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.

444 Results
Sort:
Public 4 Year
Western Illinois University Campus

credit : source / license

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

Western Illinois is a public university known for undergraduate criminal justice, education, and agriculture. The residential campus sits in the small college town of Macomb.

#8 Best Public Universities in Illinois 6/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 880-1090
  • Avg GPA 3.45
  • Acceptance Rate 71%
  • Net Price $14,208
Details Calculate my Chances
Fitchburg State University Campus

credit : source / license

  • Public 4 Year
  • Fitchburg, MA
  • | 0 reviews

Fitchburg State is a public university known for undergraduate teacher education, nursing, and business. The campus is located in the small city of Fitchburg in north-central Massachusetts.

#9 Best Public Universities in Massachusetts 6/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1060-1230
  • Avg GPA 3.29
  • Acceptance Rate 87%
  • Net Price $15,340
Details Calculate my Chances
Penn State Harrisburg Campus

credit : source / license

  • Public 4 Year
  • Middletown, PA
  • | 0 reviews

Penn State Harrisburg is a public university campus known for undergraduate business, engineering, and public affairs. The suburban Middletown campus sits near Pennsylvania's state capital.

#7 Best Public Universities in Pennsylvania 6/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1120-1310
  • Predicted Avg GPA 3.48
  • Acceptance Rate 98%
  • Net Price $23,788
Details Calculate my Chances
California State Polytechnic University Pomona Campus

credit : source / license

  • Public 4 Year
  • Pomona, CA
  • 5.0 | 1 reviews
  • Nov 30 application deadline

Cal Poly Pomona is a public polytechnic university known for undergraduate engineering, architecture, and agriculture. The hillside campus includes working farm facilities and an Arabian horse center.

#12 Best Public Universities in California 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1010-1250
  • Avg GPA 3.69
  • Acceptance Rate 75%
  • Net Price $11,940
Details Calculate my Chances
Oregon Institute of Technology Campus
 

  • Public 4 Year
  • Klamath Falls, OR
  • | 0 reviews
  • Sep 4 application deadline

Oregon Tech is a public polytechnic university known for undergraduate engineering, health technologies, and applied sciences. The Klamath Falls campus sits near Upper Klamath Lake in southern Oregon.

#3 Best Public Universities in Oregon 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1000-1270
  • Avg GPA 3.51
  • Acceptance Rate 95%
  • Net Price $16,831
Details Calculate my Chances
CUNY Lehman College Campus

credit : source / license

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

Lehman is a public CUNY college known for undergraduate nursing, teacher education, and health sciences. Students attend a tree-lined campus in the northwest Bronx.

#25 Best Public Universities in New York 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 850-1150
  • Predicted Avg GPA 3.2
  • Acceptance Rate 57%
  • Net Price $3,961
Details Calculate my Chances
CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice Campus

credit : ajay_suresh / license

  • Public 4 Year
  • New York, NY
  • 5.0 | 1 reviews

John Jay is a public CUNY college known for undergraduate criminal justice, forensic science, and public administration. The urban Midtown Manhattan campus sits near Lincoln Center.

#26 Best Public Universities in New York 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 930-1220
  • Avg GPA 3.24
  • Acceptance Rate 57%
  • Net Price $4,082
Details Calculate my Chances
Florida International University Campus

credit : Pablo FJ / license

  • Public 4 Year
  • Miami, FL
  • 4.1 | 7 reviews
  • Apr 1 application deadline

FIU is a large public university known for undergraduate hospitality management and international business. The urban campus in Miami has a large Hispanic student population and strong Latin American ties.

#6 Best Public Universities in Florida 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1070-1260
  • Avg GPA 4.0
  • Acceptance Rate 55%
  • Net Price $11,178
Details Calculate my Chances
Stockton University Campus
 

  • Public 4 Year
  • Galloway, NJ
  • 5.0 | 1 reviews
  • Sep 1 application deadline

Stockton is a public university known for undergraduate environmental science and marine science. The wooded campus sits in New Jersey's Pinelands near Atlantic City.

#8 Best Public Universities in New Jersey 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1030-1230
  • Avg GPA 3.54
  • Acceptance Rate 89%
  • Net Price $20,761
Details Calculate my Chances
San Jose State University Campus

credit : roarofthefour / license

  • Public 4 Year
  • San Jose, CA
  • 5.0 | 3 reviews
  • Dec 15 application deadline

San Jose State is a large public university known for undergraduate engineering, computer science, and business. The urban campus sits in downtown San Jose in the heart of Silicon Valley.

#13 Best Public Universities in California 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1010-1240
  • Predicted Avg GPA 3.35
  • Acceptance Rate 85%
  • Net Price $13,892
Details Calculate my Chances
William Paterson University of New Jersey Campus

credit : source / license

  • Public 4 Year
  • Wayne, NJ
  • | 0 reviews
  • Jun 1 application deadline

William Paterson is a public university known for undergraduate education, nursing, and music. The suburban Wayne campus sits in northern New Jersey within reach of New York City.

#9 Best Public Universities in New Jersey 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 990-1345
  • Avg GPA 2.97
  • Acceptance Rate 90%
  • Net Price $13,509
Details Calculate my Chances
Appalachian State University Campus

credit : allygirl520 / license

  • Public 4 Year
  • Boone, NC
  • 4.3 | 10 reviews
  • Feb 1 application deadline

Appalachian State is a large public university known for undergraduate teacher education, business, and sustainable development. Boone is a mountain college town in North Carolina's Blue Ridge range.

#8 Best Public Universities in North Carolina 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1120-1280
  • Avg GPA 3.96
  • Acceptance Rate 90%
  • Net Price $14,978
Details Calculate my Chances
Minnesota State University Moorhead Campus

credit : source / license

  • Public 4 Year
  • Moorhead, MN
  • | 0 reviews

Minnesota State Moorhead is a public university known for undergraduate teacher education, fine arts, and mass communications. The campus sits in Moorhead across the Red River from Fargo, North Dakota.

#4 Best Public Universities in Minnesota 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1080-1290
  • Avg GPA 3.52
  • Acceptance Rate 59%
  • Net Price $18,221
Details Calculate my Chances
North Dakota State University Main Campus Campus

credit : source / license

  • Public 4 Year
  • Fargo, ND
  • | 0 reviews
  • Aug 1 application deadline

NDSU is a large public university known for undergraduate agriculture, engineering, and pharmacy. The main campus sits in Fargo along the Red River.

#3 Best Colleges in North Dakota 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 968-1216
  • Avg GPA 3.53
  • Acceptance Rate 95%
  • Net Price $15,596
Details Calculate my Chances
Westfield State University Campus

credit : source / license

  • Public 4 Year
  • Westfield, MA
  • | 0 reviews
  • Mar 1 application deadline

Westfield State is a public university known for undergraduate education and criminal justice. The campus sits in the small city of Westfield in western Massachusetts.

#10 Best Public Universities in Massachusetts 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 980-1190
  • Avg GPA 3.3
  • Acceptance Rate 81%
  • Net Price $17,406
Details Calculate my Chances
Penn State Altoona Campus
 

  • Public 4 Year
  • Altoona, PA
  • | 0 reviews

Penn State Altoona is a public campus of Penn State known for undergraduate rail transportation engineering, nursing, and business. The residential campus sits in the city of Altoona in central Pennsylvania.

#8 Best Public Universities in Pennsylvania 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1070-1290
  • Predicted Avg GPA 3.4
  • Acceptance Rate 98%
  • Net Price $21,618
Details Calculate my Chances
University of Montevallo Campus

credit : source / license

  • Public 4 Year
  • Montevallo, AL
  • 5.0 | 2 reviews
  • Aug 15 application deadline

Montevallo is a public liberal arts university known for undergraduate education, fine arts, and the performing arts. The historic campus sits in a small college town in central Alabama.

#5 Best Public Universities in Alabama 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 970-1200
  • Avg GPA 3.66
  • Acceptance Rate 54%
  • Net Price $17,890
Details Calculate my Chances
University of Nevada Las Vegas Campus

credit : Gage Skidmore / license

  • Public 4 Year
  • Las Vegas, NV
  • 4.0 | 3 reviews
  • Jun 1 application deadline

UNLV is a large public university known for undergraduate hospitality and hotel management. The urban campus sits near the Las Vegas Strip.

#2 Best Colleges in Nevada 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1010-1240
  • Avg GPA 3.4
  • Acceptance Rate 96%
  • Net Price $11,553
Details Calculate my Chances