50 Best Public Colleges and Universities of 2021

Public colleges and universities account for almost 75 percent of all undergraduate students in the U.S. The best public colleges provide broad access to reputable degree programs, affordable tuition, and sprawling educational communities.

By AI Staff

What is a public college? And what is the difference between a private and public college?

Public colleges are schools that receive most of their funding from tax revenues. As a result, the cost of a 4-year degree at a public university is often lower than the cost at a private college, especially for students attending a public school in their state. According to the National Center for Educational Statistics, the average annual cost (tuition, fees, room and board for full-time students) at a 4-year public university was slightly over $20,000. In contrast, private universities cost, on average, nearly $43,000 annually.

Public and private colleges and universities operate under different business models — one is a private company with private funding, the other is owned by the state and receives state and federal funding to operate. If you’re weighing the pros and cons of private vs public college, consider that many public colleges provide diverse course offerings, influential professors, and an excellent return on your investment.

The following list of the best public colleges and universities is composed entirely of schools offering four-year undergraduate degree programs. We’ve identified 637 public universities in the United States. In order to be included in this list of best public colleges and universities, a school needs to satisfy the following three conditions:

It must receive direct funding from the state.
It must be fully accredited.
Its student body must have at least 1,000 students.

How do we determine the best public colleges and universities?

The people affiliated with a school are ultimately what make it great. This is why, at the undergraduate level, we rank the best colleges and universities based on what we call Concentrated Influence. Concentrated Influence takes the combined influence score of a college or university’s top academic influencers (including faculty and alums) and divides it by the school’s total number of undergraduates.

Using concentrated influence gives small and mid-sized schools an opportunity to shine by taking away the size advantage of larger universities. A small school with proportionately more influential faculty than a large school, whose influence in absolute terms may be bigger, will nonetheless score higher in a concentrated influence ranking. Our approach highlights undergraduate schools that truly rank for excellence, regardless of size.

If you are serious about finding the best colleges and universities for a bachelor’s degree, you should be asking where the most influential professors are teaching and whether their graduates are themselves advancing the school’s reputation for academic excellence.

Most ranking sites rely on an opaque combination of reputation surveys and arbitrary performance metrics. Concentrated Influence provides a ranking that is free from bias, insulated from manipulation, and reflective of real-world educational outcomes.

Find out more about our ranking methodology here.

These are the best public colleges and universities in the US!– @AcademicInflux
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The Best Public Colleges & Universities

#1
University of California, Berkeley
#6 institution's overall influence
#29 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$14K
Acceptance
15%
Graduation
92%
Student body
41K
Median SAT/ACT
1425/33
Berkeley, CA
View profile
What is University of California, Berkeley known for?
University of California, Berkeley is most influential in:
Biology
Chemistry
Physics
Mathematics
Earth Sciences
Engineering
Computer Science
Sociology
Anthropology
Philosophy
#2
University of Michigan
#15 institution's overall influence
#37 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$16K
Acceptance
23%
Graduation
91%
Student body
42K
Median SAT/ACT
1420/32
Ann Arbor, MI
View profile
What is University of Michigan known for?
University of Michigan is most influential in:
Social Work
Psychology
Anthropology
Sociology
Engineering
Education
History
Medical
Computer Science
Mathematics
#3
University of Virginia
#44 institution's overall influence
#40 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$17K
Acceptance
26%
Graduation
94%
Student body
24K
Median SAT/ACT
1415/32
Charlottesville, VA
View profile
What is University of Virginia known for?
University of Virginia is most influential in:
Religious Studies
Literature
Law
Economics
History
Education
Medical
Political Science
Business
Psychology
#4
University of California, Los Angeles
#23 institution's overall influence
#31 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$13K
Acceptance
14%
Graduation
91%
Student body
44K
Median SAT/ACT
1405/32
Los Angeles, CA
View profile
What is University of California, Los Angeles known for?
University of California, Los Angeles is most influential in:
History
Mathematics
Chemistry
Philosophy
Computer Science
Business
Political Science
Nursing
Economics
Earth Sciences
#5
United States Military Academy
#38 institution's overall influence
#55 overall school desirability
Acceptance
11%
Graduation
86%
Student body
6K
Median SAT/ACT
1245/30
West Point, NY
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What is United States Military Academy known for?
United States Military Academy is most influential in:
Law
History
Engineering
Business
Mathematics
Literature
Political Science
Chemistry
Physics
#6
United States Naval Academy
#85 institution's overall influence
#52 overall school desirability
Acceptance
9%
Graduation
89%
Student body
5K
Median SAT/ACT
1260/29
Annapolis, MD
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What is United States Naval Academy known for?
United States Naval Academy is most influential in:
Engineering
History
Physics
Political Science
Mathematics
Chemistry
Earth Sciences
Literature
Computer Science
Economics
#7
University of California, San Diego
#48 institution's overall influence
#71 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$14K
Acceptance
30%
Graduation
87%
Student body
36K
Median SAT/ACT
1365/30
La Jolla, CA
View profile
What is University of California, San Diego known for?
University of California, San Diego is most influential in:
Earth Sciences
Physics
Biology
Chemistry
Mathematics
Computer Science
Philosophy
Engineering
Medical
Psychology
#8
University of Wisconsin–Madison
#25 institution's overall influence
#216 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$11K
Acceptance
52%
Graduation
85%
Student body
36K
Median SAT/ACT
1365/29
Madison, WI
View profile
What is University of Wisconsin–Madison known for?
University of Wisconsin–Madison is most influential in:
Sociology
History
Chemistry
Biology
Physics
Mathematics
Psychology
Economics
Social Work
Education
#9
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
#75 institution's overall influence
#38 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$9K
Acceptance
23%
Graduation
91%
Student body
25K
Median SAT/ACT
1375/31
Chapel Hill, NC
View profile
What is University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill known for?
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is most influential in:
History
Law
Political Science
Business
Communications
Mathematics
Chemistry
Nursing
Religious Studies
Education
#10
William & Mary
#126 institution's overall influence
#53 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$22K
Acceptance
37%
Graduation
91%
Student body
8K
Median SAT/ACT
1400/31
Williamsburg, VA
View profile
What is William & Mary known for?
William & Mary is most influential in:
Law
History
Education
Business
Philosophy
Political Science
Religious Studies
Literature
Economics
Earth Sciences
#11
University of Washington
#42 institution's overall influence
#69 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$11K
Acceptance
49%
Graduation
84%
Student body
46K
Median SAT/ACT
1340/29
Seattle, WA
View profile
What is University of Washington known for?
University of Washington is most influential in:
Nursing
Biology
Computer Science
Anthropology
Medical
Political Science
Criminal Justice
Economics
Earth Sciences
Social Work
#12
City College of New York
#58 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$7K
Acceptance
48%
Graduation
47%
Student body
13K
New York, NY
View profile
What is City College of New York known for?
City College of New York is most influential in:
Literature
Psychology
Social Work
Physics
Law
Economics
Mathematics
Philosophy
Sociology
Communications
#13
Brooklyn College
#116 institution's overall influence
#1381 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$7K
Acceptance
44%
Graduation
51%
Student body
15K
Brooklyn, NY
View profile
What is Brooklyn College known for?
Brooklyn College is most influential in:
Psychology
Anthropology
Political Science
Literature
Philosophy
History
Economics
Sociology
Education
Business
#14
University of Texas at Austin
#43 institution's overall influence
#43 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$11K
Acceptance
39%
Graduation
81%
Student body
45K
Median SAT/ACT
1355/30
Austin, TX
View profile
What is University of Texas at Austin known for?
University of Texas at Austin is most influential in:
Physics
Earth Sciences
Computer Science
Mathematics
Communications
Chemistry
Engineering
History
Psychology
Sociology
#15
University of California, Santa Barbara
#94 institution's overall influence
#100 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$14K
Acceptance
32%
Graduation
82%
Student body
26K
Median SAT/ACT
1345/30
Santa Barbara, CA
View profile
What is University of California, Santa Barbara known for?
University of California, Santa Barbara is most influential in:
Religious Studies
Physics
Earth Sciences
Anthropology
Psychology
Mathematics
Sociology
Computer Science
Chemistry
Biology
#16
University of Iowa
#56 institution's overall influence
#369 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$9K
Acceptance
83%
Graduation
72%
Student body
27K
Median SAT/ACT
1225/25
Iowa City, IA
View profile
What is University of Iowa known for?
University of Iowa is most influential in:
Literature
Psychology
History
Nursing
Communications
Political Science
Economics
Education
Mathematics
Philosophy
#17
University of Pittsburgh
#71 institution's overall influence
#987 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$19K
Acceptance
59%
Graduation
81%
Student body
27K
Median SAT/ACT
1350/30
Pittsburgh, PA
View profile
What is University of Pittsburgh known for?
University of Pittsburgh is most influential in:
Social Work
Philosophy
Medical
Biology
Sociology
Psychology
Chemistry
Nursing
Computer Science
History
#18
University of California, Santa Cruz
#167 institution's overall influence
#734 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$14K
Acceptance
47%
Graduation
77%
Student body
20K
Median SAT/ACT
1295/29
Santa Cruz, CA
View profile
What is University of California, Santa Cruz known for?
University of California, Santa Cruz is most influential in:
Anthropology
Earth Sciences
Biology
Computer Science
Physics
Sociology
Psychology
Literature
Philosophy
Mathematics
#19
University of Minnesota
#33 institution's overall influence
#890 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$15K
Acceptance
52%
Graduation
78%
Student body
44K
Median SAT/ACT
1375/28
Minneapolis, MN
View profile
What is University of Minnesota known for?
University of Minnesota is most influential in:
Nursing
Education
Psychology
Medical
Economics
Physics
Chemistry
Political Science
Earth Sciences
Social Work
#20
University of Maryland
#77 institution's overall influence
#214 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$11K
Acceptance
47%
Graduation
87%
Student body
35K
Median SAT/ACT
1380/31
College Park, MD
View profile
What is University of Maryland known for?
University of Maryland is most influential in:
Criminal Justice
Communications
Physics
Sociology
Economics
Computer Science
Earth Sciences
Mathematics
Business
Engineering
#21
Stony Brook University
#164 institution's overall influence
#1211 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$10K
Acceptance
42%
Graduation
72%
Student body
24K
Median SAT/ACT
1325/28
Stony Brook, NY
View profile
What is Stony Brook University known for?
Stony Brook University is most influential in:
Mathematics
Physics
Biology
Sociology
Computer Science
Religious Studies
Chemistry
Philosophy
Anthropology
Psychology
#22
University of Utah
#74 institution's overall influence
#1235 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$9K
Acceptance
67%
Graduation
65%
Student body
27K
Median SAT/ACT
1240/25
Salt Lake City, UT
View profile
What is University of Utah known for?
University of Utah is most influential in:
Computer Science
Chemistry
Biology
History
Engineering
Religious Studies
Communications
Business
Medical
Education
#23
State University of New York at Purchase
#735 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$9K
Acceptance
65%
Graduation
62%
Student body
4K
Median SAT/ACT
1165/24
Purchase, NY
View profile
What is State University of New York at Purchase known for?
State University of New York at Purchase is most influential in:
Anthropology
Economics
Philosophy
Sociology
Political Science
Literature
Chemistry
Education
Biology
Communications
#24
Purdue University
#54 institution's overall influence
#1204 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$10K
Acceptance
58%
Graduation
77%
Student body
40K
Median SAT/ACT
1295/28
West Lafayette, IN
View profile
What is Purdue University known for?
Purdue University is most influential in:
Engineering
Mathematics
Physics
Chemistry
Nursing
Computer Science
Communications
Business
Education
Biology
#25
Georgia Institute of Technology
#145 institution's overall influence
#39 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$12K
Acceptance
22%
Graduation
86%
Student body
28K
Median SAT/ACT
1465/32
Atlanta, GA
View profile
What is Georgia Institute of Technology known for?
Georgia Institute of Technology is most influential in:
Engineering
Computer Science
Chemistry
Communications
Business
Physics
Mathematics
Earth Sciences
History
Biology
#26
United States Air Force Academy
#409 institution's overall influence
#57 overall school desirability
Acceptance
11%
Graduation
83%
Student body
5K
Median SAT/ACT
1320/30
USAF Academy, CO
View profile
What is United States Air Force Academy known for?
United States Air Force Academy is most influential in:
Engineering
Political Science
Computer Science
Physics
Mathematics
Economics
Chemistry
Law
History
Psychology
#27
University of California, Davis
#117 institution's overall influence
#163 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$14K
Acceptance
41%
Graduation
85%
Student body
35K
Median SAT/ACT
1280/28
Davis, CA
View profile
What is University of California, Davis known for?
University of California, Davis is most influential in:
Biology
Earth Sciences
Anthropology
Mathematics
Economics
Sociology
Criminal Justice
Computer Science
Chemistry
Engineering
#28
University of Arizona
#84 institution's overall influence
#605 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$12K
Acceptance
84%
Graduation
60%
Student body
39K
Median SAT/ACT
1190/24
Tucson, AZ
View profile
What is University of Arizona known for?
University of Arizona is most influential in:
Anthropology
Sociology
Physics
Biology
Chemistry
Earth Sciences
Philosophy
Psychology
Political Science
Criminal Justice
#29
University of Massachusetts Amherst
#132 institution's overall influence
#953 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$16K
Acceptance
60%
Graduation
76%
Student body
28K
Median SAT/ACT
1295/28
Amherst, MA
View profile
What is University of Massachusetts Amherst known for?
University of Massachusetts Amherst is most influential in:
Earth Sciences
Economics
Computer Science
Literature
Social Work
Business
Education
Political Science
Communications
Criminal Justice
#30
University of Oregon
#130 institution's overall influence
#547 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$12K
Acceptance
83%
Graduation
72%
Student body
22K
Median SAT/ACT
1185/25
Eugene, OR
View profile
What is University of Oregon known for?
University of Oregon is most influential in:
Psychology
Sociology
Literature
Philosophy
Communications
Mathematics
Anthropology
Computer Science
Biology
Political Science
#31
Virginia Military Institute
#381 institution's overall influence
#124 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$19K
Acceptance
51%
Graduation
78%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1205/27
Lexington, VA
View profile
What is Virginia Military Institute known for?
Virginia Military Institute is most influential in:
History
Engineering
Mathematics
Literature
Chemistry
Political Science
#32
Evergreen State College
#732 institution's overall influence
#346 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$8K
Acceptance
95%
Graduation
56%
Student body
4K
Olympia, WA
View profile
What is Evergreen State College known for?
Evergreen State College is most influential in:
Biology
Political Science
Education
#33
University at Buffalo
#98 institution's overall influence
#1348 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$10K
Acceptance
56%
Graduation
74%
Student body
27K
Median SAT/ACT
1245/26
Buffalo, NY
View profile
What is University at Buffalo known for?
University at Buffalo is most influential in:
Sociology
Anthropology
Philosophy
Literature
Social Work
Psychology
Economics
History
Communications
Medical
#34
George Mason University
#200 institution's overall influence
#548 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$12K
Acceptance
81%
Graduation
70%
Student body
30K
Median SAT/ACT
1220/27
Fairfax, VA
View profile
What is George Mason University known for?
George Mason University is most influential in:
Economics
Criminal Justice
Earth Sciences
Political Science
Business
Sociology
Law
Philosophy
Computer Science
Anthropology
#35
University of California, Irvine
#102 institution's overall influence
#87 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$14K
Acceptance
29%
Graduation
87%
Student body
36K
Median SAT/ACT
1300/29
Irvine, CA
View profile
What is University of California, Irvine known for?
University of California, Irvine is most influential in:
Philosophy
Religious Studies
Political Science
Computer Science
Sociology
Earth Sciences
Literature
Anthropology
Mathematics
Biology
#36
Hunter College
#180 institution's overall influence
#1193 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$7K
Acceptance
36%
Graduation
53%
Student body
19K
New York, NY
View profile
What is Hunter College known for?
Hunter College is most influential in:
Literature
Social Work
Philosophy
Anthropology
History
Nursing
Education
Political Science
Mathematics
Economics
#37
University of Colorado Denver
#695 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$9K
Acceptance
64%
Graduation
48%
Student body
16K
Median SAT/ACT
1115/23
Denver, CO
View profile
What is University of Colorado Denver known for?
University of Colorado Denver is most influential in:
Mathematics
Physics
Psychology
Biology
Medical
Criminal Justice
Computer Science
Chemistry
Nursing
Engineering
#38
University of Massachusetts Boston
#404 institution's overall influence
#641 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$14K
Acceptance
78%
Graduation
45%
Student body
13K
Boston, MA
View profile
What is University of Massachusetts Boston known for?
University of Massachusetts Boston is most influential in:
Nursing
Criminal Justice
Biology
Chemistry
Computer Science
Sociology
Mathematics
Economics
Political Science
Psychology
#39
University of Florida
#101 institution's overall influence
#45 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$6K
Acceptance
39%
Graduation
87%
Student body
45K
Median SAT/ACT
1360/29
Gainesville, FL
View profile
What is University of Florida known for?
University of Florida is most influential in:
History
Nursing
Chemistry
Anthropology
Engineering
Biology
Medical
Criminal Justice
Business
Economics
#40
University of Missouri
#127 institution's overall influence
#1169 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$10K
Acceptance
78%
Graduation
68%
Student body
26K
Median SAT/ACT
1190/26
Columbia, MO
View profile
What is University of Missouri known for?
University of Missouri is most influential in:
Economics
Communications
Sociology
Business
Nursing
Psychology
Engineering
Political Science
History
Education
#41
University of New Mexico
#225 institution's overall influence
#1170 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$8K
Acceptance
70%
Graduation
44%
Student body
20K
Median SAT/ACT
1150/22
Albuquerque, NM
View profile
What is University of New Mexico known for?
University of New Mexico is most influential in:
Anthropology
Mathematics
Literature
Earth Sciences
Physics
Biology
Computer Science
Sociology
History
Philosophy
#42
University of Montana
#438 institution's overall influence
#417 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$7K
Acceptance
88%
Graduation
48%
Student body
9K
Median SAT/ACT
1150/23
Missoula, MT
View profile
What is University of Montana known for?
University of Montana is most influential in:
Chemistry
Earth Sciences
Physics
Anthropology
Biology
Literature
History
Mathematics
Political Science
Law
#43
Michigan State University
#103 institution's overall influence
#1461 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$16K
Acceptance
78%
Graduation
78%
Student body
43K
Median SAT/ACT
1210/26
East Lansing, MI
View profile
What is Michigan State University known for?
Michigan State University is most influential in:
Criminal Justice
Nursing
Education
Psychology
Business
History
Biology
Communications
Sociology
Engineering
#44
University of Tennessee, Knoxville
#172 institution's overall influence
#1285 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$13K
Acceptance
78%
Graduation
69%
Student body
26K
Median SAT/ACT
1240/28
Knoxville, TN
View profile
What is University of Tennessee, Knoxville known for?
University of Tennessee, Knoxville is most influential in:
Economics
History
Criminal Justice
Business
Anthropology
Chemistry
Biology
Medical
Literature
Engineering
#45
University of California, Riverside
#289 institution's overall influence
#919 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$14K
Acceptance
51%
Graduation
73%
Student body
23K
Median SAT/ACT
1220/26
Riverside, CA
View profile
What is University of California, Riverside known for?
University of California, Riverside is most influential in:
Sociology
Religious Studies
Earth Sciences
Biology
Chemistry
Physics
Political Science
Economics
Literature
Anthropology
#46
Wayne State University
#232 institution's overall influence
#842 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$14K
Acceptance
71%
Graduation
39%
Student body
20K
Median SAT/ACT
1110/24
Detroit, MI
View profile
What is Wayne State University known for?
Wayne State University is most influential in:
Nursing
Social Work
Medical
Chemistry
Philosophy
Criminal Justice
Computer Science
Engineering
Political Science
Business
#47
North Carolina State University
#196 institution's overall influence
#176 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$9K
Acceptance
47%
Graduation
78%
Student body
30K
Median SAT/ACT
1320/29
Raleigh, NC
View profile
What is North Carolina State University known for?
North Carolina State University is most influential in:
Engineering
Physics
Biology
Computer Science
Mathematics
Chemistry
Business
History
Economics
Communications
#48
Binghamton University
#328 institution's overall influence
#1143 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$10K
Acceptance
40%
Graduation
83%
Student body
17K
Median SAT/ACT
1375/30
Vestal, NY
View profile
What is Binghamton University known for?
Binghamton University is most influential in:
Anthropology
Sociology
Political Science
Philosophy
Literature
Economics
History
Psychology
Earth Sciences
Computer Science
#49
Queens College
#273 institution's overall influence
#1468 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$7K
Acceptance
48%
Graduation
60%
Student body
16K
Queens, NY
View profile
What is Queens College known for?
Queens College is most influential in:
Anthropology
Literature
Philosophy
Sociology
Psychology
Biology
Mathematics
Computer Science
Political Science
Physics
#50
University of Illinois at Chicago
#215 institution's overall influence
#795 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$15K
Acceptance
76%
Graduation
58%
Student body
26K
Median SAT/ACT
1120/24
Chicago, IL
View profile
What is University of Illinois at Chicago known for?
University of Illinois at Chicago is most influential in:
Criminal Justice
Philosophy
Social Work
Mathematics
Biology
Medical
Political Science
Engineering
Computer Science
Physics