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 West Florida Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Pensacola, FL
  • | 0 reviews
  • Jun 1 application deadline

UWF is a public university known for undergraduate marine biology, archaeology, and nursing. The wooded Pensacola campus includes a large nature preserve.

#8 Best Public Universities in Florida 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1020-1230
  • Avg GPA 3.6
  • Acceptance Rate 58%
  • Net Price $10,092
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University of Virginia's College at Wise Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Wise, VA
  • | 0 reviews
  • Aug 1 application deadline

UVA Wise is a public liberal arts college known for undergraduate nursing and teacher education. The rural campus sits in the Appalachian Mountains of southwestern Virginia.

#13 Best Public Universities in Virginia 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 945-1120
  • Avg GPA 3.57
  • Acceptance Rate 29%
  • Net Price $14,378
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Kean University Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Union, NJ
  • 4.1 | 7 reviews
  • Aug 15 application deadline

Kean is a public university known for undergraduate teacher education, nursing, and design. The suburban campus in Union sits near New York City.

#11 Best Public Universities in New Jersey 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 930-1150
  • Avg GPA 3.2
  • Acceptance Rate 76%
  • Net Price $12,708
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Winthrop University Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Rock Hill, SC
  • 5.0 | 2 reviews

Winthrop is a public university known for undergraduate teacher education, visual and performing arts, and business. The historic campus sits in Rock Hill, near the Charlotte metro area.

#6 Best Public Universities in South Carolina 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1010-1220
  • Avg GPA 4.0
  • Acceptance Rate 79%
  • Net Price $16,108
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Missouri State University Springfield Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Springfield, MO
  • 4.0 | 3 reviews

Missouri State is a large public university known for undergraduate business, education, and health professions. The Springfield campus lies in the Ozarks region of southwest Missouri.

#8 Best Public Universities in Missouri 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1020-1270
  • Avg GPA 3.73
  • Acceptance Rate 91%
  • Net Price $17,181
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Wichita State University Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Wichita, KS
  • | 0 reviews

Wichita State is a public university known for undergraduate aerospace engineering and aviation programs. The urban Wichita campus has long ties to the region's aircraft industry.

#3 Best Public Universities in Kansas 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 905-1240
  • Avg GPA 3.48
  • Acceptance Rate 94%
  • Net Price $14,228
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University of Wisconsin Stout Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Menomonie, WI
  • | 0 reviews
  • Sep 1 application deadline

UW-Stout is a public polytechnic university known for undergraduate industrial design, packaging, and engineering technology. The campus is in Menomonie, a small city in western Wisconsin.

#4 Best Public Universities in Wisconsin 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA 3.35
  • Acceptance Rate 88%
  • Net Price $15,673
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Texas State University Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • San Marcos, TX
  • 3.8 | 9 reviews
  • Jun 1 application deadline

Texas State is a large public university known for undergraduate geography, education, and mass communication. The campus in the college town of San Marcos sits along the spring-fed San Marcos River.

#9 Best Public Universities in Texas 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 980-1200
  • Predicted Avg GPA 3.38
  • Acceptance Rate 89%
  • Net Price $15,716
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Kutztown University of Pennsylvania Campus

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

Kutztown is a public university known for undergraduate education, communication design, and the visual arts. The campus sits in a small college town in eastern Pennsylvania.

#14 Best Public Universities in Pennsylvania 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1120-1310
  • Avg GPA 3.31
  • Acceptance Rate 91%
  • Net Price $22,134
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SUNY Morrisville Campus
 

  • Public 4 Year
  • Morrisville, NY
  • | 0 reviews
  • Aug 15 application deadline

SUNY Morrisville is a public college known for undergraduate agriculture, equine studies, and applied technology. The rural campus is set in the village of Morrisville in central New York.

#30 Best Public Universities in New York 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 990-1230
  • Avg GPA 2.7
  • Acceptance Rate 92%
  • Net Price $15,960
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University of Wisconsin Platteville Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Platteville, WI
  • 3.0 | 4 reviews

UW-Platteville is a public university known for undergraduate engineering and agriculture. Most students live on a residential campus in the small college town of Platteville.

#5 Best Public Universities in Wisconsin 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range -
  • Predicted Avg GPA 3.39
  • Acceptance Rate 89%
  • Net Price $16,266
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The University of Montana Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Missoula, MT
  • 4.0 | 1 reviews
  • Aug 18 application deadline

Montana is a public university known for undergraduate wildlife biology, forestry, and creative writing. The campus sits in Missoula, a college town in the northern Rockies.

#3 Best Public Universities in Montana 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1070-1280
  • Avg GPA 3.36
  • Acceptance Rate 96%
  • Net Price $17,370
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Florida Gulf Coast University Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Fort Myers, FL
  • 3.0 | 3 reviews
  • Nov 1 application deadline

FGCU is a public university known for undergraduate environmental science, marine science, and hospitality management. The Fort Myers campus includes nature preserves and sits near the Gulf Coast.

#9 Best Public Universities in Florida 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1040-1200
  • Avg GPA 4.0
  • Acceptance Rate 63%
  • Net Price $12,863
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Fort Lewis College Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Durango, CO
  • 3.5 | 2 reviews
  • Aug 1 application deadline

Fort Lewis is a public liberal arts college known for undergraduate adventure education, environmental studies, and Native American studies. The mountain campus is in Durango near the San Juan Mountains.

#7 Best Public Universities in Colorado 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1010-1210
  • Avg GPA 3.3
  • Acceptance Rate 77%
  • Net Price $17,114
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Bemidji State University Campus

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

Bemidji State is a public university known for undergraduate education, nursing, and business. The campus sits on the shore of Lake Bemidji in northern Minnesota.

#6 Best Public Universities in Minnesota 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA 3.26
  • Acceptance Rate 56%
  • Net Price $14,859
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Purdue University Fort Wayne Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Fort Wayne, IN
  • | 0 reviews
  • Aug 1 application deadline

Purdue Fort Wayne is a public university known for undergraduate engineering, technology, and business. The urban campus is set in Indiana's second-largest city.

#5 Best Public Universities in Indiana 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 970-1220
  • Avg GPA 3.37
  • Acceptance Rate 84%
  • Net Price $14,735
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Georgia State University Campus

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

Georgia State is a large public university known for undergraduate business, public health, and public policy. The urban campus sits in downtown Atlanta.

#4 Best Public Universities in Georgia 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 940-1180
  • Avg GPA 3.54
  • Acceptance Rate 55%
  • Net Price $16,854
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CUNY York College Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Jamaica, NY
  • 5.0 | 1 reviews
  • Feb 1 application deadline

York College is a public CUNY college known for undergraduate nursing, health professions, and aviation. The urban campus sits in Jamaica, Queens.

#31 Best Public Universities in New York 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 790-960
  • Predicted Avg GPA 3.15
  • Acceptance Rate 64%
  • Net Price $5,131
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