Public Universities in The USA: Know the Ins and Outs

At first glance, you may be confused about which universities in the USA are actually public universities. Lucky for you, we're here to help you learn more about public universities in the USA!

What is a Public University?

In contrast to private universities, public universities are funded primarily by the state government through tax revenues and subsidies. These institutions, which range in size from small liberal art colleges to large research institutions, can be found in each state in the USA.

Now, let's deep dive into the features of public universities in the USA!

Bigger in size

Generally, public universities are larger as there are more students enrolled. This is partly due to in-state tuition, which allows locals to pay lower tuition than students from other states or countries. In some cases, public universities are even required to accept a certain number of students from their home states in order to keep their funding. As a result, the admissions process can be more competitive, although they collect a bigger application pool. 

Apart from having larger campuses, public universities also have larger classes, with some holding hundreds of students. Public universities also offer more facilities to meet their students' needs, including restaurants, bowling alleys, and movie theaters.

Wider selection of extracurricular activities and clubs

Due to a large number of enrolled students, you can easily find hundreds of student organizations, ranging from general interests to specific ones. On top of that, there will be more social events, campus performances, and extracurricular activities. 

Lower tuition fees

One of the common factors in deciding which university to choose is the tuition costs. When compared to private universities, public universities typically charge lower tuition prices. 

Public universities have an average tuition fee of $35,000 USD to $47,000 USD per year, while private universities can charge more than $50,000 USD per year.

Longer list of programs

As a result of their size, public universities tend to offer a wider array of degree programs and faculty. That means if you're still unsure of what you want to study, or planning to study a difficult-to-find degree or something specific, attending a public university will suit you. 

Top public universities in the USA

There may be a lot of public universities, but you can choose the best of the best. Furthermore, these are the top-ranked public universities in the Best Colleges rankings for 2022 according to US News:

1. UC Los Angeles
2. UC Berkeley
3. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
4. University of Virginia
5. UC Santa Barbara
6. University of Florida
7. University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
8. UC San Diego 
9. UC Irvine 
10. Georgia Institute of Technology

After knowing the ins and outs of public universities in the USA, are you interested in studying at one of them? If you're still unsure, remember this: everything depends on what's important for you and your future!

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