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
Louisiana State University Shreveport Campus

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

LSU Shreveport is a public university in the LSU system with undergraduate programs in business, education, and the sciences. The campus serves students across the Shreveport-Bossier region of northwest Louisiana.

#6 Best Public Universities in Louisiana 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1000-1195
  • Avg GPA 3.38
  • Acceptance Rate 51%
  • Net Price $7,287
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University of Wisconsin Green Bay Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Green Bay, WI
  • | 0 reviews

UW-Green Bay is a public university known for undergraduate environmental science and business. The wooded campus borders Green Bay and includes a large arboretum with trails.

#10 Best Public Universities in Wisconsin 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA 3.16
  • Acceptance Rate 89%
  • Net Price $11,429
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Indiana University of Pennsylvania Main Campus Campus

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

IUP is a public university known for undergraduate criminology, education, and safety sciences. Students live on a residential campus in the small college town of Indiana in western Pennsylvania.

#18 Best Public Universities in Pennsylvania 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 970-1180
  • Avg GPA 3.39
  • Acceptance Rate 91%
  • Net Price $17,626
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Northern Kentucky University Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Highland Heights, KY
  • | 0 reviews
  • Aug 15 application deadline

NKU is a public university known for undergraduate nursing, business, and education. The suburban campus in Highland Heights sits just south of Cincinnati.

#4 Best Public Universities in Kentucky 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 953-1150
  • Avg GPA 3.42
  • Acceptance Rate 68%
  • Net Price $9,211
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Western Oregon University Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Monmouth, OR
  • 3.0 | 2 reviews

Western Oregon is a public university known for undergraduate teacher education and American Sign Language programs. The residential campus is in the small college town of Monmouth in the Willamette Valley.

#5 Best Public Universities in Oregon 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 868-1108
  • Avg GPA 3.36
  • Acceptance Rate 98%
  • Net Price $14,006
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University of Wisconsin Stevens Point Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Stevens Point, WI
  • 2.5 | 2 reviews
  • Sep 1 application deadline

UW-Stevens Point is a public university known for undergraduate natural resources, forestry, and paper science. The campus sits in the college town of Stevens Point in central Wisconsin.

#11 Best Public Universities in Wisconsin 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA 3.27
  • Acceptance Rate 92%
  • Net Price $14,883
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East Central University Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Ada, OK
  • | 0 reviews

East Central is a public university known for undergraduate teacher education and nursing. The campus is in the small city of Ada in south-central Oklahoma.

#5 Best Public Universities in Oklahoma 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 900-1120
  • Avg GPA 3.31
  • Acceptance Rate 58%
  • Net Price $8,565
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Saginaw Valley State University Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • University Center, MI
  • 5.0 | 1 reviews

Saginaw Valley State is a public university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and business. The campus is in University Center between Saginaw and Bay City.

#13 Best Public Universities in Michigan 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 920-1170
  • Avg GPA 3.48
  • Acceptance Rate 72%
  • Net Price $11,546
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Francis Marion University Campus

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

Francis Marion is a public university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and business. The wooded campus sits on the edge of Florence.

#9 Best Public Universities in South Carolina 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 870-1115
  • Avg GPA 3.89
  • Acceptance Rate 86%
  • Net Price $11,727
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Texas A&M University Kingsville Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Kingsville, TX
  • | 0 reviews
  • Aug 1 application deadline

Texas A&M-Kingsville is a public university known for undergraduate petroleum engineering, agriculture, and wildlife science. Students attend a campus in the small South Texas city of Kingsville.

#16 Best Public Universities in Texas 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 990-1110
  • Avg GPA 3.45
  • Acceptance Rate 91%
  • Net Price $12,812
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Indiana University Kokomo Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Kokomo, IN
  • | 0 reviews

IU Kokomo is a public regional campus of Indiana University known for undergraduate nursing, business, and education. Most students study on a compact campus in the midsize city of Kokomo.

#8 Best Public Universities in Indiana 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 960-1150
  • Avg GPA 3.29
  • Acceptance Rate 86%
  • Net Price $3,880
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California State University Monterey Bay Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Seaside, CA
  • | 0 reviews
  • Jan 15 application deadline

CSUMB is a public university known for undergraduate marine science and environmental studies. The campus sits on the former Fort Ord site overlooking Monterey Bay.

#22 Best Public Universities in California 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 960-1160
  • Avg GPA 3.45
  • Acceptance Rate 97%
  • Net Price $14,493
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Marshall University Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Huntington, WV
  • 5.0 | 1 reviews
  • Aug 10 application deadline

Marshall is a public university known for undergraduate forensic science, nursing, and business. The urban campus borders the Ohio River in Huntington.

#3 Best Public Universities in West Virginia 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 910-1150
  • Avg GPA 3.68
  • Acceptance Rate 96%
  • Net Price $8,076
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California State University Fresno Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Fresno, CA
  • 4.0 | 2 reviews
  • Dec 15 application deadline

Fresno State is a large public university known for undergraduate agriculture, viticulture, and business. Students attend classes on a large campus in California's Central Valley.

#23 Best Public Universities in California 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 890-1100
  • Predicted Avg GPA 3.12
  • Acceptance Rate 95%
  • Net Price $7,834
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Indiana University Northwest Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Gary, IN
  • | 0 reviews

IU Northwest is a public regional campus of Indiana University known for undergraduate nursing, business, and education. The urban Gary campus primarily serves commuting students from Northwest Indiana.

#9 Best Public Universities in Indiana 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 910-1180
  • Avg GPA 3.14
  • Acceptance Rate 73%
  • Net Price $5,745
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University of Wisconsin Superior Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Superior, WI
  • | 0 reviews
  • Aug 1 application deadline

UW-Superior is a small public university known for undergraduate education, business, and transportation and logistics. The lakeside campus sits on the shore of Lake Superior in northern Wisconsin.

#12 Best Public Universities in Wisconsin 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA 3.32
  • Acceptance Rate 93%
  • Net Price $13,215
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Midwestern State University Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Wichita Falls, TX
  • | 0 reviews

Midwestern State is a public liberal arts university known for undergraduate nursing and business. The campus sits in the city of Wichita Falls in North Texas.

#17 Best Public Universities in Texas 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 910-1100
  • Predicted Avg GPA 3.2
  • Acceptance Rate 94%
  • Net Price $11,215
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Fort Hays State University Campus
 

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

Fort Hays State is a public university known for undergraduate teacher education, nursing, and business. The residential campus is in the college town of Hays on the High Plains of western Kansas.

#4 Best Public Universities in Kansas 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 970-1140
  • Avg GPA 3.45
  • Acceptance Rate 90%
  • Net Price $13,186
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