With Ivy Leagues and Liberal Arts Colleges, private universities typically dominate the college search conversations. But, you would be missing out if you didn’t also consider these public universities offering top tier programs!
Public colleges and universities are typically founded and operated by state government entities. Each U.S. state has at least one public university, with some larger states boasting more than 30. Since public universities are partly funded by the state government, they offer discounted tuition to state residents, making it a lot more affordable for students to go to college within their home state.
While the more popular public universities are all large research universities, it’s important to know that there are also medium to small public colleges with an undergraduate enrollment of under 12,000 students.
Here are the top 20 public universities in the US:
List taken from U.S. News & World Report 2018 Top Public Schools Ranking. The ranking is evaluated based on graduation and retention rates, academic reputation, faculty resources, financial resources, alumni giving rate and more.
1. (tie) UC Berkeley
In-State: $14,098
Out-of-State: $42,112
Undergraduate Enrollment: 29,311 (~7,321 per graduating class)
1. (tie) UCLA
In-State: $13,256
Out-of-State: $41,270
Undergraduate Enrollment: 30,873 (~7,718 per graduating class)
3. University of Virginia
In-State: $16,146
Out-of-State: $46,975
Undergraduate Enrollment: 16,331 (~4,082 per graduating class)
4. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
In-State: $14,826
Out-of-State: $47,476
Undergraduate Enrollment: 28,983 (~7,245 per graduating class)
5. University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill
In-State: $9,005
Out-of-State: $34,588
Undergraduate Enrollment: 18,523 (~4,630 per graduating class)
6. College of William & Mary
In-State: $20,287
Out-of-State: $43,099
Undergraduate Enrollment: 6,726 (~1,681 per graduating class)
7. Georgia Institute of Technology
In-State: $12,418
Out-of-State: $33,014
Undergraduate Enrollment: 15,489 (~3,872 per graduating class)
8. UC Santa Barbara
In-State: $14,409
Out-of-State: $42,423
Undergraduate Enrollment: 21,574 (~5,393 per graduating class)
9. (tie) UC Irvine
In-State: $15,516
Out-of-State: $43,530
Undergraduate Enrollment: 27,331 (~6,832 per graduating class)
9. (tie) UC San Diego
In-State: $16,183
Out-of-State: $44,197
Undergraduate Enrollment: 28,127 (~5,393 per graduating class)
9. (tie) University of Florida
In-State: $6,381
Out-of-State: $28,658
Undergraduate Enrollment: 34,554 (~8,636 per graduating class)
12. (tie) UC Davis
In-State: $14,382
Out-of-State: $42,396
Undergraduate Enrollment: 29,546 (~7,386 per graduating class)
12. (tie) University of Wisconsin - Madison
In-State: $10,533
Out-of-State: $34,782
Undergraduate Enrollment: 31,710 (~5,393 per graduating class)
14. (tie) Pennsylvania State University - University Park
In-State: $18,436
Out-of-State: $33,664
Undergraduate Enrollment: 41,359 (~10,339 per graduating class)
14. (tie) University of Illinois - Urbana Champaign
In-State: $15,868
Out-of-State: $31,988
Undergraduate Enrollment: 33,932 (~8,483 per graduating class)
Question: What I Like about My School’s Location & Culture?
Student Advice from Dziura2, Illinois ‘16:
“U of I was not my first choice in schools, but after I found a roommate that I clicked with online on a facebook group, I felt a little better about the school. Today, I can say that I do not regret coming to U of I because I have had some of the most amazing experiences of my life in school and have met some of the kindest and most amazing people. Although U of I isa gigantic school, it is certainly not difficult to find friends in classes or in clubs, or even just at the library. People are extremely friendly and are always willing to make conversation. What I like most about my school is the tremendous amount of opportunities available to students to further their personal and academic growth. There are several opportunities to do research, more clubs than I can even count, and so many majors to choose from. At U of I, you can count on finding a group of people that will share similar interests with you!”
View her full UIUC application file to learn more about her application journey!
16. (tie) Ohio State University - Columbus
In-State: $10,591
Out-of-State: $29,659
Undergraduate Enrollment: 45,831 (~10,339 per graduating class)
16. (tie) University of Georgia
In-State: $11,818
Out-of-State: $30,392
Undergraduate Enrollment: 27,951 (~6,987 per graduating class)
18. (tie) Purdue University—West Lafayette
In-State: $10,002
Out-of-State: $28,804
Undergraduate Enrollment: 30,043 (~7,510 per graduating class)
18. (tie) University of Connecticut
In-State: $14,880
Out-of-State: $36,948
Undergraduate Enrollment: 19,324 (~4,831 per graduating class)
18. (tie) University of Texas - Austin
In-State: $10,136
Out-of-State: $35,766
Undergraduate Enrollment: 40,168 (~10,042 per graduating class)
Question: What I Like about My School’s Location & Culture?
Student Advice from UT Austin59805, UT Austin ‘17:
”I love everything about my university, University of Texas at Austin. The location is very convenient - around local and chain restaurants, bus stops, shopping areas, and night life. The campus is beautiful and is very safe. Austin is a beautiful city with so much to do - let’s just say you will NEVER be bored. Whether it’s kayaking, partying, hiking, or just roaming around the city, there is always something to do when you aren’t studying. The Longhorn spirit at UT is overwhelming and extraordinary. I always look forward to football seasons because it’s the best time of the year! I love the support that the students show for all our athletic teams. UT is overall an exceptional choice for undergrad. Everyone falls in love with the culture and the burnt orange pride.”
View her full UT Austin59805 application file to learn more about her application journey!
18. (tie) University of Washington
In-State: $10,974
Out-of-State: $35,538
Undergraduate Enrollment: 30,933 (7,733 per graduating class)
Majority of the public universities on this list fit the stereotypical understanding of public schools: extremely large, big student-to-faculty ratio, and lots research opportunities. While there are proportionally large public research universities, there are also smaller public colleges like the College of William and Mary. Dive deep into your research in each school to see if the schools offer what you are looking for in college. Here’s a guide to help you narrow down your college list. We hope you find the school that is the best fit for you with AdmitSee’s database of successful college application files.
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