Public colleges and universities account for almost 75 percent of all undergraduate students in the U.S. The best public colleges in Connecticut provide broad access to reputable degree programs, affordable tuition, and sprawling educational communities.
As the fourth oldest learning institute in the United States, Yale enrolls just over 15,000 students at its New Haven campus. Higher education in Connecticut includes both public and private institutions that offer associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees. With 19 public schools and 20 private schools, students have a variety to choose from. Tuition for most of the state’s community colleges averages $4,000, while the cost for other public schools ranges from $8,000 to $16,000.
Students interested in psychology, economics, and communications can check out the University of Connecticut (UConn), which is home to the premier research institute for ecological psychology. Sacred Heart University, a Roman Catholic university, is known for its religious studies and business programs. And those looking for a smaller student population may want to check out Manchester Community College, which enrolls about 4000 students and offers affordable degrees in literature, biology, and social work.
Students in Connecticut can choose from a variety of higher education experiences fitting a full spectrum of budgets and career goals. Learn more and begin earning your degree from one of Connecticut’s top colleges or universities.
Public and private colleges and universities operate under different business models. Public colleges and universities are owned by the state and receive both state and federal funding to operate. Private colleges and universities are private companies with private funding. If you’re looking at the pros and cons of private vs. public colleges, consider that many public colleges provide diverse course offerings, influential professors, and an excellent return on your investment.
Public colleges are schools that receive most of their funding from tax revenues. As a result, the cost of a bachelor’s degree at a public university is often lower than the equivalent cost at a private college — especially for students attending a public school in their home state. Attending a college in-state is usually the cheapest option. Private universities and colleges can be very competitive with their funding opportunities, so do not simply believe that private colleges are always going to be more expensive. According to National Center for Educational Statistics, the average annual cost (tuition, fees, room and board for full-time students) at a public university was slightly over $20,000. In contrast, private universities cost, on average, nearly $43,000 annually. But in the end, the cost of college comes down to each student’s academic and financial situation.
This list is composed entirely of public colleges and universities that offer bachelor’s degrees. We’ve identified 7 public universities in Connecticut. To be included in our list of the best public colleges in Connecticut, shcools must receive direct funding from the state, be fully accredited, and offer a broad range of bachelor’s degress.
Tuition + fees
$18K
Acceptance
56%
Graduation
83%
Student body
24K
Median SAT/ACT
1305/29
University of Connecticut’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$12K
Acceptance
65%
Graduation
52%
Student body
9K
Median SAT/ACT
1065/20
Central Connecticut State University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$12K
Acceptance
80%
Graduation
51%
Student body
9K
Median SAT/ACT
1000/20
Southern Connecticut State University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Acceptance
20%
Graduation
86%
Student body
1K
Median SAT/ACT
1305/27
United States Coast Guard Academy’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$12K
Acceptance
81%
Graduation
51%
Student body
5K
Western Connecticut State University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$9K
Student body
<1K
Charter Oak State College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$12K
Acceptance
70%
Graduation
56%
Student body
4K
Eastern Connecticut State University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Many of our 2022 undergraduate focused rankings look considerably different than 2021. That’s because we took a fundamentally different apporach. For 2021 we utiulized our Concentrated Influence algorithm, designed to take away the size advantage larger schools have when we rank their faculty and alumni’s academic influence. Concentrated influence highlights smaller schools that are proportionally as successful as larger universities at cultivating influential alumni and faculty.