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Q3 2026 rankingsData through Sep 30, 2026

Higher Education Instagram Reach Rankings

Every quarter Reach ranks US college Instagram accounts on follower growth and engagement rate, each against schools its size. Find your school or browse every list.

Top college Instagram accounts

The ten best college Instagram accounts in the country this quarter, on follower growth and on engagement.

Top 10 by follower growth

Follower growth against schools their size, Jul 1 to Sep 30, 2026

  1. 1BU
    Brigham Young University-Hawaii
    @byuhawaii
    8.06 times the typical follower growth for a school this size (+4.33%). +34.88% follower growth. 28,427 → 38,341 followers. Typical for its size +4.33%
  2. 2LU
    Life Pacific University
    @lpuniversity
    7.89 times the typical follower growth for a school this size (+4.76%). +37.53% follower growth. 8,847 → 12,167 followers. Typical for its size +4.76%
  3. 3UV
    University of Silicon Valley
    @universityofsiliconvalley
    7.84 times the typical follower growth for a school this size (+4.14%). +32.43% follower growth. 15,469 → 20,486 followers. Typical for its size +4.14%
  4. 4TU
    Texas A&M University-Victoria
    @tamu_victoria
    7.31 times the typical follower growth for a school this size (+5.06%). +36.93% follower growth. 5,936 → 8,128 followers. Typical for its size +5.06%
  5. 5FE
    Franklin W Olin College of Engineering
    @olincollege
    6.49 times the typical follower growth for a school this size (+4.25%). +27.59% follower growth. 15,787 → 20,143 followers. Typical for its size +4.25%
  6. 6UA
    United States Merchant Marine Academy
    @kingspoint_usmma
    6.08 times the typical follower growth for a school this size (+4.82%). +29.30% follower growth. 7,448 → 9,630 followers. Typical for its size +4.82%
  7. 7WU
    Wheeling University
    @wheelinguniv
    5.50 times the typical follower growth for a school this size (+4.22%). +23.20% follower growth. 974 → 1,200 followers. Typical for its size +4.22%
  8. 8MU
    MCPHS University
    @mcphs
    5.36 times the typical follower growth for a school this size (+4.30%). +23.04% follower growth. 18,609 → 22,897 followers. Typical for its size +4.30%
  9. 9EC
    Edgewood College
    @edgewooduniversityofficial
    4.94 times the typical follower growth for a school this size (+4.93%). +24.34% follower growth. 7,314 → 9,094 followers. Typical for its size +4.93%
  10. 10LU
    La Sierra University
    @lasierrauniversity
    4.93 times the typical follower growth for a school this size (+4.37%). +21.53% follower growth. 11,625 → 14,128 followers. Typical for its size +4.37%

Top 10 by engagement

Median engagement rate against schools their size, Jul 1 to Sep 30, 2026

  1. 1VU
    Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
    @virginia.tech
    4.07 times the typical engagement rate for a school this size (0.89%). 3.60% median engagement. Typical for its size 0.89%
  2. 2IU
    Immaculata University
    @immaculatau
    4.06 times the typical engagement rate for a school this size (2.16%). 8.74% median engagement. Typical for its size 2.16%
  3. 3EU
    East Carolina University
    @eastcarolinauniv
    3.75 times the typical engagement rate for a school this size (1.13%). 4.24% median engagement. Typical for its size 1.13%
  4. 4EC
    Eureka College
    @eurekacollege1855
    3.67 times the typical engagement rate for a school this size (1.85%). 6.78% median engagement. Typical for its size 1.85%
  5. 5UC
    University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
    @uwlax
    3.53 times the typical engagement rate for a school this size (1.57%). 5.53% median engagement. Typical for its size 1.57%
  6. 6SU
    Southwestern Christian University
    @southwestern_christian
    3.49 times the typical engagement rate for a school this size (1.97%). 6.86% median engagement. Typical for its size 1.97%
  7. 7WC
    Wisconsin Lutheran College
    @wisconsinlutheran
    3.46 times the typical engagement rate for a school this size (2.13%). 7.38% median engagement. Typical for its size 2.13%
  8. 8TS
    The University of the South
    @sewanee_univofthesouth
    3.46 times the typical engagement rate for a school this size (1.75%). 6.05% median engagement. Typical for its size 1.75%
  9. 9JU
    James Madison University
    @jamesmadisonuniversity
    3.29 times the typical engagement rate for a school this size (1.00%). 3.29% median engagement. Typical for its size 1.00%
  10. 10MC
    Manhattan Christian College
    @mccfamily_mhk
    3.27 times the typical engagement rate for a school this size (1.85%). 6.03% median engagement. Typical for its size 1.85%

Browse by state or DC

Every state and DC has its own list, with every school size ranked together.

Hover or tap a state to see its growth and engagement leaders.
AlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareDistrict of ColumbiaFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyoming

More rankings

Every school size, athletic division and account type has its own ranking.

Most decorated schools

Schools with the most top-10 finishes across every list, both metrics and every quarter, through Q3 2026.

What these numbers mean
N top-10 finishes
How many times this school finished in a top 10, counting every list, both metrics and every quarter.
N× #1
How many times this school finished #1 in a list.
N quarters in a row
Consecutive quarters this school has finished in the same list's top 10.
Strongest in a list
The list where this school has the most top-10 finishes.
  1. 1UA
    United States Merchant Marine Academy
    • 6 top-10 finishes
    • 2× #1

    Strongest in NCAA Division III

  2. 2BU
    Bowling Green State University
    • 6 top-10 finishes

    Strongest in NCAA Division I

  3. 3VU
    Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
    • 5 top-10 finishes
    • 4× #1

    Strongest in Virginia

  4. 4WU
    Wheeling University
    • 5 top-10 finishes
    • 2× #1

    Strongest in West Virginia

  5. 5EU
    East Carolina University
    • 5 top-10 finishes
    • 1× #1

    Strongest in North Carolina

How the rankings work

Two metrics, ranked separately each quarter. Follower growth across the quarter, and the median engagement rate per post.

How rankings work

Reach ranks every eligible US college Instagram account once a quarter. Results are frozen when they publish and change only through a dated correction.

1,000

followers minimum at quarter end

6

posts minimum for engagement

3 sizes

by full-time enrollment

Sep 30, 2026

data through

Computed Oct 1, 2026

  • Small, under 3,000 students
  • Medium, 3,000 to 9,999
  • Large, 10,000 or more

Follower growth

Growth is the change in followers across the quarter as a percent of the starting count. It uses the counts closest to the first and last day, within 7 and 3 days.

Engagement rate

Engagement is the median of each post's likes plus comments divided by followers. The median keeps one viral post from winning a list.

Compared with schools their size

Large accounts grow and engage at lower rates, so each school is compared with the 100 schools nearest it in followers. A score of 2.0× means double the typical result for that size.

Turn the size switch off on any list to rank on the raw percentages instead.

Who qualifies

  • A US school account with at least 1,000 followers at quarter end
  • At least 6 posts in the quarter for engagement lists
  • A follower count near the quarter start for growth lists
  • Size lists include 4-year schools only, grouped by IPEDS full-time enrollment
  • Standalone law, MD and DO schools are left out

Tied schools share a rank and are listed alphabetically.

The two metrics are ranked separately and never blended.

Badges

A badge marks a school that keeps showing up. Two or more quarters in a row in a list's top 10, repeat #1 finishes, or repeat top-10 finishes.

Corrections

  • Corrected Oct 5, 2026 Rankings now compare each school with the schools nearest it in size. Turn off the size switch on any list to see the original raw-percentage ranks.

See where your school ranks in every list

A free Reach trial shows every school in every list, not just the top 5.