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 Wisconsin Oshkosh Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Oshkosh, WI
  • 3.0 | 1 reviews

UW Oshkosh is a public university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and business. The campus borders Lake Winnebago in a mid-sized Wisconsin city.

#7 Best Public Universities in Wisconsin 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA 3.24
  • Acceptance Rate 87%
  • Net Price $12,500
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Sam Houston State University Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Huntsville, TX
  • 4.5 | 2 reviews
  • Aug 1 application deadline

Sam Houston State is a large public university known for undergraduate criminal justice and forensic science. The main campus is in Huntsville in the piney woods of East Texas.

#10 Best Public Universities in Texas 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 930-1120
  • Predicted Avg GPA 3.25
  • Acceptance Rate 90%
  • Net Price $14,737
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CUNY New York City College of Technology Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Brooklyn, NY
  • 5.0 | 1 reviews
  • Sep 1 application deadline

City Tech is a public CUNY college of technology known for undergraduate architecture, engineering technology, and hospitality management. The urban campus is in Downtown Brooklyn.

#33 Best Public Universities in New York 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 900-1140
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 80%
  • Net Price $5,794
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University of Central Oklahoma Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Edmond, OK
  • 5.0 | 1 reviews

UCO is a public university known for undergraduate forensic science and teacher education. The suburban campus sits in Edmond just north of Oklahoma City.

#3 Best Public Universities in Oklahoma 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA 3.5
  • Acceptance Rate 78%
  • Net Price $18,660
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California State University Fullerton Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Fullerton, CA
  • 4.0 | 1 reviews
  • Nov 30 application deadline

Cal State Fullerton is a large public university known for undergraduate business, communications, and education. The suburban campus sits in northern Orange County.

#19 Best Public Universities in California 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1000-1180
  • Avg GPA 3.77
  • Acceptance Rate 91%
  • Net Price $7,064
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The University of Texas Permian Basin Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Odessa, TX
  • | 0 reviews
  • Aug 23 application deadline

UT Permian Basin is a public university known for undergraduate petroleum engineering and business. The campus is located in Odessa in West Texas's Permian Basin.

#11 Best Public Universities in Texas 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 910-1130
  • Avg GPA 3.27
  • Acceptance Rate 95%
  • Net Price $13,563
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The University of Tennessee Martin Campus
 

  • Public 4 Year
  • Martin, TN
  • 5.0 | 1 reviews

UT Martin is a public university known for undergraduate agriculture, education, and business. The residential campus is in the small college town of Martin in northwest Tennessee.

#6 Best Public Universities in Tennessee 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 970-1210
  • Avg GPA 3.6
  • Acceptance Rate 88%
  • Net Price $11,955
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Eastern Washington University Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Cheney, WA
  • | 0 reviews
  • Sep 10 application deadline

Eastern Washington is a public university known for undergraduate education, business, and health sciences. The residential campus is in Cheney, a small college town near Spokane.

#6 Best Public Universities in Washington 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 880-1090
  • Avg GPA 3.29
  • Acceptance Rate 91%
  • Net Price $14,767
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Kent State University at Kent Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Kent, OH
  • 5.0 | 1 reviews
  • Aug 1 application deadline

Kent State is a large public university known for undergraduate fashion design, journalism, and education. Most undergrads study on a residential campus in the college town of Kent.

#8 Best Public Universities in Ohio 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1010-1240
  • Avg GPA 3.61
  • Acceptance Rate 86%
  • Net Price $21,278
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Coastal Carolina University Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Conway, SC
  • 4.7 | 3 reviews

Coastal Carolina is a public university known for undergraduate marine science and PGA golf management. The Conway campus lies a short drive from Myrtle Beach and the Atlantic coast.

#7 Best Public Universities in South Carolina 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1050-1220
  • Avg GPA 3.72
  • Acceptance Rate 75%
  • Net Price $14,379
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Penn State Abington Campus

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

Penn State Abington is a public regional campus of Penn State known for undergraduate business, nursing, and information sciences. The suburban campus sits just north of Philadelphia.

#15 Best Public Universities in Pennsylvania 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1070-1265
  • Predicted Avg GPA 3.42
  • Acceptance Rate 97%
  • Net Price $19,232
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New Jersey City University Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Jersey City, NJ
  • | 0 reviews

NJCU is a public university known for undergraduate education, nursing, and business. The urban campus sits in Jersey City across the Hudson River from Manhattan.

#12 Best Public Universities in New Jersey 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 890-1140
  • Avg GPA 3.24
  • Acceptance Rate 98%
  • Net Price $16,724
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SUNY College of Agriculture and Technology at Cobleskill Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Cobleskill, NY
  • 3.0 | 2 reviews

SUNY Cobleskill is a public college of agriculture and technology known for undergraduate animal science, agriculture, and culinary arts. The rural campus in upstate New York includes working farms and agricultural facilities.

#34 Best Public Universities in New York 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 990-1170
  • Avg GPA 3.1
  • Acceptance Rate 84%
  • Net Price $18,140
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Chicago State University Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Chicago, IL
  • | 0 reviews

Chicago State is a public university known for undergraduate education and nursing. The urban campus is located on Chicago's South Side.

#11 Best Public Universities in Illinois 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 750-963
  • Avg GPA 3.18
  • Acceptance Rate 43%
  • Net Price $10,441
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Texas A & M University Corpus Christi Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Corpus Christi, TX
  • | 0 reviews
  • Jul 1 application deadline

Texas A&M-Corpus Christi is a public university known for undergraduate marine science, coastal biology, and environmental science. The campus sits on Ward Island along Corpus Christi Bay.

#12 Best Public Universities in Texas 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 970-1193
  • Avg GPA 3.41
  • Acceptance Rate 89%
  • Net Price $15,233
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Coppin State University Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Baltimore, MD
  • | 0 reviews
  • Jul 15 application deadline

Coppin State is a public historically Black university known for undergraduate nursing and teacher education. The urban campus sits in west Baltimore.

#7 Best Public Universities in Maryland 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 880-1020
  • Avg GPA 2.62
  • Acceptance Rate 46%
  • Net Price $9,831
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University of South Carolina Aiken Campus
 

  • Public 4 Year
  • Aiken, SC
  • | 0 reviews
  • Aug 1 application deadline

USC Aiken is a public university known for undergraduate nursing, business, and education. The suburban campus is located in the smaller city of Aiken near the South Carolina-Georgia border.

#8 Best Public Universities in South Carolina 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 980-1220
  • Predicted Avg GPA 3.19
  • Acceptance Rate 79%
  • Net Price $12,236
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Penn State Brandywine Campus

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

Penn State Brandywine is a public university campus known for undergraduate business, information sciences and technology, and biology. The suburban campus is located near Philadelphia in Media.

#16 Best Public Universities in Pennsylvania 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1080-1310
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 98%
  • Net Price $22,710
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