Best Public Colleges
The majority of students attend a public college in their home state. For many, it’s the most affordable option. If you live in one of the states below, set your sights on these nationally competitive public universities.
Published on Aug. 12, 2019. Sources: U.S. Department of Education, Peterson's, PayScale.com, MONEY/College Measures calculations.
College Name Overall MONEY Rank | Median SAT/ACT score | Est. price 2019-20 without aid | Est. price 2019-20 with avg. grant | % with need who get grants | Average student debt | Early career earnings |
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College Name Overall MONEY Rank | Median SAT/ACT score | Est. price 2019-20 without aid | Est. price 2019-20 with avg. grant | % with need who get grants | Average student debt | Early career earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 1 Irvine, CA | 1260/29 | $35,400 | $14,900 | 96% | $16,500 | $57,700 |
2 2 New York, NY | 1270/NA | $33,200 | $4,900 | 92% | $10,720 | $57,100 |
4 3 Los Angeles, CA | 1340/32 | $35,400 | $15,800 | 96% | $15,000 | $60,000 |
5 4 Davis, CA | 1250/29 | $37,300 | $17,600 | 97% | $14,000 | $59,400 |
8 5 Ann Arbor, MI | 1420/32 | $30,800 | $17,500 | 80% | $19,150 | $62,000 |
9 6 La Jolla, CA | 1310/30 | $33,600 | $15,600 | 94% | $17,500 | $61,300 |
10 7 Charlottesville, VA | 1410/31 | $33,600 | $17,700 | 86% | $19,000 | $62,300 |
11 8 Berkeley, CA | 1370/32 | $38,600 | $19,400 | 93% | $13,200 | $68,300 |
12 9 Riverside, CA | 1200/26 | $36,200 | $13,200 | 98% | $19,000 | $54,000 |
13 10 Long Beach, CA | 1130/23 | $25,100 | $10,300 | 80% | $15,000 | $51,100 |
18 11 College Station, TX | 1250/28 | $29,700 | $20,900 | 82% | $18,520 | $59,000 |
20 12 Champaign, IL | 1420/29 | $31,400 | $17,800 | 83% | $20,130 | $61,000 |
21 13 Gainesville, FL | 1320/30 | $22,100 | $16,300 | 63% | $16,200 | $54,200 |
22 14 Fullerton, CA | 1100/22 | $28,600 | $9,100 | 81% | $14,800 | $49,400 |
22 14 Seattle, WA | 1310/30 | $27,800 | $10,100 | 85% | $15,000 | $59,900 |
25 16 Buzzards Bay, MA | 1120/23 | $26,800 | $15,500 | 65% | $26,930 | $67,200 |
27 17 Atlanta, GA | 1310/32 | $30,000 | $16,900 | 52% | $23,750 | $70,800 |
28 18 Austin, TX | 1340/30 | $26,600 | $15,300 | 81% | $21,500 | $59,100 |
29 19 Northridge, CA | 1020/20 | $23,100 | $6,400 | 85% | $13,830 | $49,600 |
30 20 Santa Barbara, CA | 1300/31 | $37,700 | $17,200 | 95% | $16,300 | $57,300 |
33 21 Vestal, NY | 1360/30 | $27,300 | $17,900 | 81% | $19,500 | $58,900 |
34 22 Blacksburg, VA | 1270/28 | $27,400 | $20,000 | 71% | $23,250 | $60,900 |
35 23 Brooklyn, NY | 1130/NA | $36,500 | $4,400 | 82% | $10,500 | $50,100 |
36 24 Los Angeles, CA | 990/18 | $26,000 | $4,200 | 96% | $12,500 | $49,200 |
40 25 Raleigh, NC | 1310/29 | $24,800 | $14,300 | 91% | $20,710 | $55,800 |
41 26 | 1120/24 | $27,200 | $13,500 | 80% | $18,500 | $56,000 |
42 27 Storrs, CT | 1300/29 | $32,400 | $20,000 | 72% | $21,500 | $57,700 |
43 28 College Park, MD | 1380/31 | $27,700 | $18,400 | 76% | $19,500 | $60,000 |
45 29 Williamsburg, VA | 1390/31 | $39,000 | $18,600 | 87% | $19,340 | $57,100 |
46 30 Madison, WI | 1370/29 | $26,800 | $17,000 | 79% | $22,240 | $55,700 |
47 31 Stony Brook, NY | 1310/29 | $26,600 | $15,300 | 85% | $18,960 | $57,000 |
48 32 Ewing, NJ | 1250/NA | $36,000 | $24,400 | 42% | $23,250 | $57,200 |
49 33 Lexington, VA | 1190/26 | $32,000 | $17,200 | 76% | $23,900 | $63,900 |
50 34 New Brunswick, NJ | 1300/NA | $33,000 | $17,100 | 70% | $22,250 | $57,800 |
51 35 Fresno, CA | 1010/19 | $21,300 | $6,300 | 89% | $14,370 | $49,800 |
52 36 Chapel Hill, NC | 1370/31 | $26,700 | $11,800 | 89% | $16,660 | $53,500 |
53 37 New York, NY | 1060/NA | $35,400 | $5,200 | 78% | $10,000 | $44,600 |
55 38 West Lafayette, IN | 1270/28 | $23,800 | $12,900 | 73% | $20,430 | $60,200 |
56 39 Chico, CA | 1080/22 | $25,500 | $15,100 | 79% | $16,750 | $55,100 |
57 40 Harrisonburg, VA | 1180/26 | $27,300 | $17,200 | 52% | $20,500 | $55,800 |
59 41 East Lansing, MI | 1210/26 | $29,700 | $17,800 | 71% | $25,200 | $53,900 |
63 42 Seaside, CA | 1070/21 | $24,400 | $12,000 | 82% | $13,750 | $48,700 |
64 43 Fairfax, VA | 1200/27 | $30,500 | $19,900 | 82% | $19,500 | $57,200 |
68 44 Turlock, CA | NA/NA | $21,500 | $7,200 | 88% | $14,220 | $48,000 |
69 45 Newark, DE | 1230/27 | $29,000 | $17,400 | 83% | $24,250 | $56,700 |
70 46 San Bernardino, CA | 1000/19 | $25,300 | $9,300 | 95% | $15,000 | $47,900 |
71 47 | 1230/26 | $28,500 | $19,400 | 92% | $19,200 | $51,800 |
73 48 Chicago, IL | 1210/23 | $32,000 | $12,700 | 82% | $18,110 | $55,000 |
74 49 San Diego, CA | 1190/26 | $29,500 | $14,300 | 72% | $15,000 | $53,400 |
75 50 San Luis Obispo, CA | 1290/29 | $28,400 | $20,300 | 88% | $18,630 | $63,500 |
Rank
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Blacksburg, VA
Money rank
34
Median SAT/ACT score
1270/28
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Syracuse, NY
Money rank
71
Median SAT/ACT score
1230/26
50
San Luis Obispo, CA
Money rank
75
Median SAT/ACT score
1290/29
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