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
Massachusetts Maritime Academy Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Buzzards Bay, MA
  • | 0 reviews
  • Apr 15 application deadline

Mass Maritime is a public maritime academy known for undergraduate marine transportation, marine engineering, and maritime business. Most students join a regiment of cadets on a campus along the Cape Cod Canal in Buzzards Bay.

#2 Best Public Universities in Massachusetts 7/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1030-1185
  • Avg GPA 3.25
  • Acceptance Rate 95%
  • Net Price $13,546
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University of Oregon Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Eugene, OR
  • 5.0 | 4 reviews
  • Jan 15 application deadline

Oregon is a large public university known for undergraduate journalism, architecture, and business. Eugene is a classic college town built around the campus.

#2 Best Public Universities in Oregon 7/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1130-1360
  • Avg GPA 3.73
  • Acceptance Rate 88%
  • Net Price $24,605
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CUNY Queens College Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Queens, NY
  • 4.0 | 1 reviews

Queens College is a public CUNY college known for undergraduate music through the Aaron Copland School of Music and for education. The tree-lined campus is in Flushing, Queens.

#15 Best Public Universities in New York 7/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1010-1290
  • Avg GPA 3.0
  • Acceptance Rate 64%
  • Net Price $5,728
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Louisiana State University Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Baton Rouge, LA
  • 4.7 | 3 reviews
  • Jul 15 application deadline

LSU is a large public university known for undergraduate petroleum engineering, agriculture, and business. The campus sits along the Mississippi River in Baton Rouge.

#1 Best Public Universities in Louisiana 7/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1180-1340
  • Avg GPA 3.77
  • Acceptance Rate 73%
  • Net Price $21,430
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SUNY at Purchase College Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Purchase, NY
  • 5.0 | 1 reviews
  • Jul 1 application deadline

Purchase is a public college known for undergraduate performing arts, visual arts, and film. The suburban Westchester campus sits near New York City.

#16 Best Public Universities in New York 7/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1185-1380
  • Avg GPA 3.37
  • Acceptance Rate 74%
  • Net Price $18,211
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Salisbury University Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Salisbury, MD
  • 5.0 | 1 reviews
  • Jan 15 application deadline

Salisbury is a public university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and business. The campus sits in a small city on Maryland's Eastern Shore.

#4 Best Public Universities in Maryland 7/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1180-1320
  • Avg GPA 3.73
  • Acceptance Rate 87%
  • Net Price $18,760
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San Diego State University Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • San Diego, CA
  • 4.7 | 3 reviews
  • Nov 30 application deadline

SDSU is a large public university known for undergraduate international business, hospitality management, and communications. The urban campus sits in San Diego's College Area with Spanish Colonial Revival buildings.

#10 Best Public Universities in California 7/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1090-1300
  • Avg GPA 3.82
  • Acceptance Rate 36%
  • Net Price $14,704
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Colorado State University Fort Collins Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Fort Collins, CO
  • 5.0 | 3 reviews
  • Jul 1 application deadline

Colorado State is a large public university known for undergraduate natural resources, agriculture, and engineering. The campus sits in the college town of Fort Collins near the Rocky Mountain foothills.

#4 Best Public Universities in Colorado 7/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1080-1290
  • Avg GPA 3.68
  • Acceptance Rate 89%
  • Net Price $21,011
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Western Washington University Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Bellingham, WA
  • 5.0 | 2 reviews
  • Jan 31 application deadline

Western Washington is a public university known for undergraduate environmental science and education. The hillside campus overlooks Bellingham Bay near the Cascade Mountains.

#2 Best Public Universities in Washington 7/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1150-1390
  • Avg GPA 3.46
  • Acceptance Rate 93%
  • Net Price $24,338
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University of Massachusetts Lowell Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Lowell, MA
  • 3.5 | 2 reviews
  • Feb 15 application deadline

UMass Lowell is a public university known for undergraduate engineering, nursing, and sciences. The urban campus sits along the Merrimack River in Lowell.

#3 Best Public Universities in Massachusetts 7/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1180-1370
  • Avg GPA 3.67
  • Acceptance Rate 83%
  • Net Price $16,530
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University of Mississippi Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • University, MS
  • 5.0 | 3 reviews

Ole Miss is a large public university known for undergraduate accountancy and business. Oxford is a classic college town built around the campus.

#1 Best Value in Mississippi 7/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1000-1200
  • Avg GPA 3.6
  • Acceptance Rate 97%
  • Net Price $15,045
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University of Nevada Reno Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Reno, NV
  • 5.0 | 4 reviews
  • Apr 7 application deadline

Nevada is a large public university known for undergraduate mining engineering, earth sciences, and journalism. The Reno campus sits near the base of the Sierra Nevada and Lake Tahoe.

#1 Best Value in Nevada 7/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1060-1290
  • Avg GPA 3.4
  • Acceptance Rate 74%
  • Net Price $17,226
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SUNY Maritime College Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Throggs Neck, NY
  • 5.0 | 1 reviews
  • Jan 31 application deadline

SUNY Maritime is a public maritime college known for undergraduate marine transportation, marine engineering, and naval architecture. The waterfront campus occupies historic Fort Schuyler on the Throggs Neck peninsula in the Bronx.

#17 Best Public Universities in New York 7/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1123-1288
  • Avg GPA 3.4
  • Acceptance Rate 72%
  • Net Price $20,312
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Christopher Newport University Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Newport News, VA
  • 3.2 | 4 reviews
  • Feb 1 application deadline

Christopher Newport is a public liberal arts university known for undergraduate leadership studies and political science. The residential campus in Newport News features classical Georgian architecture.

#8 Best Public Universities in Virginia 7/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1060-1290
  • Avg GPA 3.79
  • Acceptance Rate 86%
  • Net Price $23,148
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University of Nebraska Lincoln Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Lincoln, NE
  • | 0 reviews
  • May 1 application deadline

Nebraska is a large public university known for undergraduate agriculture, engineering, and journalism. Students attend classes on a large campus in Lincoln, the state capital.

#1 Best Public Universities in Nebraska 7/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1098-1330
  • Avg GPA 3.63
  • Acceptance Rate 87%
  • Net Price $18,322
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University of North Dakota Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Grand Forks, ND
  • | 0 reviews
  • Aug 17 application deadline

UND is a public university known for undergraduate aviation and aerospace sciences. The campus sits in a college-town setting in Grand Forks near the Minnesota border.

#1 Best Public Universities in North Dakota 7/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1110-1290
  • Avg GPA 3.5
  • Acceptance Rate 77%
  • Net Price $18,076
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College of Charleston Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Charleston, SC
  • | 0 reviews
  • Jan 15 application deadline

College of Charleston is a public liberal arts college known for undergraduate marine biology and historic preservation. The historic campus sits in downtown Charleston near the harbor.

#4 Best Public Universities in South Carolina 7/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1140-1310
  • Avg GPA 3.94
  • Acceptance Rate 60%
  • Net Price $21,004
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University of North Carolina Wilmington Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Wilmington, NC
  • 3.4 | 5 reviews
  • Feb 1 application deadline

UNCW is a public university known for undergraduate marine biology and coastal sciences. The campus sits in coastal Wilmington near the Atlantic beaches.

#4 Best Public Universities in North Carolina 7/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1230-1340
  • Predicted Avg GPA 3.56
  • Acceptance Rate 64%
  • Net Price $18,976
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