Public Colleges with the Best Return on Investment
Ranking of accredited public colleges & universities with best return on investment (ROI), including high-value schools that offer a real deal in education.
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For most people, a public college immediately comes to mind when considering value in higher education. The compensation for living in-state often proves a deciding factor on ROI. Public colleges and universities simply offer a great deal of education for the money. But with more than one public college in a state, finding the very best return for your college dollar may be more challenging than it first appears. That’s why we’re here to help.
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Accredited Public Colleges with the Best ROI
#1 Public Colleges with the Best Return on Investment
University of California, Berkeley
- Berkeley, CA
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
Average Undergrad Tuition
- In-State$11,442
- Out-of-state$41,196
Average Graduate Tuition
- In-State$11,442
- Out-of-state$26,544
- Retention Rate97%
- Acceptance Rate16%
- Students Enrolled43,185
- Institution TypePublic
- Percent Online Enrollment5%
- AccreditationYes
#2 Public Colleges with the Best Return on Investment
University of California, Los Angeles
- Los Angeles, CA
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
Average Undergrad Tuition
- In-State$11,442
- Out-of-state$41,196
Average Graduate Tuition
- In-State$11,442
- Out-of-state$26,544
- Retention Rate97%
- Acceptance Rate12%
- Students Enrolled44,371
- Institution TypePublic
- Percent Online Enrollment5%
- AccreditationYes
#3 Public Colleges with the Best Return on Investment
Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus
- Atlanta, GA
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
Average Undergrad Tuition
- In-State$10,258
- Out-of-state$31,370
Average Graduate Tuition
- In-State$14,064
- Out-of-state$29,140
- Retention Rate97%
- Acceptance Rate21%
- Students Enrolled36,302
- Institution TypePublic
- Percent Online Enrollment49%
- AccreditationYes
#4 Public Colleges with the Best Return on Investment
University of California, San Diego
- La Jolla, CA
- 4 year
- Campus
Average Undergrad Tuition
- In-State$11,442
- Out-of-state$41,196
Average Graduate Tuition
- In-State$11,442
- Out-of-state$26,544
- Retention Rate93%
- Acceptance Rate31%
- Students Enrolled38,736
- Institution TypePublic
- Percent Online Enrollment1%
- AccreditationYes
#5 Public Colleges with the Best Return on Investment
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
- Ann Arbor, MI
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
Average Undergrad Tuition
- In-State$16,212
- Out-of-state$52,669
Average Graduate Tuition
- In-State$23,890
- Out-of-state$48,204
- Retention Rate97%
- Acceptance Rate23%
- Students Enrolled48,090
- Institution TypePublic
- Percent Online Enrollment1%
- AccreditationYes
#6 Public Colleges with the Best Return on Investment
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
- San Luis Obispo, CA
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
Average Undergrad Tuition
- In-State$5,742
- Out-of-state$17,622
Average Graduate Tuition
- In-State$7,176
- Out-of-state$16,680
- Retention Rate94%
- Acceptance Rate28%
- Students Enrolled21,426
- Institution TypePublic
- Percent Online Enrollment8%
- AccreditationYes
#7 Public Colleges with the Best Return on Investment
Purdue University-Main Campus
- West Lafayette, IN
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
Average Undergrad Tuition
- In-State$9,208
- Out-of-state$28,010
Average Graduate Tuition
- In-State$9,208
- Out-of-state$28,010
- Retention Rate91%
- Acceptance Rate60%
- Students Enrolled45,500
- Institution TypePublic
- Percent Online Enrollment22%
- AccreditationYes
#8 Public Colleges with the Best Return on Investment
Texas A&M University-College Station
- College Station, TX
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
Average Undergrad Tuition
- In-State$7,941
- Out-of-state$34,190
Average Graduate Tuition
- In-State$6,677
- Out-of-state$18,700
- Retention Rate93%
- Acceptance Rate58%
- Students Enrolled68,726
- Institution TypePublic
- Percent Online Enrollment14%
- AccreditationYes
#9 Public Colleges with the Best Return on Investment
University of California, Irvine
- Irvine, CA
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
Average Undergrad Tuition
- In-State$11,442
- Out-of-state$41,196
Average Graduate Tuition
- In-State$11,442
- Out-of-state$26,544
- Retention Rate94%
- Acceptance Rate27%
- Students Enrolled36,908
- Institution TypePublic
- Percent Online Enrollment15%
- AccreditationYes
#10 Public Colleges with the Best Return on Investment
University of Washington-Seattle Campus
- Seattle, WA
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
Average Undergrad Tuition
- In-State$10,370
- Out-of-state$37,071
Average Graduate Tuition
- In-State$18,198
- Out-of-state$32,439
- Retention Rate95%
- Acceptance Rate52%
- Students Enrolled47,576
- Institution TypePublic
- Percent Online Enrollment8%
- AccreditationYes
#11 Public Colleges with the Best Return on Investment
California State University, Long Beach
- Long Beach, CA
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
Average Undergrad Tuition
- In-State$5,742
- Out-of-state$17,622
Average Graduate Tuition
- In-State$7,176
- Out-of-state$16,680
- Retention Rate87%
- Acceptance Rate39%
- Students Enrolled38,674
- Institution TypePublic
- Percent Online Enrollment30%
- AccreditationYes
#12 Public Colleges with the Best Return on Investment
University of California, Santa Barbara
- Santa Barbara, CA
- 4 year
- Campus
Average Undergrad Tuition
- In-State$11,442
- Out-of-state$41,196
Average Graduate Tuition
- In-State$11,442
- Out-of-state$26,544
- Retention Rate92%
- Acceptance Rate30%
- Students Enrolled26,314
- Institution TypePublic
- Percent Online Enrollment2%
- AccreditationYes
#13 Public Colleges with the Best Return on Investment
San Diego State University
- San Diego, CA
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
Average Undergrad Tuition
- In-State$5,742
- Out-of-state$17,622
Average Graduate Tuition
- In-State$7,176
- Out-of-state$16,680
- Retention Rate89%
- Acceptance Rate34%
- Students Enrolled35,544
- Institution TypePublic
- Percent Online Enrollment50%
- AccreditationYes
#14 Public Colleges with the Best Return on Investment
University of Maryland-College Park
- College Park, MD
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
Average Undergrad Tuition
- In-State$8,824
- Out-of-state$34,936
Average Graduate Tuition
- In-State$13,158
- Out-of-state$29,250
- Retention Rate95%
- Acceptance Rate44%
- Students Enrolled40,743
- Institution TypePublic
- Percent Online Enrollment19%
- AccreditationYes
#15 Public Colleges with the Best Return on Investment
University of California, Davis
- Davis, CA
- 4 year
- Campus
Average Undergrad Tuition
- In-State$11,442
- Out-of-state$41,196
Average Graduate Tuition
- In-State$11,442
- Out-of-state$26,544
- Retention Rate92%
- Acceptance Rate39%
- Students Enrolled38,634
- Institution TypePublic
- Percent Online Enrollment5%
- AccreditationYes
#16 Public Colleges with the Best Return on Investment
University of Florida-Online
- Gainesville, FL
- 4 year
- Online
Average Undergrad Tuition
- In-State$3,358
- Out-of-state$15,000
Average Graduate Tuition
- In-StateN/A
- Out-of-stateN/A
- Retention Rate63%
- Acceptance Rate32%
- Students Enrolled3,926
- Institution TypePublic
- Percent Online EnrollmentN/A
- AccreditationYes
#17 Public Colleges with the Best Return on Investment
San Jose State University
- San Jose, CA
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
Average Undergrad Tuition
- In-State$5,742
- Out-of-state$17,622
Average Graduate Tuition
- In-State$7,176
- Out-of-state$16,680
- Retention Rate87%
- Acceptance Rate64%
- Students Enrolled36,085
- Institution TypePublic
- Percent Online Enrollment35%
- AccreditationYes
#18 Public Colleges with the Best Return on Investment
CUNY Bernard M. Baruch College
- New York, NY
- 4 year
- Campus
Average Undergrad Tuition
- In-State$6,930
- Out-of-state$14,880
Average Graduate Tuition
- In-State$11,090
- Out-of-state$20,520
- Retention Rate89%
- Acceptance Rate43%
- Students Enrolled18,679
- Institution TypePublic
- Percent Online Enrollment7%
- AccreditationYes
#19 Public Colleges with the Best Return on Investment
University of Virginia-Main Campus
- Charlottesville, VA
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
Average Undergrad Tuition
- In-State$14,970
- Out-of-state$47,833
Average Graduate Tuition
- In-State$16,578
- Out-of-state$27,770
- Retention Rate97%
- Acceptance Rate24%
- Students Enrolled25,012
- Institution TypePublic
- Percent Online Enrollment10%
- AccreditationYes
#20 Public Colleges with the Best Return on Investment
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
- Minneapolis, MN
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
Average Undergrad Tuition
- In-State$13,318
- Out-of-state$31,616
Average Graduate Tuition
- In-State$17,580
- Out-of-state$27,204
- Retention Rate93%
- Acceptance Rate57%
- Students Enrolled51,327
- Institution TypePublic
- Percent Online Enrollment30%
- AccreditationYes