Higher education is available in public and private institutions, institutions affiliated with religious groups, and profit-making institutions.
Size varies, too.
Because post-secondary institutions in the United States are not regulated or managed by the federal government, their philosophy, policies, and practices vary considerably. In the paragraphs that follow we focus on the most common degrees. The undergraduate bachelor's degree typically takes four years to complete. At most institutions the four years are known as the freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior years of undergraduate study. Many students complete their first two years at a junior or community college, earning an associate degree, and then transfer to a four-year college or university to complete two more years for a bachelor's degree.