Best Public Universities (2026)
The best public universities in America — offering in-state affordability with top-tier outcomes. Ranked by median graduate earnings and filtered for graduation rates above 50%.
Showing top 50 of 273 qualifying colleges
273
Qualifying Colleges
$16,669
Avg Net Price
54%
Avg Acceptance Rate
$77,392
Avg Graduate Earnings
Top 6 — Best Public Universities (2026)
Full Rankings — Top 50
Atlanta, GA · Public
$11,764 → $102,772/yr
In-State / Earnings
San Luis Obispo, CA · Public
$11,075 → $90,768/yr
In-State / Earnings
Charlottesville, VA · Public
$20,986 → $86,863/yr
In-State / Earnings
Rolla, MO · Public
$14,278 → $82,957/yr
In-State / Earnings
College Park, MD · Public
$11,505 → $82,860/yr
In-State / Earnings
Los Angeles, CA · Public
$13,747 → $82,511/yr
In-State / Earnings
Blacksburg, VA · Public
$15,478 → $81,698/yr
In-State / Earnings
Champaign, IL · Public
$16,004 → $81,054/yr
In-State / Earnings
Seattle, WA · Public
$12,643 → $78,466/yr
In-State / Earnings
Bothell, WA · Public
$12,559 → $78,466/yr
In-State / Earnings
Santa Barbara, CA · Public
$14,965 → $74,915/yr
In-State / Earnings
Chapel Hill, NC · Public
$8,989 → $72,200/yr
In-State / Earnings
College Station, TX · Public
$13,099 → $72,097/yr
In-State / Earnings
Pomona, CA · Public
$7,439 → $71,902/yr
In-State / Earnings
Baltimore, MD · Public
$12,952 → $69,960/yr
In-State / Earnings
Minneapolis, MN · Public
$16,488 → $69,020/yr
In-State / Earnings
Rankings are based on data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Rankings do not reflect editorial opinion and are generated algorithmically based on publicly available outcomes data.