# Is there a difference between "University of \[state\]" and "\[state\] State University"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 21, 2010, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-difference-between-university-of-state-and-state-state-university/554575 "2010-09-21T20:14:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Deeg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/deeg/32/2955_2.png) [@Deeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deeg)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2010, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-difference-between-university-of-state-and-state-state-university/554575/1 "2010-09-21T20:14:26Z")
I’m thinking of University of Washington and Washington State University but there are others. Is there a standard naming convention or is it just random? ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2010, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-difference-between-university-of-state-and-state-state-university/554575/2 "2010-09-21T20:20:04Z")
[This thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=578280&highlight=university) from a few days ago addresses your quexstion, among others. Note particularly my post #41 in it, which deals specifically with what you ask. ---
**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2010, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-difference-between-university-of-state-and-state-state-university/554575/3 "2010-09-21T20:35:09Z")
In addition to Polycarp’s linked site, I’ll note that yes, there is a difference. For instance, The Pennsylvania State University is a state school located in central Pennsylvania. The University of Pennsylvania is an ivy league school in Philadelphia. While Penn State is a very good university (a “Public Ivy”), UPenn is better. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2010, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-difference-between-university-of-state-and-state-state-university/554575/4 "2010-09-21T20:43:29Z")
Never mind ---
**Author:** ![Deeg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/deeg/32/2955_2.png) [@Deeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deeg)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2010, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-difference-between-university-of-state-and-state-state-university/554575/5 "2010-09-21T21:41:06Z")
Oy, I need to use the search button more. Thanks Polycarp! ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2010, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-difference-between-university-of-state-and-state-state-university/554575/6 "2010-09-21T22:56:11Z")
University of Michigan is most definitely not the same thing as Michigan State University ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2010, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-difference-between-university-of-state-and-state-state-university/554575/7 "2010-09-22T03:43:06Z")
The University of Memphis was, until recently, Memphis State University. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2010, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-difference-between-university-of-state-and-state-state-university/554575/8 "2010-09-22T13:11:32Z")
> [@Deeg](#): > > I’m thinking of University of Washington and Washington State University but there are others. Is there a standard naming convention or is it just random? The difference is that they are two different names and most often will indicate separate institutions. There is no standard. It’s arbitrary. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2010, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-difference-between-university-of-state-and-state-state-university/554575/9 "2010-09-22T14:08:39Z")
> [@acsenray](#): > > > [@Deeg](#): > > > > I’m thinking of University of Washington and Washington State University but there are others. Is there a standard naming convention or is it just random? > > The difference is that they are two different names and most often will indicate separate institutions. > > There is no standard. It’s arbitrary. Not so – see Polycarp’s post linked above. To sum, in many states, “University of X” is a bit more prestigious, depends less on state funding, and is often larger (more degree programs, especially at doctoral level, and especially in liberal arts and social sciences fields) than “X State University”. (But not always. Sometimes, like you said, it is “arbitrary”.) ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2010, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-difference-between-university-of-state-and-state-state-university/554575/10 "2010-09-22T14:35:28Z")
Three instances that I know a little about are Alabama, Tennessee and Mississippi. Mississippi State is an SEC major school and has about as strong credentials as Ole Miss (University of Mississippi). Both Alabama State and Tennessee State are (or were before the breakdown of the classification) “traditional Black schools.” In Alabama, the equivalent to Mississippi State would be the land-grant school of Auburn University. In Tennessee, there is no real equivalent to Mississippi State, with the probable exception of Vanderbilt University (SEC school) which is a private school. I will echo the “arbitrary” sentiment from earlier posts. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2010, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-difference-between-university-of-state-and-state-state-university/554575/11 "2010-09-22T14:54:46Z")
> [@JKellyMap](#): > > > [@acsenray](#): > > > > The difference is that they are two different names and most often will indicate separate institutions. > > > > There is no standard. It’s arbitrary. > > Not so – see Polycarp’s post linked above. > > To sum, in many states, “University of X” is a bit more prestigious, depends less on state funding, and is often larger (more degree programs, especially at doctoral level, and especially in liberal arts and social sciences fields) than “X State University”. > > (But not always. Sometimes, like you said, it is “arbitrary”.) You just described a completely arbitrary situation and so does Polycarp’s linked post. There is no authority that controls usage of these terms and any “rule” you can come up with has numerous, significant exceptions. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2010, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-difference-between-university-of-state-and-state-state-university/554575/12 "2010-09-22T17:29:58Z")
Okay, we’re just using different definitions of the word “arbitrary”. I take it to mean “lacking a discernible pattern, however weak, and regardless of whether the pattern results from an intentional directive”; you take it to mean “lacking a strong discernible pattern resulting from an intentional directive”. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2010, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-difference-between-university-of-state-and-state-state-university/554575/13 "2010-09-22T17:54:01Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > Three instances that I know a little about are Alabama, Tennessee and Mississippi. > > Mississippi State is an SEC major school and has about as strong credentials as Ole Miss (University of Mississippi). > > Both Alabama State and Tennessee State are (or were before the breakdown of the classification) “traditional Black schools.” In Alabama, the equivalent to Mississippi State would be the land-grant school of Auburn University. In Tennessee, there is no real equivalent to Mississippi State, with the probable exception of Vanderbilt University (SEC school) which is a private school. > > I will echo the “arbitrary” sentiment from earlier posts. I used the wrong term for the category of higher learning institutions I had meant to refer to above. See [Historically black colleges and universities - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historically_Black_colleges_and_universities) ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2010, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-difference-between-university-of-state-and-state-state-university/554575/14 "2010-09-22T18:01:00Z")
> [@JKellyMap](#): > > Okay, we’re just using different definitions of the word “arbitrary”. I take it to mean “lacking a discernible pattern, however weak, and regardless of whether the pattern results from an intentional directive”; you take it to mean “lacking a strong discernible pattern resulting from an intentional directive”. It’s also arbitrary because there’s no evidence that in choosing these names any relevant authority has taken notice of or complied with any rule or guideline, whether formal or informal. ---
**Author:** ![Level3Navigator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Level3Navigator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Level3Navigator)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2010, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-difference-between-university-of-state-and-state-state-university/554575/15 "2010-09-22T18:49:24Z")
> [@corkboard](#): > > In addition to Polycarp’s linked site, I’ll note that yes, there is a difference. For instance, The Pennsylvania State University is a state school located in central Pennsylvania. The University of Pennsylvania is an ivy league school in Philadelphia. While Penn State is a very good university (a “Public Ivy”), UPenn is better. But the State Pen is no good at all. ---
**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2010, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-difference-between-university-of-state-and-state-state-university/554575/16 "2010-09-22T21:36:11Z")
> [@Level3Navigator](#): > > > [@corkboard](#): > > > > In addition to Polycarp’s linked site, I’ll note that yes, there is a difference. For instance, The Pennsylvania State University is a state school located in central Pennsylvania. The University of Pennsylvania is an ivy league school in Philadelphia. While Penn State is a very good university (a “Public Ivy”), UPenn is better. > > But the State Pen is no good at all. Depends on what you want to learn… ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2010, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-difference-between-university-of-state-and-state-state-university/554575/17 "2010-09-22T22:15:35Z")
> [@acsenray](#): > > > [@JKellyMap](#): > > > > Not so – see Polycarp’s post linked above. > > > > To sum, in many states, “University of X” is a bit more prestigious, depends less on state funding, and is often larger (more degree programs, especially at doctoral level, and especially in liberal arts and social sciences fields) than “X State University”. > > > > (But not always. Sometimes, like you said, it is “arbitrary”.) > > You just described a completely arbitrary situation and so does Polycarp’s linked post. There is no authority that controls usage of these terms and any “rule” you can come up with has numerous, significant exceptions. Which is precisely what I said in the first paragraph. Along with the concept that I was stating generalizations that were often true but far from consistently so in all instances. Also note “In sum, in many states…” in **JKellyMap** ’s post. In sum, both of us set forth custom followed often enough to make stating an inference from it useful for the reference of othes, and he implicitly and I explicitly said it had numerous exceptions. Which makes your post just a bit of an unjust snipe, wouldn’t you say? ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2010, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-difference-between-university-of-state-and-state-state-university/554575/18 "2010-09-22T23:51:46Z")
The University of Virginia and Virginia State University are also two separate institutions, with two very different histories! UVA was founded by Thomas Jefferson and is a Southern old-boy school. VSU is a “historically black” school founded shortly after Reconstruction.