Questionnaires for innovation ability of college students are designed to measure the innovation ability of college students in six colleges of different types and levels in Anhui Province. The results show that the innovation ability of college students in Anhui stays roughly at a medium level. There is a statistically significant difference in the innovation ability between private and public college students, and there is a statistically significant difference in the innovation ability between the students majoring in economics, management and liberal arts and the students majoring in science and engineering. It's concluded that the innovation education for students in private colleges should be strengthened, and the practical innovation training for students majoring in economics, management and liberal arts should be further improved.