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 Connecticut Stamford Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Stamford, CT
  • | 0 reviews

UConn Stamford is a public regional campus known for undergraduate business and digital media. The urban campus sits in downtown Stamford.

#2 Best Public Universities in Connecticut 6/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 930-1260
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 83%
  • Net Price $15,566
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Penn State Erie Behrend College Campus

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

Penn State Behrend is a public college campus of Penn State known for undergraduate engineering, plastics engineering, and business. The wooded campus sits on a former estate outside downtown Erie.

#3 Best Public Universities in Pennsylvania 6/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1120-1310
  • Predicted Avg GPA 3.49
  • Acceptance Rate 97%
  • Net Price $23,764
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Northern Illinois University Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Dekalb, IL
  • 3.2 | 5 reviews
  • Aug 1 application deadline

NIU is a large public university known for undergraduate business, education, and the visual arts. The residential campus is in the college town of DeKalb west of Chicago.

#4 Best Public Universities in Illinois 6/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 940-1170
  • Avg GPA 3.3
  • Acceptance Rate 70%
  • Net Price $14,243
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Utah State University Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Logan, UT
  • 5.0 | 2 reviews

Utah State is a large public university known for undergraduate agriculture, natural resources, and engineering. Logan is a college town in northern Utah's Cache Valley.

#3 Best Value Colleges in Utah 6/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1070-1290
  • Avg GPA 3.63
  • Acceptance Rate 92%
  • Net Price $15,788
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Tennessee Technological University Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Cookeville, TN
  • | 0 reviews
  • Aug 1 application deadline

Tennessee Tech is a public university known for undergraduate engineering and technology. The campus sits in the college town of Cookeville on the Cumberland Plateau.

#2 Best Public Universities in Tennessee 6/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1048-1310
  • Avg GPA 3.63
  • Acceptance Rate 76%
  • Net Price $15,336
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Illinois State University Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Normal, IL
  • 4.8 | 4 reviews
  • Apr 1 application deadline

Illinois State is a large public university known for undergraduate teacher education, nursing, and business. The residential campus sits in the college town of Normal, next to Bloomington.

#5 Best Public Universities in Illinois 6/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 990-1210
  • Avg GPA 3.41
  • Acceptance Rate 88%
  • Net Price $21,369
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West Chester University of Pennsylvania Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • West Chester, PA
  • | 0 reviews

West Chester is a public university known for undergraduate teacher education, music, and nursing. The campus sits in the historic borough of West Chester near Philadelphia.

#4 Best Public Universities in Pennsylvania 6/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1100-1270
  • Avg GPA 3.43
  • Acceptance Rate 78%
  • Net Price $22,546
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Radford University Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Radford, VA
  • 3.5 | 2 reviews

Radford is a public university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and business. The campus sits in a small college town in southwestern Virginia's New River Valley.

#11 Best Public Universities in Virginia 6/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 940-1160
  • Avg GPA 3.31
  • Acceptance Rate 90%
  • Net Price $16,749
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University of Pittsburgh Bradford Campus

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

Pitt-Bradford is a public regional campus of the University of Pittsburgh known for undergraduate nursing, biology, and business. The rural campus lies near the Allegheny National Forest in northwestern Pennsylvania.

#5 Best Public Universities in Pennsylvania 6/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1010-1200
  • Avg GPA 3.28
  • Acceptance Rate 89%
  • Net Price $15,830
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Kansas State University Campus

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

Kansas State is a large public university known for undergraduate agriculture, animal sciences, and architecture. The residential campus anchors the college town of Manhattan in the Flint Hills.

#2 Best Colleges in Kansas 6/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1060-1260
  • Avg GPA 3.77
  • Acceptance Rate 82%
  • Net Price $20,527
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University of Maine Campus

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

UMaine is a large public university known for undergraduate engineering, forestry, and marine sciences. The wooded campus sits along the Stillwater River in the college town of Orono.

#1 Best Public Universities in Maine 6/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1070-1330
  • Avg GPA 3.42
  • Acceptance Rate 97%
  • Net Price $18,061
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Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Edwardsville, IL
  • | 0 reviews
  • May 1 application deadline

SIUE is a public university known for undergraduate nursing, business, and education. The large wooded campus sits in the St. Louis metro area.

#6 Best Public Universities in Illinois 6/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 950-1190
  • Avg GPA 3.54
  • Acceptance Rate 97%
  • Net Price $17,115
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Ohio University Main Campus Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Athens, OH
  • 4.5 | 4 reviews
  • Feb 1 application deadline

Ohio University is a large public university known for undergraduate journalism and communications. Athens is a classic college town built around the residential campus.

#4 Best Public Universities in Ohio 6/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1090-1290
  • Avg GPA 3.59
  • Acceptance Rate 85%
  • Net Price $21,907
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The University of Texas at Tyler Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Tyler, TX
  • 5.0 | 1 reviews
  • Aug 24 application deadline

UT Tyler is a public university known for undergraduate nursing, health sciences, and engineering. The campus is in the East Texas city of Tyler.

#6 Best Public Universities in Texas 6/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1010-1200
  • Avg GPA 3.44
  • Acceptance Rate 94%
  • Net Price $14,476
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Winona State University Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Winona, MN
  • | 0 reviews
  • Jul 1 application deadline

Winona State is a public university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and business. The campus sits along the Mississippi River in Minnesota's bluff country.

#2 Best Public Universities in Minnesota 6/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 980-1250
  • Avg GPA 3.44
  • Acceptance Rate 75%
  • Net Price $18,289
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California State University Long Beach Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Long Beach, CA
  • 5.0 | 1 reviews
  • Nov 30 application deadline

Cal State Long Beach is a large public university known for undergraduate art and design, nursing, and business. The campus sits near the Pacific coast in the Los Angeles metro area.

#11 Best Public Universities in California 6/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1020-1240
  • Avg GPA 3.7
  • Acceptance Rate 46%
  • Net Price $10,607
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University of Pittsburgh Johnstown Campus

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

Pitt-Johnstown is a public regional campus of the University of Pittsburgh known for undergraduate engineering and nursing. The residential campus sits on a wooded hillside in Pennsylvania's Laurel Highlands.

#6 Best Public Universities in Pennsylvania 6/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 985-1220
  • Avg GPA 3.57
  • Acceptance Rate 95%
  • Net Price $18,452
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University of North Carolina at Charlotte Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Charlotte, NC
  • | 0 reviews
  • Jun 1 application deadline

UNC Charlotte is a large public university known for undergraduate business, engineering, and architecture. The suburban campus sits in North Carolina's largest city.

#6 Best Public Universities in North Carolina 6/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1140-1330
  • Avg GPA 3.57
  • Acceptance Rate 80%
  • Net Price $15,045
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