50 Best Public Grad Schools 2023

50 Best Public Grad Schools 2023
By James Barham
Published:
Updated:

When graduate students need to make significant financial contributions to their graduate education, it makes sense to attend a public university over a private one.

10 Best Public Grad Schools in the US

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  1. University of California, Berkeley
    2. 87%
  2. University of Michigan
    3. 83%
  3. University of California, Los Angeles
    4. 78%
  4. University of Wisconsin–Madison
    5. 75%
  5. University of Minnesota
    6. 74%
  6. University of Washington
    7. 73%
  7. University of Texas at Austin
    8. 73%
  8. University of Virginia
    9. 72%
  9. University of California, San Diego
    10. 70%
  10. Purdue University
    11. 69%
  1. University of New Mexico
    2. 97%
  2. University of Utah
    3. 95%
  3. University of Oregon
    4. 93%
  4. University of Kansas
    5. 92%
  5. George Mason University
    6. 91%
  6. Arizona State University
    7. 88%
  7. University of Arizona
    8. 87%
  8. University of Iowa
    9. 86%
  9. Indiana University Bloomington
    10. 85%
  10. University of Oklahoma
    11. 85%
  1. University of California, Santa Cruz
    2. 25 to 1
  2. University of Houston
    3. 23 to 1
  3. University of California, Riverside
    4. 22 to 1
  4. Florida State University
    5. 21 to 1
  5. University of Washington
    6. 20 to 1
  6. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
    7. 20 to 1
  7. University of Oklahoma
    8. 20 to 1
  8. University of California, Davis
    9. 20 to 1
  9. Texas A&M University
    10. 19 to 1
  10. Ohio State University
    11. 19 to 1
  1. University of Pittsburgh
    2. $19,092
  2. University of Michigan
    3. $16,865
  3. University of Virginia
    4. $16,547
  4. Temple University
    5. $16,488
  5. Michigan State University
    6. $15,966
  6. University of Massachusetts Amherst
    7. $15,791
  7. University of Connecticut
    8. $15,030
  8. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
    9. $14,446
  9. University of Minnesota
    10. $13,532
  10. University of Illinois Chicago
    11. $12,253
  1. University of Michigan
    2. $24,902
  2. University of Pittsburgh
    3. $24,118
  3. Michigan State University
    4. $19,714
  4. University of Minnesota
    5. $17,844
  5. University of Virginia
    6. $17,674
  6. University of Connecticut
    7. $17,532
  7. Temple University
    8. $17,388
  8. University of Washington
    9. $16,605
  9. University of Oregon
    10. $15,714
  10. University of Maryland, College Park
    11. $15,360
  1. University of California, Riverside
    2. 54%
  2. University of Illinois Chicago
    3. 55%
  3. University of New Mexico
    4. 56%
  4. North Carolina State University
    5. 56%
  5. Virginia Tech
    6. 57%
  6. University of Tennessee
    7. 58%
  7. University of Connecticut
    8. 58%
  8. University of Colorado Boulder
    9. 58%
  9. Georgia Tech
    10. 59%
  10. University at Buffalo
    11. 59%
  1. University of California, Los Angeles
    2. 11%
  2. University of California, Berkeley
    3. 14%
  3. Georgia Tech
    4. 16%
  4. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
    5. 20%
  5. University of Michigan
    6. 20%
  6. University of Virginia
    7. 21%
  7. University of California, Santa Barbara
    8. 29%
  8. University of Texas at Austin
    9. 29%
  9. University of California, Irvine
    10. 29%
  10. University of Florida
    11. 30%
  1. University of Michigan
    2. 11 to 1
  2. Purdue University
    3. 13 to 1
  3. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
    4. 13 to 1
  4. Temple University
    5. 13 to 1
  5. Virginia Tech
    6. 14 to 1
  6. University at Buffalo
    7. 14 to 1
  7. University of Pittsburgh
    8. 14 to 1
  8. North Carolina State University
    9. 14 to 1
  9. University of Virginia
    10. 15 to 1
  10. City College of New York
    11. 15 to 1
  1. University of Florida
    2. $4,477
  2. Florida State University
    3. $4,640
  3. University of Oklahoma
    4. $4,920
  4. North Carolina State University
    5. $6,535
  5. University of New Mexico
    6. $6,605
  6. City College of New York
    7. $6,930
  7. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
    8. $7,019
  8. University at Buffalo
    9. $7,070
  9. Stony Brook University
    10. $7,070
  10. University of Utah
    11. $7,749
  1. University of New Mexico
    2. $6,050
  2. Texas A&M University
    3. $6,885
  3. University of Utah
    4. $6,970
  4. University of Oklahoma
    5. $8,034
  5. University of Houston
    6. $8,713
  6. University of Georgia
    7. $8,878
  7. North Carolina State University
    8. $9,095
  8. Florida State University
    9. $9,684
  9. Purdue University
    10. $9,718
  10. Indiana University Bloomington
    11. $9,909

Featured Programs

Public universities have an advantage over private universities when cost is an issue. For much of graduate education, cost is not an issue. Students going to graduate school often receive tuition remission and stipends, in which case it makes no financial difference going to a public or private university. But even though many graduate programs offer tuition remission and stipends, many do not.

Professional schools, such as business, law, and medicine, where it is assumed that those graduating with an advanced degree will earn a good salary on account of the degree, typically charge full tuition. The same tends to hold for students with an undergraduate degree who need to do some additional “leveling” work in order to get into a doctoral program. They will often first have to obtain a master’s degree. Such “terminal” master’s degrees, as they’re called, typically don’t come with tuition remission or stipends: the schools realize that they are serving as a springboard to another program and therefore charge accordingly (often full price). In such circumstances, where graduate students need to make significant financial contributions to their graduate education, it makes sense to attend a public university in one’s state, where the costs, because subsidized by tax dollars, will tend to be a lot lower than for comparable programs at public universities.

How can you choose the best graduate school for you?

A good answer to this question looks to your personal and professional goals. Certain professions will require you to earn an advanced degree. In other cases, an advanced degree can make you eligible for leadership roles and higher pay. For instance, the best graduate schools for education can improve your earnings as a teacher, make you eligible for tenure, or help you meet the basic threshold for continued employment. On the other hand, the best graduate schools for business can simply make you a more competitive candidate for job openings and management roles.

The best graduate school for you should have a stellar reputation and employ highly influential professors across the board and especially in your area of study. Indeed, much exciting academic work these days is cross-disciplinary, and for such work to flourish it helps to be at a school that is strong across discipines. The following list is composed of only private graduate schools.

Best Public Grad Schools 2022
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We’ve identified 302 public colleges and universities that meet our criteria. In order to be included in this list of best graduate schools, a university must be a fully accredited public non-profit institution, and must offer doctoral degrees and a broad range of advanced degrees.

50 Best Public Grad Schools in the US

  1. #1

    University of California, Berkeley

    Berkeley , CA
    #1 Most Affordable Colleges and Universities in the U.S. 2023 #1 50 Best Public Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2023 #1 Best Value Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2023 #4 Best Universities in the US Ranked for Prospective Students in 2023
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $14K

    Acceptance

    14%

    Graduation

    93%

    Student body

    43K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1420/32

    What is University of California, Berkeley known for?

    University of California, Berkeley’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

    Most Influential Alumni

  2. #2

    University of Michigan

    Ann Arbor , MI
    #2 Most Affordable Colleges and Universities in the U.S. 2023 #2 50 Best Public Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2023 #2 Best Value Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2023 #6 Top Schools that Offer Free Master's Degrees Online
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $17K

    Acceptance

    20%

    Graduation

    94%

    Student body

    44K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1430/32

    What is University of Michigan known for?

    University of Michigan’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

    Most Influential Alumni

  3. #3

    University of California, Los Angeles

    Los Angeles , CA
    #3 Most Affordable Colleges and Universities in the U.S. 2023 #3 50 Best Public Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2023 #3 Best Value Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2023 #13 Best Universities in the US Ranked for Prospective Students in 2023
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $13K

    Acceptance

    11%

    Graduation

    92%

    Student body

    46K

    What is University of California, Los Angeles known for?

    University of California, Los Angeles’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

    Most Influential Alumni

  5. #5

    University of Washington

    Seattle , WA
    #4 Most Affordable Colleges and Universities in the U.S. 2023 #5 50 Best Public Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2023 #7 Best Value Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2023 #8 Top Schools that Offer Free Master's Degrees Online
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $12K

    Acceptance

    53%

    Graduation

    84%

    Student body

    44K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1326/30

    What is University of Washington known for?

    University of Washington’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

    Most Influential Alumni

  7. #6

    University of Texas at Austin

    Austin , TX
    #4 Best Value Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2023 #5 Most Affordable Colleges and Universities in the U.S. 2023 #10 50 Best Public Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2023 #20 Best Universities in the US Ranked for Prospective Students in 2023
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $12K

    Acceptance

    29%

    Graduation

    88%

    Student body

    45K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1340/29

    What is University of Texas at Austin known for?

    University of Texas at Austin’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

    Most Influential Alumni

  11. #10

    University of Virginia

    Charlottesville , VA
    #4 50 Best Public Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2023 #5 Best Value Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2023 #9 Most Affordable Colleges and Universities in the U.S. 2023 #10 Top Schools that Offer Free Master's Degrees Online
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $20K

    Acceptance

    21%

    Graduation

    94%

    Student body

    25K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1415/32

    What is University of Virginia known for?

    University of Virginia’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

    Most Influential Alumni

  19. #16

    University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

    Chapel Hill , NC
    #6 Best Value Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2023 #7 Top Schools that Offer Free Master's Degrees Online #7 50 Best Public Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2023 #17 Most Affordable Colleges and Universities in the U.S. 2023
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $9K

    Acceptance

    20%

    Graduation

    90%

    Student body

    25K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1385/30

    What is University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill known for?

    University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

    Most Influential Alumni

  28. #24

    University of Florida

    Gainesville , FL
    #8 Best Value Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2023 #16 Most Affordable Colleges and Universities in the U.S. 2023 #20 Most Affordable Graduate Schools Ranked for 2023 #1 Most Affordable Colleges in Florida 2023
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $6K

    Acceptance

    30%

    Graduation

    91%

    Student body

    48K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1375/31

    What is University of Florida known for?

    University of Florida’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

    Most Influential Alumni

Find the Best Grad Schools in Each State

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Find the Best Online Master’s Programs in Each State

The 50 Best Online Master’s Programs in the US

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Find the Best Public Grad Schools in Your Area of Interest

The best public grad schools by discipline

Resources for Prospective Grad Students

Whether you’re just getting started on your college search, you’re looking for survival tips on your way to a bachelor’s degree, or you’re preparing for the transition into grad school, we’ve got guides, how to’s and tons of other valuable resources to keep you moving forward in your educational journey.

2021 Ranking Archive
  1. University of California, Berkeley
  2. University of Michigan
  3. University of California, Los Angeles
  4. University of California, San Diego
  5. University of Washington
  6. University of Texas at Austin
  7. University of Wisconsin–Madison
  8. University of Minnesota
  9. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
  10. University of Virginia
  11. Purdue University
  12. University of Maryland, College Park
  13. University of Arizona
  14. University of Iowa
  15. University of California, Santa Barbara
  16. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  17. University of California, Davis
  18. University of Pittsburgh
  19. University of Utah
  20. Pennsylvania State University
  21. Michigan State University
  22. Arizona State University
  23. University of California, Irvine
  24. University of Florida
  25. University of California, Santa Cruz
  26. University of Massachusetts Amherst
  27. Stony Brook University
  28. George Mason University
  29. Ohio State University
  30. University at Buffalo
  31. University of Colorado Boulder
  32. Florida State University
  33. University of Oregon
  34. Georgia Tech
  35. University of Missouri
  36. University of Georgia
  37. Virginia Tech
  38. Texas A&M University
  39. North Carolina State University
  40. City College of New York
  41. University of Tennessee
  42. Temple University
  43. Indiana University Bloomington
  44. University of California, Riverside
  45. University of Houston
  46. University of Illinois Chicago
  47. University of New Mexico
  48. University of Kansas
  49. University of Oklahoma
  50. University of Connecticut

Photo Credit: University of California, Berkeley, Wheeler Hall, By Bob Collowan, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.

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