Top Rated U.S. Public Colleges

These are the top ranked public four-year colleges in the United States as ranked by CollegeSimply. Leading the rankings for 2027 as the best public college in America is University of Michigan Ann Arbor. Learn how the Best Colleges rankings are calculated on our ranking methodology page.

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Public 4 Year
Montana Technological University Campus
 

  • Public 4 Year
  • Butte, MT
  • | 0 reviews

Montana Tech is a public university known for undergraduate mining, petroleum, and geological engineering. The campus sits in the historic mining city of Butte.

#1 Best Public Universities in Montana 6/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1040-1260
  • Avg GPA 3.5
  • Acceptance Rate 91%
  • Net Price $16,665
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Framingham State University Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Framingham, MA
  • 5.0 | 1 reviews
  • Feb 15 application deadline

Framingham State is a public university known for undergraduate teacher education, nutrition, and fashion design. The suburban campus sits in the MetroWest area west of Boston.

#6 Best Public Universities in Massachusetts 6/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1100-1280
  • Avg GPA 3.07
  • Acceptance Rate 84%
  • Net Price $16,114
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Southern Illinois University Carbondale Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Carbondale, IL
  • 4.0 | 1 reviews

SIU Carbondale is a large public university known for undergraduate aviation, journalism, and forestry. The wooded campus anchors the college town of Carbondale in southern Illinois.

#7 Best Public Universities in Illinois 6/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 900-1160
  • Avg GPA 3.24
  • Acceptance Rate 87%
  • Net Price $13,473
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University of North Florida Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Jacksonville, FL
  • | 0 reviews

UNF is a public university known for undergraduate nursing, business, and coastal biology. The suburban Jacksonville campus includes lakes and a large nature preserve with trails.

#5 Best Public Universities in Florida 6/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1070-1270
  • Avg GPA 3.89
  • Acceptance Rate 53%
  • Net Price $11,135
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University of Toledo Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Toledo, OH
  • | 0 reviews

University of Toledo is a public university known for undergraduate engineering and pharmacy. The main campus sits in a residential section of Toledo.

#5 Best Public Universities in Ohio
  • SAT Range 1100-1300
  • Avg GPA 3.56
  • Acceptance Rate 92%
  • Net Price $17,844
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University of Minnesota Duluth Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Duluth, MN
  • | 0 reviews
  • Aug 1 application deadline

UMD is a public university known for undergraduate engineering, business, and the natural sciences. The hillside campus overlooks Lake Superior above the city of Duluth.

#3 Best Public Universities in Minnesota 6/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1180-1350
  • Avg GPA 3.51
  • Acceptance Rate 89%
  • Net Price $20,128
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University of Nebraska at Kearney Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Kearney, NE
  • | 0 reviews
  • Aug 15 application deadline

UNK is a public university known for undergraduate teacher education and business. The residential campus is set in the college town of Kearney.

#2 Best Public Universities in Nebraska 6/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 905-1125
  • Avg GPA 3.24
  • Acceptance Rate 89%
  • Net Price $16,287
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SUNY Buffalo State University Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Buffalo, NY
  • | 0 reviews

Buffalo State is a public SUNY university known for undergraduate teacher education, design, and the arts. The urban campus in Buffalo includes the Burchfield Penney Art Center.

#24 Best Public Universities in New York 6/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 980-1240
  • Avg GPA 2.84
  • Acceptance Rate 73%
  • Net Price $12,023
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Central Connecticut State University Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • New Britain, CT
  • 4.7 | 3 reviews
  • Aug 26 application deadline

CCSU is a public university known for undergraduate education, business, and nursing. The New Britain campus sits in central Connecticut.

#3 Best Public Universities in Connecticut 6/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 960-1190
  • Avg GPA 3.2
  • Acceptance Rate 73%
  • Net Price $17,528
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Eastern Connecticut State University Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Willimantic, CT
  • | 0 reviews

Eastern is a public liberal arts university known for undergraduate education and environmental earth science. The residential campus sits in the small town of Willimantic in eastern Connecticut.

#4 Best Public Universities in Connecticut 6/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1070-1260
  • Avg GPA 3.4
  • Acceptance Rate 83%
  • Net Price $21,512
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Wayne State University Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Detroit, MI
  • 4.2 | 4 reviews
  • Aug 1 application deadline

Wayne State is a large public university known for undergraduate nursing, pharmacy, and business. The urban campus is in Midtown Detroit near the city's cultural district.

#6 Best Public Universities in Michigan 6/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1060-1270
  • Avg GPA 3.42
  • Acceptance Rate 81%
  • Net Price $14,416
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University of Wisconsin La Crosse Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • La Crosse, WI
  • | 0 reviews

UW-La Crosse is a public university known for undergraduate exercise science, biology, and teacher education. The campus sits along the Mississippi River at the base of wooded bluffs.

#2 Best Public Universities in Wisconsin 6/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA 3.6
  • Acceptance Rate 76%
  • Net Price $14,712
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Bridgewater State University Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Bridgewater, MA
  • | 0 reviews
  • Feb 15 application deadline

Bridgewater State is a public university known for undergraduate education and aviation science. The campus is set in the small town of Bridgewater in southeastern Massachusetts.

#7 Best Public Universities in Massachusetts 6/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1060-1263
  • Avg GPA 3.21
  • Acceptance Rate 88%
  • Net Price $15,646
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Worcester State University Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Worcester, MA
  • | 0 reviews
  • Jun 1 application deadline

Worcester State is a public university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and business. The urban campus sits in Worcester, a mid-sized Massachusetts city west of Boston.

#8 Best Public Universities in Massachusetts 6/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1026-1283
  • Avg GPA 3.3
  • Acceptance Rate 88%
  • Net Price $12,778
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West Virginia University Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Morgantown, WV
  • 4.0 | 4 reviews

WVU is a large public university known for undergraduate forensic science, engineering, and journalism. The campus spreads across a hilly college town in Morgantown along the Monongahela River.

#1 Best Value in West Virginia 6/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1010-1220
  • Avg GPA 3.45
  • Acceptance Rate 89%
  • Net Price $15,169
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University of Wisconsin Eau Claire Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Eau Claire, WI
  • 4.0 | 1 reviews
  • Aug 1 application deadline

UW-Eau Claire is a public university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and music. The campus sits along the Chippewa River in a western Wisconsin college town.

#3 Best Public Universities in Wisconsin 6/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA 3.59
  • Acceptance Rate 82%
  • Net Price $15,151
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University of Hawaii at Hilo Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Hilo, HI
  • | 0 reviews
  • Jul 1 application deadline

UH Hilo is a public university known for undergraduate astronomy, marine science, and Hawaiian studies. The campus sits on Hawaii's Big Island near Mauna Kea and Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.

#3 Best Colleges in Hawaii 6/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 945-1175
  • Avg GPA 3.36
  • Acceptance Rate 61%
  • Net Price $12,673
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East Carolina University Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Greenville, NC
  • 4.2 | 4 reviews

East Carolina is a large public university known for undergraduate nursing, health sciences, and education. The main campus is in Greenville, a college town in eastern North Carolina.

#7 Best Public Universities in North Carolina 6/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1070-1240
  • Avg GPA 3.33
  • Acceptance Rate 89%
  • Net Price $13,755
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