University of Utah

Also known as University of Deseret, UU

public coeducational space-grant research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States

Key facts

Former names: University of Deseret (1850–1892)
Motto: Imagine, then Do
Type: Public research university
Established: February 28, 1850 ; 176 years ago ( 1850-02-28 )
Parent institution: Utah System of Higher Education
Accreditation: NWCCU
Academic affiliations: AAU ORAU USTAR space-grant
Endowment: $2.07 billion ( FY 2025)
President: Taylor R. Randall
Provost: Mitzi Montoya
Academic staff: 4,463 (fall 2024)
Total staff: 32,163 (fall 2024)

~39 min read

Article

The University of Utah (the U, U of U, or simply Utah) is a public research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. It was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret by the General Assembly of the provisional State of Deseret, making it Utah's oldest institution of higher education. The university received its current name in 1892, four years before Utah attained statehood, and moved to its current location in 1900. It is the flagship university of the Utah System of Higher Education.

As of fall 2024, there were 28,064 undergraduate students and 8,817 graduate students, for an enrollment total of 36,881, making it the second-largest public university in Utah. Graduate studies include the S.J. Quinney College of Law and the School of Medicine, Utah's first medical school. It is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU) and is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity".