The best public colleges in America for 2023, ranked

Public colleges are a popular option for higher education. They receive state funding, so tuition may be more affordable. The colleges themselves are often on the large side, frequently with more extracurricular opportunities (especially in athletics) as well as course offerings. 

But which public universities are the best for 2023? College research company Niche maintains an annual ranking, relying on student and alumni reviews, as well as data from the U.S. Department of Education regarding academics, admissions, finances, and student life.

Here's Niche's list of the best public colleges in the U.S. for 2023. All of these colleges have an A rating. (The annual tuition listed for each university is the average after students receive financial aid, like a grant or a scholarship.)

50. University of Oklahoma

The University of Oklahoma, in Norman, is a top-rated school, according to Niche. There were 18,564 people on campus in 2022, and the most popular majors are liberal arts and the humanities. 

The SAT and ACT are optional for admission, and there's an 83% acceptance rate. Annual tuition is around $21,836. Six years after graduation, the average alumnus's income is $51,100 a year.

49. University of South Carolina

The most popular major at the University of South Carolina is finance. With a student population of 26,174 in 2022, this Columbia-based campus is thriving. 

Tuition is around $21,784 a year, and the median earnings of graduates average out to $44,900 annually. 

48. Auburn University

Located in Auburn, Alabama, this college has a yearly tuition of $24,028. The most popular major is business, and the 2022 enrollment was 22,458 students.

Six years after graduation, the median income for alumni is $48,800 a year. An estimated 87% of current students feel confident they will get a job after graduating.

47. University of Mississippi

More affectionately known as "Ole Miss," this college is located in Oxford. The tuition is $13,540 a year, with graduates earning an average annual salary of $42,700 six years after earning a degree.

There were 15,485 enrolled students for 2022, and Niche places Ole Miss at No. 3 for Greek life.

46. Iowa State University

At last look, this Ames campus was home to 24,461 students, who pay around $16,105 a year. After graduation, former students can expect to make an average of $50,700 annually. 

The most popular major is mechanical engineering, and the acceptance rate is 88%.

45. University of Cincinnati

The University of Cincinnati has an A+ rating for location and is a bustling Ohio university.  As of 2022, there were 24,301 undergrads with an annual tuition of $22,767.

Most students have a mix of online and in-person classes, with marketing being the most popular major. Six years after earning a degree, students' average salary is $42,300 a year.

44. Florida International University

This Miami college is ranked highly for its campus -- and its campus food. 

The tuition is $8,988 a year, and Niche reports that 90% of graduates are working two years later, with a median income of $46,300 six years later.

43. United States Merchant Marine Academy

This relatively small college, with 1,028 undergrads, is in Kings Point, N.Y. It has a fairly steep acceptance rate: Roughly 24% of applicants get in. 

For the students who do get in, the tuition comes out to an average of $4,574 a year — with alumni earning an average annual salary of $88,100 six years after graduating. The most popular major is marine science.

One popular draw? Students spend a year at sea.

42. Arizona State University

ASU, which has an A+ diversity rating, is located in Tempe. The tuition is $14,653 and there are more than  57,000 students enrolled.

Graduates make a median of $47,700 a year after earning a degree. The most popular major is business support services.

41. University of Alabama at Birmingham

UAB is known for quality professors, who have an A+ rating. The 10,402 students pay an average of $16,978 in tuition yearly.

There's an acceptance rate of 81%, and students who graduate earn an average annual salary of $41,200 six years afterward.

40. University of Utah

The more than 18,700 students who attend this Salt Lake City college pay an average of $12,881 a year for tuition.

After earning a degree, graduates typically make an income of $53,000. The most popular major is communications. About 90% of students are employed two years after graduating.

39. University of Iowa

More than 20,000 students currently call this public college home. The annual tuition is $17,452, and the most popular major is kinesiology and exercise science.

After graduation, the average income for alumni six years out is $51,900.

38. University of Central Florida

This Orlando college had more than 43,000 undergrads in 2022. Tuition runs an average of $11,108 a year, and the campus has an A+ student-life rating.

The median earnings for graduates after six years are $45,400.

37. University of Massachusetts—Amherst

There are 22,212 students enrolled at the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 2022, more commonly referred to as UMass. The average tuition cost per year is $22,505.

According to Niche, the most common major is psychology and former students can expect to earn around $51,400 annually.

36. Michigan Technological University

The professors at Michigan Tech, located in Houghton, have an A+ rating, which is good news for the 5,778 students on campus. 

Students pay around $17,356 a year in tuition, and it reportedly pays off — the average earnings six years after graduation are $66,400. There's a 70% acceptance rate.

35. Indiana University—Bloomington

The more than 31,600 students at Indiana University—Bloomington pay an average of $13,191 a year in tuition, and 95% of graduates are employed two years after leaving school.

The most popular major by far is business.

34. Oklahoma State University

The net price of yearly tuition at OSU (located in Stillwater) is $14,763. 

A Niche poll has respondents reporting that students at the school are typically friendly. There's a 67% acceptance rate.

33. Rutgers University—New Brunswick

Located in New Brunswick, N.J., Rutgers is home to 33,788 undergrads who end up paying an average of $17,835 annually in tuition. 

The most popular major at Rutgers is information science, and Niche gives the school an A+ in diversity. Graduates earn an average of $57,900 six years after earning a degree.

32. Clemson University

This Clemson, S.C., public college has 20,021 people enrolled in undergraduate programs for 2022. In addition to an A+ rating for its athletics program, the school is also known for student life programs.

Tuition costs $22,935 a year, while alumni are making an average of $52,400 annually six years after graduating.

31. Michigan State University

Tuition at Michigan State (in East Lansing) costs students an average of $16,655 a year. Unlike many colleges. The school offers rolling admissions, so prospective students can apply at any time. There were 34,588 students in full-time enrollment for 2022.

The most popular major is advertising, and six years after getting their degrees, students earn a median $53,600 annually. 

30. University of Maryland—College Park

With a 51% acceptance rate, this is a fairly competitive school to get into.

Tuition costs $17,643 a year, but alumni report earning an average annual salary of $62,900 six years after they graduate. 

29. University of South Florida

The most popular majors at the Tampa-based school are science-based, with health-service preparatory studies at the top of the list. 

It costs students $10,004 annually for tuition, with the average earnings for graduates six years afterward coming in at $43,500 a year.

28. Colorado School of Mines

This engineering-and-science-based school is considered one of the most academically rigorous among public colleges. There were 5,201 students enrolled in 2022.

The yearly tuition is $27,675; graduates from CSM earn an average of $84,900 six years after earning their degrees. Niche gives the school an A+ for value.

27. University of Minnesota

It costs students an average of $17,729 annually to attend this Minneapolis campus. There's a 70% acceptance rate.

Neither SAT/ACT scores nor GPA averages are required for admission, but they are considered. Six years after graduating, degree-earners make around $51,900 a year.

26. University of Pittsburgh

This Pennsylvania public college has a 4:1 student-teacher ratio.

Tuition is $22,346 a year and the median earnings for students six years after graduation are $53,900 annually.

25. University of California—Santa Barbara

This college has 22,480 students enrolled, and the most popular major is sociology. It's also rated as the No. 1 party school in the U.S.

The price of yearly tuition is $17,223, while graduates earn an average of $55,300 six years after earning a degree.

24. University of California, Davis

The professors and the diversity on campus both receive an A+ rating from Niche. There were 30,186 students enrolled for 2022, and the yearly tuition average is $17,026. 

The acceptance rate is 46%, making it fairly competitive, but graduates are earning an annual salary of $58,200 six years later.

23. North Carolina State University

There are nearly 23,000 students enrolled at this school, located in Raleigh. The tuition is $14,600 a year, with Niche reporting that the most popular major is business.

Graduates are making an average of $52,500 annually six years after they leave college.

22. The Ohio State University

This Columbus college is more commonly shortened to Ohio State. Niche gives OSU A+ ratings in athletics, campus food, professors, student life and the party scene.

Tuition is $18,884 annually, and this large campus is home to nearly 43,000 students. The median earnings of degree-earners six years after graduation are $46,100 a year.

21. Purdue University

This campus is located in West Lafayette. There are 33,575 students enrolled in undergraduate programs for 2022, and tuition is $12,294 a year.

An estimated 95% of graduates are employed two years after graduating, with median earnings at $55,100 annually after six years.

20. University of California—San Diego

UC—San Diego is known for its STEM programs — the most popular major is biology. Six years after earning a degree, graduates earn an average of $59,900 a year.

There were currently 30,939 students enrolled for 2022, with annual tuition being $15,222.

19. Texas A&M University

If you're ready to root for the Aggies, this athletics-focused College Station university is ranked as a choice. There were 49,442 enrolled undergraduate students for 2022, and tuition is $19,906 a year.

Niche reports that the acceptance rate is 63%, and that the median earnings for graduates after six years are $58,000 annually. 

18. University of Washington

Located in the heart of Seattle, this school attracts many students interested in experimental psychology. There are 29,350 students enrolled at present.

The average salary six years after graduation is $57,700 a year — not necessarily bad, considering that tuition is about $9,661 annually.

17. Virginia Tech

Tuition is $20,247 a year. The Blacksburg campus has A+ ratings for its value and professors.

Six years after graduation, former students earn annually, on average, $62,500.

16. University of California—Irvine

Graduates earn an average of $58,400 annually six years after getting degrees.

There were 28,990 enrolled students for 2022, with tuition costing $13,106 a year.

15. Pennsylvania State University

Students can expect to pay $26,151 annually for tuition, with information science being the most popular major.

In the six-year time period after graduating, former students make an average of $50,100 a year.

14. College of William & Mary

Located in Williamsburg, Virginia, William & Mary dubs itself a "public Ivy" college, and Niche ranks its academics and value with an A+ rating. 

Students pay $18,588 a year for tuition. The median earnings six years after graduating are $58,500 annually.

13. Florida State University

FSU, in Tallahassee, has a 32% acceptance rate. There were 29,072 students enrolled in undergraduate programs in 2022.

Tuition is $12,815 annually, with students making $46,400 a year in median earnings six years after graduating.

12. University of Illinois—Urbana-Champaign

In 2022, the school served 32,107 students from all over the world. Neither SAT/ACT scores nor high school GPA are required.

Students end up paying $13,517 in tuition on average. Six years after graduating, however, degree earners are making a median of $61,500 a year.

11. University of Wisconsin—Madison

UW—Madison ranks highly in academics and athletics, and professors and party scenes — so students work hard and party hard.

In 2022, 30,063 undergraduate students were enrolled. Tuition costs a median of $14,030 annually, while the average earnings of graduates six years later are $56,200 a year.

10. University of Georgia

In 2022, this Athens college was home to 27,888 undergraduate students, who are paying $16,580 a year for tuition, on average.

The median earnings of a graduate six years later are $50,500 annually. The most popular major, according to Niche, is finance.

9. University of California—Berkeley

People who want to get into UC—Berkeley have to work hard: The acceptance rate is 17%. For students who do get in, the graduation rate is 92%.

The 29,300 students on campus in 2022 were paying an average annual tuition of $19,329 a year, with graduates earning $64,700 annually after six years.

8. University of Texas at Austin

Students (all 37,404 of them) tend to love UT—Austin for its A+ ratings in athletics, academics, and student life.

The net price of tuition is $16,892 a year, but the median earnings for students six years after graduation are $58,200 annually.

7. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

UNC tuition is, on average, $10,038 a year. Niche found that the most popular major on campus is communications.

But what are students earning six years after graduating? On average, it's $55,600 a year.

6. University of Florida

Overall, the No. 1 college for athletics is UF, located in Gainesville. But it also ranks highly in academics, with the most popular major being biology.

The average price of tuition is $10,075 a year. In the six years after earning a degree, graduates make a median of $56,000 annually.

5. United States Military Academy

Most people refer to this college as West Point, after its location in New York. The school has A+ ratings in safety, academics and value. 

The acceptance rate is only 9% — the lowest on this list. That's because if you get in, there is no tuition, as students who get into West Point are part of the U.S. Army and thus eligible for free college, board and medical care.

There were 4,536 students on campus in 2022.

4. University of Virginia

This competitive Charlottesville college is known for its liberal arts and humanities majors. 

The median net price of tuition is $19,043 annually.

For graduating students, the average earnings are $61,200 a year, six years later.

3. Georgia Institute of Technology

Georgia Tech calls bustling Atlanta home, which may be why Niche has given the location an A+ rating. Its famous engineering school is considered one of the country's best. 

There were 14,485 enrolled undergraduate students for 2022, with tuition costing, on average, $17,410 a year. Six years after graduation, the median earnings for students are $79,100.

2. University of Michigan

Located in Ann Arbor, this school is one of the best public colleges in the U.S. The median yearly tuition is $17,832.

The most popular major is information science, and the school has a 26% acceptance rate, making it competitive. Six years after getting a degree, graduates earn $63,400 a year.

1. University of California—Los Angeles

UCLA has an A+ ranking in almost all of the categories that Niche rates.

With a fairly small acceptance rate of 17%, the school's the most popular major is economics. The net price of tuition is $16,474 a year. 

The median earnings for students six years after graduation are $60,700 a year.