How two campuses turn data into posts· Oct. 15Save your seat
Q3 2026 rankingsData through Sep 30, 2026

Top College Instagram Accounts

Colleges ranked on follower growth and median engagement rate for Q3 2026.

National

1,558 ranked schools

On, each school is ranked against the schools nearest it in followers. Off, ranks use the raw percentages.

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

  1. 1BU
    Brigham Young University-Hawaii
    @byuhawaii
    8.1 times the typical follower growth for a school this size (+4.33%)+34.88%28,427 followers on Jun 28, 2026, 38,341 on Oct 1, 2026
  2. 2LU
    Life Pacific University
    @lpuniversity
    7.9 times the typical follower growth for a school this size (+4.76%)+37.53%8,847 followers on Jul 1, 2026, 12,167 on Oct 1, 2026
  3. 3UV
    University of Silicon Valley
    @universityofsiliconvalley
    7.8 times the typical follower growth for a school this size (+4.14%)+32.43%15,469 followers on Jul 1, 2026, 20,486 on Oct 1, 2026
  4. 4TU
    Texas A&M University-Victoria
    @tamu_victoria
    7.3 times the typical follower growth for a school this size (+5.06%)+36.93%5,936 followers on Jun 28, 2026, 8,128 on Oct 1, 2026
  5. 5FE
    Franklin W Olin College of Engineering
    @olincollege
    6.5 times the typical follower growth for a school this size (+4.25%)+27.59%15,787 followers on Jun 28, 2026, 20,143 on Oct 1, 2026
  6. 6UA
    United States Merchant Marine Academy
    @kingspoint_usmma
    6.1 times the typical follower growth for a school this size (+4.82%)+29.30%7,448 followers on Jun 28, 2026, 9,630 on Oct 1, 2026
  7. 7WU
    Wheeling University
    @wheelinguniv
    5.5 times the typical follower growth for a school this size (+4.22%)+23.20%974 followers on Jun 28, 2026, 1,200 on Oct 1, 2026
  8. 8MU
    MCPHS University
    @mcphs
    5.4 times the typical follower growth for a school this size (+4.30%)+23.04%18,609 followers on Jun 28, 2026, 22,897 on Oct 1, 2026
  9. 9EC
    Edgewood College
    @edgewooduniversityofficial
    4.9 times the typical follower growth for a school this size (+4.93%)+24.34%7,314 followers on Jun 28, 2026, 9,094 on Oct 1, 2026
  10. 10LU
    La Sierra University
    @lasierrauniversity
    4.9 times the typical follower growth for a school this size (+4.37%)+21.53%11,625 followers on Jun 28, 2026, 14,128 on Oct 1, 2026

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

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

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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.

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