton, and Wilmington
|Public
|Associate's college
|align="center"| 13,337
|align="center"| 1967
|-
!scope="row" |Goldey–Beacom College
|align="center"| Pike Creek Valley
|Private
|Master's university
|align="center"| 1,001
|align="center"| 1886
|-
!scope="row" |University of Delaware
|align="center"| Newark
|Public
|Research university
|align="center"| 24,412
|align="center"| 1833
|-
!scope="row" |Widener University Delaware Law School
|align="center"| Wilmington
|Private
|Law school
|align="center"|
|align="center"| 1975
|-
!scope="row" |Wilmington University
|align="center"| New Castle
|Private
|Research university
|align="center"| 13,746
|align="center"| 1968
|}
Defunct institutions
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:left; width:100%; font-size:95%"
|-
! scope="col" width="150" | Institution
! scope="col" width="50" | Location(s)
! scope="col" width="70" | Control
! scope="col" width="45" | Founded
! scope="col" width="45" | Closed
! class="wikitable unsortable" width="200" | Notes
|-
!scope="row"| Brandywine Junior College
|align="center"| Wilmington
|align="center"| Private
|-
!scope="row" |Wesley College
|align="center"| Dover
|-
!scope="row"| Wesleyan Female College
|align="center"| Wilmington
|-
!scope="row"| Women's College of Delaware
|align="center"| Newark
|align="center"| Public