The National Autonomous University of Nicaragua (Spanish: Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Nicaragua, UNAN) is the main state-funded public university of Nicaragua.

Its main campus is located in Managua. The original campus, UNAN-Leon, is located in León and is now secondary, mainly used for medicine majors.

The Polytechnic University of Nicaragua (Spanish: Universidad Politecnica de Nicaragua, UPOLI) is a university located in Managua, Nicaragua. It was founded in 1967.

The Universidad Paulo Freire (Spanish: Universidad Paulo Freire (UPF)), located in Managua, Nicaragua, with branches in Diriamba, Río San Juan and Matagalpa. The university is named after Brazilian educator Paulo Freire.

The UPF was established in 1998 as the Paulo Freire University Institute (IPF) and operates as an accredited university since 2002.

The Nicaraguan University of Science and Technology (Spanish: Universidad Nicaragüense de Ciencia y Tecnologia (UCYT)), is a private university located in Managua, Nicaragua and established in 2003.

The American University (Spanish: Universidad Americana (UAM)) is located in Managua, Nicaragua and was founded in 1992. It offers undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in a variety of professional fields, such as law, medicine, business, and engineering. It offers student exchange programs through International Student Exchange Programs.

The National University of Engineering (Spanish: Universidad Nacional de Ingeniería) (UNI) is located in Managua, Nicaragua.

The National Agrarian University (Spanish: Universidad Nacional Agraria, UNA) is a public university in Managua, Nicaragua.

The National Agrarian University has its roots in the National School of Agriculture (Spanish: Escuela Nacional de Agricultura), established on May 25, 1917. It was incorporated in 1986, by presidential decree, into the National Autonomous University of Nicaragua as the Institute of Agricultural Sciences (ISCA).

In 1990, the ISCA faculty at the National University became an independent entity; the National Agrarian University, with four faculties:

The National Autonomous University of Nicaragua-León (Spanish: Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Nicaragua-León, UNAN-León) is a state-funded public university of Nicaragua. UNAN-León is the oldest university in the country, established in 1812.

The Popular University of Nicaragua (Spanish: Universidad Popular de Nicaragua (UPONIC)) is a private university located in Managua, Nicaragua, founded in 1992.

The Central University of Nicaragua (Spanish: Universidad Central de Nicaragua (UCN)) was founded in 1998. It is fully accredited and recognized by the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Nicaragua via the Consejo Nacional de Universidades in official government session No. 10-1998 operating under the law No. 89 of the Republic of Nicaragua with full autonomy designing, delivering and granting degree programs at undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate level. The Central University of Nicaragua is a nonprofit institution and offering local degree programs and international distance learning programs.

The Central University of Nicaragua (UCN) is a PREMIER PROVIDER accredited university by Accreditation Service for International Colleges and Universities (ASIC) at UK. The university is listed with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), International Association of Universities and the international handbook of accredited universities published by the United Nations.

INCAE Business School is an international business school located at the Francisco de Sola campus in Nicaragua and the Walter Kissling Gam campus in Costa Rica. The Financial Times has ranked INCAE as a top global MBA program and The Wall Street Journal has ranked INCAE Business School as one of the top 10 international business schools in the world.

INCAE is an acronym for Instituto Centroamericano de Administración de Empresas, which means "Central American Institute of Business Administration" in Spanish. The school is sometimes referred to as "Harvard South" or as a "Harvard Sister School". Although INCAE is independent, it adheres to the Harvard Case Study Method and curriculum. The Case Study Method allow students to examine past and current business situations, which gives them two years' worth of indirect, real-world experience across industries and regions. The Method offers students the opportunity to step into the shoes of managers, critique their decisions and provide alternative solutions. While the majority of cases are translations from Harvard Business School case studies, INCAE students are additionally provided with emerging market studies from Latin America.

INCAE offers a 2-year MBA in Costa Rica and a 15-month intensive MBA in Nicaragua. Other programs include the Executive MBA and seminars.

The Catholic University of Dry Tropic Farming and Livestock (Spanish: Universidad Católica Agropecuaria del Trópico Seco (UCATSE)) is a private catholic university located in Estelí, Nicaragua. It was founded in 1974 and is a member of the National University Council (Consejo Nacional de Universidades, CNU).

The university is named after Presbyter Francisco Luis Espinoza Pineda, the founder of the School of Farming and Livestock of Estelí (EAGE), precursor of the UCATSE.

The University of the Autonomous Regions of the Nicaraguan Caribbean Coast (Spanish: Universidad de las Regiones Autónomas de la Costa Caribe Nicaragüense, abbreviated URACCAN), is a university founded in 1992. It is described as an "intercultural university community for indigenous peoples and ethnic communities".

Keiser University - Latin American Campus (KU) is a branch campus of Keiser University in Florida, United States. It is located in the small town of San Marcos, Carazo, Nicaragua. It is the only American university in Central America offering a 4-year Bachelor of Arts degree in the areas of Biology, Business Administration, International Relations and Politics and Interdisciplinary Studies.

The Catholic University Redemptoris Mater (Spanish: Universidad Católica Redemptoris Mater (UNICA)) is a private university located in Managua, Nicaragua. It was founded in 1992 by Cardinal Miguel Obando y Bravo.

UNICA is a member of AUPRICA, the Association of Private Universities of Central America and Panama and ODUCAL, the Organization of Latin American Catholic Universities.

Bluefields Indian and Caribbean University (abbreviated BICU), is a university founded in 1991, in Bluefields, South Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region, Nicaragua.

The University of Commercial Sciences (Spanish: Universidad de Ciencias Comerciales) (UCC), is a private university located in Managua, Nicaragua which was founded in 1964.

The Universidad Centroamericana (UCA) (English: Central American University (UCA)) is a university located in Managua, Nicaragua. It was founded in July 1960 by the Society of Jesus as the first private university in Central America.

Thomas More Universitas (Spanish: Universidad Thomas More (UTM)) is a private university located in Managua, Nicaragua. It was founded in 2000 and is one of the 46 universities accredited by the National University Council (Consejo Nacional de Universidades, CNU).