Often, the most top-ranked public universities are ranked together with private colleges. However, publicly financed schools usually tend to be overlooked by students and parents for the more prestigious private schools.
Regardless, whichever program you wish to pursue or whatever your career aspirations are, we assure you these institutions will help you get through.
Like private colleges, there are several benefits associated with pursuing your education from a public university. In this definitive guide, you will learn everything regarding how public universities differ from private universities and get an overview of some of the best public universities across the United States.
What is a Public University?
A public university mainly receives its financing, either via a national or state government. They usually comprise more significantly sized classes, thrice the number of students, and a massive selection of course programs and student activities compared to private institutes.
In the United States, every state comprises at least one or more publicly funded universities. Most of the public universities date far back. They were set up for the primary purpose of offering education to people in the vicinity.
This is why you will most likely see scholarships, tuitions at discounted prices, or immediate acceptance opportunities for individuals living in-state.
Benefits of Attending a Public University
Public universities in the United States have so much to offer to a wide range of students. Since these colleges and universities are publicly funded, it means the tuition prices are genuinely less pricey compared to the tuition you will pay at a private institute. This is primarily because the government sponsors most of the colleges’ operations instead of the students.
Even with low-cost tuitions, public institutes offer a superior-quality education that can lead students to outstanding employment opportunities. Moreover, with the rising education costs in the United States, it is highly recommended to not overlook the value of education from a public university.
Public institute education is equally competent as private institute education, based on the aspects most students prioritize. Besides, some of the best colleges have already started to make it to the top in ranking charts, even though they are not as selective as the prestigious private universities.
The Best Public Universities in the United States
Here are some of the most highest-ranked public colleges and universities in the United States that are indeed worth considering and enrolling yourself in.
University of Michigan – Ann Arbor
The University of Michigan is situated in Ann Arbor. It is known as one of the largest public universities offering four-year graduate and undergraduate programs.
Some of the most common majors it offers include psychology and childhood development, business management and administration, computer information systems (CIS), and political government and sciences.
Known as one of the best 5 employers of the state, the University of Michigan provides substantial discounts to students who live in-state.
University of California – Berkeley
Getting admission to the University of California Berkeley is quite challenging and competitive, mainly because it only has an acceptance rate of 17%. Nonetheless, UC Berkeley offers some of the most popular majors for students include cellular computer science, cellular biology, and economics.
Known to be a highly significant academic institution in the San Francisco Bay Area, UC Berkeley offers good tuition discounts to in-state students. Moreover, it produces worthy alumni who are capable of earning an average starting salary of $46,000.
University of Washington – Seattle
The University of Washington is indeed, one of the most unique and advanced public universities in the world. The institute offers almost 275 foreign programs for individuals worldwide.
Still, it is primarily known for its robust medical school, engineering, and computer science programs. The large campus incorporates multiple study areas and is surrounded by dozens of shopping, activities, and lovely restaurants.
Baruch College (CUNY)
The CUNY Bernard M Baruch College comprises students from over 168 different countries. The Baruch College campus is situated in Midtown New York City. Altogether, it lets students choose their programs from 4 different schools, namely:
- Austin W. Marxe School of International & Public Affairs
- Zicklin School of Business
- The School of Continuing and Professional Studies
- The Weissman School of Arts and Sciences
The school is known for its ability to effectively register students with low-income and turn them into qualified graduates with well-paid jobs.
University of Florida
Indeed, the University of Florida is a remarkable public university that goes way out of its comfort zone to achieve excellence, which can be measured by its worldwide impact.
Moreover, it boasts over 200 services, research, and educational centers committed to enhancing its impact via research. The Clinical and Translational Science Institute is continually working on developing scientific findings into medical treatments for individuals.
University of Maryland – College Park
The University of Maryland is also another excellent public university option that has made it to our list. It offers approximately 92 distinctive undergrad majors, 83 doctoral programs, and 107 Master’s degree programs.
During 2016-2017, the University of Maryland’s alumni consisted of 17 Fulbright scholars. It was also titled the 15th most advanced institute across the country.
With time, the University of Maryland gradually expanded into other fields, including liberal arts and engineering, with a mission to spread knowledge across areas significant to the nation, state, and the world.
The University of Texas at Austin
The rich and powerful history of the University of Texas at Austin has made it a world-class research and public-service university today.
It is one of the best public universities that offers ample learning opportunities and contributes to society’s advancements by serving the people through its government-funded programs and services.
It incorporates over 3,000 teaching faculty members and 51,000 students and specializes in majors like health studies, business studies, and social sciences.
The University of Illinois – Urbana Champaign
The University of Illinois is frequently addressed as a public Ivy League school. Its robust computer science, business, engineering, physics, and history programs attract students from various parts of the world at distinct points of their lives.
The institute’s student body comprises fresh students and older people looking forward to learning new subjects. The university has a charming historic campus and offers a wide array of activities. Moreover, it brags the most extensive public university library in America.
Binghamton University
Binghamton University was ranked as the 8th best public university by Forbes sometime earlier and still continues to be an outstanding university today. Their faculty comprises some of the best scholars that excel in their respective fields, including several Ford, Fulbright, and Guggenheim scholars.
The Binghamton campus features 6 residential communities. Each is facilitated with a separate learning community to cultivate smaller and more expert learning perspectives and experiences.
Pennsylvania State University – University Park
The Pennsylvania State University is well-reputed for its engineering programs, along with education, agriculture, and musical theatre. The Schreyer Honors College is indeed one of the university’s most significant selling points.
Every year, it accepts almost 300 students. Schreyer scholars are awarded approximately $8 million in the form of scholarships and grant money every year, making Pennsylvania State University one of the most affordable and remarkable public universities in the United States.
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