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
University of South Carolina Upstate Campus
 

  • Public 4 Year
  • Spartanburg, SC
  • | 0 reviews

USC Upstate is a public university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and business. The campus is in Spartanburg in South Carolina's Upstate region.

#5 Best Public Universities in South Carolina 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1005-1175
  • Avg GPA 2.53
  • Acceptance Rate 67%
  • Net Price $13,999
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Western Carolina University Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Cullowhee, NC
  • 4.6 | 10 reviews
  • Mar 1 application deadline

Western Carolina is a public university known for undergraduate education, nursing, and criminal justice. The campus sits in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Cullowhee.

#10 Best Public Universities in North Carolina 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1080-1270
  • Avg GPA 3.44
  • Acceptance Rate 82%
  • Net Price $13,767
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Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania Campus

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

Shippensburg is a public university known for undergraduate education, business, and criminal justice. The residential campus sits in a small college town in south-central Pennsylvania's Cumberland Valley.

#11 Best Public Universities in Pennsylvania 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 990-1210
  • Avg GPA 3.23
  • Acceptance Rate 87%
  • Net Price $23,772
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Portland State University Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Portland, OR
  • | 0 reviews

Portland State is a large public university known for undergraduate urban planning, sustainability, and business. The compact urban campus sits in downtown Portland.

#4 Best Public Universities in Oregon 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1000-1250
  • Avg GPA 3.36
  • Acceptance Rate 91%
  • Net Price $10,195
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Penn State Berks Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Reading, PA
  • 4.0 | 1 reviews

Penn State Berks is a small public campus of Penn State known for undergraduate business, engineering, and information sciences. The suburban campus is located just outside Reading.

#12 Best Public Universities in Pennsylvania 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1090-1275
  • Predicted Avg GPA 3.39
  • Acceptance Rate 99%
  • Net Price $23,721
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Saint Cloud State University Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Saint Cloud, MN
  • | 0 reviews
  • Aug 15 application deadline

Saint Cloud State is a public university known for undergraduate aviation, business, and education. The campus sits along the Mississippi River in central Minnesota.

#5 Best Public Universities in Minnesota 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1025-1260
  • Avg GPA 3.4
  • Acceptance Rate 95%
  • Net Price $14,735
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University of Colorado Colorado Springs Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Colorado Springs, CO
  • | 0 reviews

UCCS is a public university known for undergraduate nursing, health sciences, and business. The campus faces the Front Range foothills with views of Pikes Peak.

#6 Best Public Universities in Colorado 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1010-1220
  • Avg GPA 3.36
  • Acceptance Rate 97%
  • Net Price $16,942
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Murray State University Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Murray, KY
  • | 0 reviews

Murray State is a public university known for undergraduate education, agriculture, and nursing. Murray is a small college town in western Kentucky built around the campus.

#3 Best Public Universities in Kentucky 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 940-1170
  • Avg GPA 3.57
  • Acceptance Rate 86%
  • Net Price $10,182
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Georgia College & State University Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Milledgeville, GA
  • 5.0 | 2 reviews
  • Apr 1 application deadline

Georgia College is a public liberal arts university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and the arts and sciences. The residential campus occupies historic grounds in downtown Milledgeville, Georgia's former capital.

#3 Best Public Universities in Georgia 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1070-1230
  • Avg GPA 3.53
  • Acceptance Rate 78%
  • Net Price $21,632
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SUNY Old Westbury Campus
 

  • Public 4 Year
  • Old Westbury, NY
  • | 0 reviews

SUNY Old Westbury is a public university known for undergraduate business, teacher education, and the biological sciences. The suburban Long Island campus occupies wooded grounds of a former estate in Nassau County.

#29 Best Public Universities in New York 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1010-1206
  • Avg GPA 3.1
  • Acceptance Rate 84%
  • Net Price $10,944
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Dakota State University Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Madison, SD
  • 4.3 | 7 reviews

Dakota State is a public university known for undergraduate cybersecurity, computer science, and information systems. Most students live on a residential campus in the small college town of Madison.

#4 Best Public Universities in South Dakota 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1190-1440
  • Avg GPA 3.33
  • Acceptance Rate 88%
  • Net Price $20,438
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University of Louisiana at Monroe Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Monroe, LA
  • | 0 reviews

ULM is a public university known for undergraduate pharmacy, nursing, and health sciences. The campus borders Bayou DeSiard in Monroe.

#4 Best Public Universities in Louisiana 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1160-1360
  • Avg GPA 3.53
  • Acceptance Rate 85%
  • Net Price $13,648
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University of Michigan Flint Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Flint, MI
  • | 0 reviews
  • Aug 22 application deadline

UM-Flint is a public university known for undergraduate nursing, health sciences, and business. The urban campus is located in downtown Flint.

#8 Best Public Universities in Michigan 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 970-1243
  • Avg GPA 3.54
  • Acceptance Rate 70%
  • Net Price $7,852
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University of Central Missouri Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Warrensburg, MO
  • | 0 reviews

Central Missouri is a public university known for undergraduate aviation, criminal justice, and education. The campus sits in the college town of Warrensburg east of Kansas City.

#6 Best Public Universities in Missouri 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA 3.68
  • Acceptance Rate 64%
  • Net Price $14,943
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Millersville University of Pennsylvania Campus

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

Millersville is a public university known for undergraduate education and meteorology. The campus sits in a small college town near Lancaster in southeastern Pennsylvania.

#13 Best Public Universities in Pennsylvania 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1020-1210
  • Predicted Avg GPA 3.21
  • Acceptance Rate 86%
  • Net Price $20,551
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University of Maine at Farmington Campus
 

  • Public 4 Year
  • Farmington, ME
  • | 0 reviews

University of Maine at Farmington is a small public liberal arts college known for undergraduate teacher education and creative writing. The residential campus is set in the western Maine college town of Farmington.

#3 Best Public Universities in Maine 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 995-1245
  • Avg GPA 3.15
  • Acceptance Rate 97%
  • Net Price $17,451
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Mississippi University for Women Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Columbus, MS
  • | 0 reviews

Mississippi University for Women is a public university known for undergraduate nursing and education. Historically the first public women's college in the United States, the Columbus campus is now coeducational.

#3 Best Public Universities in Mississippi 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 850-1180
  • Avg GPA 3.49
  • Acceptance Rate 90%
  • Net Price $12,487
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Missouri Southern State University Campus
 

  • Public 4 Year
  • Joplin, MO
  • | 0 reviews

Missouri Southern is a public university known for undergraduate teacher education, business, and health sciences. The campus is in Joplin in southwest Missouri.

#7 Best Public Universities in Missouri 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1150-1420
  • Avg GPA 3.5
  • Acceptance Rate 97%
  • Net Price $11,626
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