2019 rankings of U.S. public colleges

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Top 50 public colleges in America

G. Scott Thomas
By G. Scott Thomas – Projects Editor, Buffalo Business First
Updated

Below are Business First's top-to-bottom 2019 academic rankings of 505 U.S. public colleges. The first 250 schools are listed in numerical order, followed by the lower echelon of 255 schools in alphabetical order. (You can also follow separate links for rankings of the best public colleges in the East, the South, the Midwest and the West.)

Click on any of the top 100 colleges to see its statistical profile. Each college's state is shown in parentheses.


TOP 250 (national ranks 1-250)

• 1. University of Michigan (Michigan)

• 2. University of North Carolina (North Carolina)

• 3. University of Virginia (Virginia)

• 4. University of California-Berkeley (California)

• 5. University of California-Los Angeles (California)

• 6. University of Washington (Washington)

• 7. University of Texas (Texas)

• 8. College of William and Mary (Virginia)

• 9. University of Illinois (Illinois)

• 10. University of Florida (Florida)

• 11. Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia)

• 12. University of Wisconsin (Wisconsin)

• 13. University of Maryland (Maryland)

• 14. University of California-San Diego (California)

• 15. University of Connecticut (Connecticut)

• 16. Binghamton University (New York)

• 17. University of Minnesota (Minnesota)

• 18. University of California-Irvine (California)

• 19. Ohio State University (Ohio)

• 20. University of Delaware (Delaware)

• 21. Colorado School of Mines (Colorado)

• 22. University of Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania)

• 23. Rutgers University (New Jersey)

• 24. Stony Brook University (New York)

• 25. University of California-Santa Barbara (California)

• 26. North Carolina State University (North Carolina)

• 27. University of California-Davis (California)

• 28. University of Georgia (Georgia)

• 29. Purdue University (Indiana)

• 30. Indiana University (Indiana)

• 31. Pennsylvania State University (Pennsylvania)

• 32. Virginia Polytechnic Institute (Virginia)

• 33. Baruch College (New York)

• 34. College of New Jersey (New Jersey)

• 35. Texas A&M University (Texas)

• 36. Clemson University (South Carolina)

• 37. University of Iowa (Iowa)

• 38. Virginia Military Institute (Virginia)

• 39. Florida State University (Florida)

• 40. University of Massachusetts (Massachusetts)

• 41. University of Texas at Dallas (Texas)

• 42. University at Buffalo (New York)

• 43. Miami University (Ohio)

• 44. University of Oklahoma (Oklahoma)

• 45. Michigan State University (Michigan)

• 46. California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo (California)

• 47. University of South Carolina (South Carolina)

• 48. University of Vermont (Vermont)

• 49. University of Kansas (Kansas)

• 50. University of Washington Bothell (Washington)

• 51. University of South Florida (Florida)

• 52. University of Utah (Utah)

• 53. Iowa State University (Iowa)

• 54. University at Albany (New York)

• 55. George Mason University (Virginia)

• 56. Citadel Military College of South Carolina (South Carolina)

• 57. University of New Hampshire (New Hampshire)

• 58. University of Missouri (Missouri)

• 59. University of Maryland Baltimore County (Maryland)

• 60. James Madison University (Virginia)

• 61. Auburn University (Alabama)

• 62. SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (New York)

• 63. Ramapo College of New Jersey (New Jersey)

• 64. Truman State University (Missouri)

• 65. SUNY Geneseo (New York)

• 66. University of Colorado (Colorado)

• 67. Arizona State University (Arizona)

• 68. St. Mary's College of Maryland (Maryland)

• 69. University of California-Riverside (California)

• 70. University of Alabama (Alabama)

• 71. San Diego State University (California)

• 72. University of California-Santa Cruz (California)

• 73. University of Illinois at Chicago (Illinois)

• 74. University of Central Florida (Florida)

• 75. University of Mississippi (Mississippi)

• 76. University of Arizona (Arizona)

• 77. Rutgers University-Newark (New Jersey)

• 78. University of Massachusetts-Lowell (Massachusetts)

• 79. University of Oregon (Oregon)

• 80. Oklahoma State University (Oklahoma)

• 81. University of Nebraska (Nebraska)

• 82. New Jersey Institute of Technology (New Jersey)

• 83. SUNY New Paltz (New York)

• 84. Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri)

• 85. Rutgers University-Camden (New Jersey)

• 86. University of Arkansas (Arkansas)

• 87. Washington State University (Washington)

• 88. Hunter College (New York)

• 89. Texas Tech University (Texas)

• 90. University of Missouri-Kansas City (Missouri)

• 91. University of Washington Tacoma (Washington)

• 92. Queens College (New York)

• 93. University of Minnesota-Morris (Minnesota)

• 94. University of Illinois at Springfield (Illinois)

• 95. Oregon State University (Oregon)

• 96. University of Wyoming (Wyoming)

• 97. Rowan University (New Jersey)

• 98. University of Rhode Island (Rhode Island)

• 99. Appalachian State University (North Carolina)

• 100. University of Tennessee (Tennessee)

• 101. University of North Dakota (North Dakota)

• 102. Louisiana State University (Louisiana)

• 103. Massachusetts Maritime Academy (Massachusetts)

• 104. Towson University (Maryland)

• 105. Penn State Harrisburg (Pennsylvania)

• 106. University of Mary Washington (Virginia)

• 107. University of North Carolina Wilmington (North Carolina)

• 108. Brooklyn College (New York)

• 109. Colorado State University (Colorado)

• 110. West Virginia University (West Virginia)

• 111. University of Houston (Texas)

• 112. City College of New York (New York)

• 113. Michigan Technological University (Michigan)

• 114. Illinois State University (Illinois)

• 115. SUNY Maritime College (New York)

• 116. Christopher Newport University (Virginia)

• 117. University of Hawaii at Manoa (Hawaii)

• 118. SUNY Oswego (New York)

• 119. California State University-Long Beach (California)

• 120. University of Kentucky (Kentucky)

• 121. University of Wisconsin-La Crosse (Wisconsin)

• 122. University of Cincinnati (Ohio)

• 123. University of Massachusetts-Boston (Massachusetts)

• 124. SUNY College at Oneonta (New York)

• 125. University of Missouri-St Louis (Missouri)

• 126. University of Colorado Denver (Colorado)

• 127. West Chester University of Pennsylvania (Pennsylvania)

• 128. Kansas State University (Kansas)

• 129. University of Alabama at Birmingham (Alabama)

• 130. SUNY Cortland (New York)

• 131. College at Brockport (New York)

• 132. University of North Carolina at Charlotte (North Carolina)

• 133. Florida International University (Florida)

• 134. North Dakota State University (North Dakota)

• 135. University of Louisville (Kentucky)

• 136. University of Alabama in Huntsville (Alabama)

• 137. Mississippi State University (Mississippi)

• 138. University of Idaho (Idaho)

• 139. California State University-Fullerton (California)

• 140. San Jose State University (California)

• 141. College of Charleston (South Carolina)

• 142. Lehman College (New York)

• 143. Montclair State University (New Jersey)

• 144. New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology (New Mexico)

• 145. SUNY Plattsburgh (New York)

• 146. Farmingdale State College (New York)

• 147. Virginia Commonwealth University (Virginia)

• 148. Louisiana Tech University (Louisiana)

• 149. Penn State Behrend (Pennsylvania)

• 150. University of Northern Iowa (Iowa)

• 151. East Carolina University (North Carolina)

• 152. SUNY Polytechnic Institute (New York)

• 153. California State Polytechnic University-Pomona (California)

• 154. Arizona State University-Downtown Phoenix (Arizona)

• 155. University of North Texas (Texas)

• 156. Texas State University (Texas)

• 157. Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania (Pennsylvania)

• 158. Salisbury University (Maryland)

• 159. University of North Florida (Florida)

• 160. University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire (Wisconsin)

• 161. Stockton University (New Jersey)

• 162. Eastern Illinois University (Illinois)

• 163. Ball State University (Indiana)

• 164. Arizona State University-Polytechnic (Arizona)

• 165. University of Maine (Maine)

• 166. Purchase College (New York)

• 167. Arizona State University-West (Arizona)

• 168. University of Michigan-Dearborn (Michigan)

• 169. Eastern Connecticut State University (Connecticut)

• 170. CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice (New York)

• 171. University of Texas at Arlington (Texas)

• 172. South Dakota State University (South Dakota)

• 173. Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis (Indiana)

• 174. Radford University (Virginia)

• 175. Georgia State University (Georgia)

• 176. Ohio University (Ohio)

• 177. University of South Dakota (South Dakota)

• 178. Grand Valley State University (Michigan)

• 179. Western Washington University (Washington)

• 180. University of Alaska Fairbanks (Alaska)

• 181. University of Nevada-Reno (Nevada)

• 182. Florida Atlantic University (Florida)

• 183. University of New Mexico (New Mexico)

• 184. Western Carolina University (North Carolina)

• 185. Westfield State University (Massachusetts)

• 186. University of Minnesota-Crookston (Minnesota)

• 187. Worcester State University (Massachusetts)

• 188. University of Minnesota-Duluth (Minnesota)

• 189. Wayne State University (Michigan)

• 190. Southern Illinois University-Carbondale (Illinois)

• 191. Winona State University (Minnesota)

• 192. Central Connecticut State University (Connecticut)

• 193. University of North Carolina at Asheville (North Carolina)

• 194. Georgia College and State University (Georgia)

• 195. Northern Illinois University (Illinois)

• 196. Montana State University (Montana)

• 197. University of Nebraska at Omaha (Nebraska)

• 198. University of South Florida St. Petersburg (Florida)

• 199. San Francisco State University (California)

• 200. Penn State Abington (Pennsylvania)

• 201. Fitchburg State University (Massachusetts)

• 202. Georgia Southern University (Georgia)

• 203. Wichita State University (Kansas)

• 204. California State University Maritime Academy (California)

• 205. University of Wisconsin-Whitewater (Wisconsin)

• 206. SUNY College at Old Westbury (New York)

• 207. SUNY Fredonia (New York)

• 208. Minnesota State University-Mankato (Minnesota)

• 209. Tennessee Technological University (Tennessee)

• 210. Minnesota State University-Moorhead (Minnesota)

• 211. University of Nebraska at Kearney (Nebraska)

• 212. California State University-Chico (California)

• 213. Old Dominion University (Virginia)

• 214. Northern Arizona University (Arizona)

• 215. Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville (Illinois)

• 216. Framingham State University (Massachusetts)

• 217. California State University-East Bay (California)

• 218. Massachusetts College of Art and Design (Massachusetts)

• 219. University of North Carolina at Greensboro (North Carolina)

• 220. Western Michigan University (Michigan)

• 221. Bridgewater State University (Massachusetts)

• 222. University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth (Massachusetts)

• 223. University of West Florida (Florida)

• 224. University of Wisconsin-River Falls (Wisconsin)

• 225. Keene State College (New Hampshire)

• 226. Oregon Institute of Technology (Oregon)

• 227. Sam Houston State University (Texas)

• 228. Salem State University (Massachusetts)

• 229. Texas A&M University-Commerce (Texas)

• 230. Portland State University (Oregon)

• 231. Middle Tennessee State University (Tennessee)

• 232. Winthrop University (South Carolina)

• 233. Penn State Altoona (Pennsylvania)

• 234. South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (South Dakota)

• 235. University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (Wisconsin)

• 236. Metropolitan State University (Minnesota)

• 237. Missouri State University (Missouri)

• 238. California State University-Northridge (California)

• 239. Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania (Pennsylvania)

• 240. Millersville University of Pennsylvania (Pennsylvania)

• 241. Kent State University (Ohio)

• 242. California State University-San Marcos (California)

• 243. University of Texas at San Antonio (Texas)

• 244. Eastern Michigan University (Michigan)

• 245. William Paterson University of New Jersey (New Jersey)

• 246. University of Louisiana at Lafayette (Louisiana)

• 247. Florida A&M University (Florida)

• 248. California State University-Sacramento (California)

• 249. California State University-Dominguez Hills (California)

• 250. SUNY Potsdam (New York)


LOWER ECHELON (national ranks 251-505, listed alphabetically)

• Adams State University (Colorado)

• Alabama A&M University (Alabama)

• Alabama State University (Alabama)

• Alcorn State University (Mississippi)

• Angelo State University (Texas)

• Arkansas State University (Arkansas)

• Arkansas Tech University (Arkansas)

• Armstrong State University (Georgia)

• Auburn University at Montgomery (Alabama)

• Augusta University (Georgia)

• Austin Peay State University (Tennessee)

• Bemidji State University (Minnesota)

• Black Hills State University (South Dakota)

• Bluefield State College (West Virginia)

• Boise State University (Idaho)

• Bowie State University (Maryland)

• Bowling Green State University (Ohio)

• California State University-Bakersfield (California)

• California State University-Channel Islands (California)

• California State University-Fresno (California)

• California State University-Los Angeles (California)

• California State University-Monterey Bay (California)

• California State University-San Bernardino (California)

• California State University-Stanislaus (California)

• California University of Pennsylvania (Pennsylvania)

• Cameron University (Oklahoma)

• Castleton University (Vermont)

• Central Michigan University (Michigan)

• Central State University (Ohio)

• Central Washington University (Washington)

• Chadron State College (Nebraska)

• Chicago State University (Illinois)

• Clarion University of Pennsylvania (Pennsylvania)

• Clayton State University (Georgia)

• Cleveland State University (Ohio)

• Coastal Carolina University (South Carolina)

• College of Staten Island (New York)

• Colorado Mesa University (Colorado)

• Colorado State University-Pueblo (Colorado)

• Columbus State University (Georgia)

• Concord University (West Virginia)

• Coppin State University (Maryland)

• Dakota State University (South Dakota)

• Dalton State College (Georgia)

• Delaware State University (Delaware)

• Delta State University (Mississippi)

• East Central University (Oklahoma)

• East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania (Pennsylvania)

• East Tennessee State University (Tennessee)

• Eastern Kentucky University (Kentucky)

• Eastern New Mexico University (New Mexico)

• Eastern Oregon University (Oregon)

• Eastern Washington University (Washington)

• Edinboro University of Pennsylvania (Pennsylvania)

• Elizabeth City State University (North Carolina)

• Empire State College (New York)

• Emporia State University (Kansas)

• Evergreen State College (Washington)

• Fairmont State University (West Virginia)

• Fayetteville State University (North Carolina)

• Ferris State University (Michigan)

• Florida Gulf Coast University (Florida)

• Fort Hays State University (Kansas)

• Fort Lewis College (Colorado)

• Fort Valley State University (Georgia)

• Francis Marion University (South Carolina)

• Frostburg State University (Maryland)

• Georgia Southwestern State University (Georgia)

• Glenville State College (West Virginia)

• Grambling State University (Louisiana)

• Harris-Stowe State University (Missouri)

• Henderson State University (Arkansas)

• Humboldt State University (California)

• Idaho State University (Idaho)

• Indiana State University (Indiana)

• Indiana University of Pennsylvania (Pennsylvania)

• Indiana University-East (Indiana)

• Indiana University-Kokomo (Indiana)

• Indiana University-Northwest (Indiana)

• Indiana University-Purdue University-Fort Wayne (Indiana)

• Indiana University-South Bend (Indiana)

• Indiana University-Southeast (Indiana)

• Jackson State University (Mississippi)

• Jacksonville State University (Alabama)

• Kean University (New Jersey)

• Kennesaw State University (Georgia)

• Kentucky State University (Kentucky)

• Kutztown University of Pennsylvania (Pennsylvania)

• Lake Superior State University (Michigan)

• Lamar University (Texas)

• Lander University (South Carolina)

• Langston University (Oklahoma)

• Lewis-Clark State College (Idaho)

• Lincoln University (Missouri)

• Lincoln University (Pennsylvania)

• Lock Haven University (Pennsylvania)

• Longwood University (Virginia)

• Louisiana State University-Alexandria (Louisiana)

• Louisiana State University-Shreveport (Louisiana)

• Mansfield University of Pennsylvania (Pennsylvania)

• Marshall University (West Virginia)

• Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (Massachusetts)

• McNeese State University (Louisiana)

• Metropolitan State University of Denver (Colorado)

• Miami University-Hamilton (Ohio)

• Miami University-Middletown (Ohio)

• Midwestern State University (Texas)

• Minot State University (North Dakota)

• Mississippi University for Women (Mississippi)

• Mississippi Valley State University (Mississippi)

• Missouri Southern State University (Missouri)

• Missouri Western State University (Missouri)

• Montana State University-Billings (Montana)

• Montana Tech (Montana)

• Morehead State University (Kentucky)

• Morgan State University (Maryland)

• Murray State University (Kentucky)

• New Jersey City University (New Jersey)

• New Mexico Highlands University (New Mexico)

• New Mexico State University (New Mexico)

• Nicholls State University (Louisiana)

• Norfolk State University (Virginia)

• North Carolina A&T State University (North Carolina)

• North Carolina Central University (North Carolina)

• Northeastern Illinois University (Illinois)

• Northeastern State University (Oklahoma)

• Northern Kentucky University (Kentucky)

• Northern Michigan University (Michigan)

• Northern State University (South Dakota)

• Northwest Missouri State University (Missouri)

• Northwestern Oklahoma State University (Oklahoma)

• Northwestern State University of Louisiana (Louisiana)

• Oakland University (Michigan)

• Penn State Berks (Pennsylvania)

• Penn State Brandywine (Pennsylvania)

• Peru State College (Nebraska)

• Pittsburg State University (Kansas)

• Plymouth State University (New Hampshire)

• Prairie View A&M University (Texas)

• Purdue University Northwest (Indiana)

• Rhode Island College (Rhode Island)

• Rogers State University (Oklahoma)

• Saginaw Valley State University (Michigan)

• Savannah State University (Georgia)

• Shawnee State University (Ohio)

• Shepherd University (West Virginia)

• Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania (Pennsylvania)

• Sonoma State University (California)

• South Carolina State University (South Carolina)

• Southeast Missouri State University (Missouri)

• Southeastern Louisiana University (Louisiana)

• Southeastern Oklahoma State University (Oklahoma)

• Southern Arkansas University (Arkansas)

• Southern Connecticut State University (Connecticut)

• Southern Oregon University (Oregon)

• Southern University (Louisiana)

• Southern University at New Orleans (Louisiana)

• Southern Utah University (Utah)

• Southwest Minnesota State University (Minnesota)

• Southwestern Oklahoma State University (Oklahoma)

• St. Cloud State University (Minnesota)

• Stephen F. Austin State University (Texas)

• Sul Ross State University (Texas)

• SUNY Buffalo State (New York)

• SUNY Cobleskill (New York)

• Tarleton State University (Texas)

• Tennessee State University (Tennessee)

• Texas A&M International University (Texas)

• Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi (Texas)

• Texas A&M University-Kingsville (Texas)

• Texas A&M University-Texarkana (Texas)

• Texas Southern University (Texas)

• Texas Woman's University (Texas)

• Troy University (Alabama)

• University of Akron (Ohio)

• University of Alaska Anchorage (Alaska)

• University of Arkansas at Little Rock (Arkansas)

• University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (Arkansas)

• University of Arkansas-Fort Smith (Arkansas)

• University of Baltimore (Maryland)

• University of California-Merced (California)

• University of Central Arkansas (Arkansas)

• University of Central Missouri (Missouri)

• University of Central Oklahoma (Oklahoma)

• University of Colorado Colorado Springs (Colorado)

• University of Hawaii at Hilo (Hawaii)

• University of Hawaii-West Oahu (Hawaii)

• University of Houston-Downtown (Texas)

• University of Houston-Victoria (Texas)

• University of Louisiana at Monroe (Louisiana)

• University of Maine at Augusta (Maine)

• University of Maine at Farmington (Maine)

• University of Maryland Eastern Shore (Maryland)

• University of Maryland University College (Maryland)

• University of Memphis (Tennessee)

• University of Michigan-Flint (Michigan)

• University of Montana (Montana)

• University of Montana Western (Montana)

• University of Montevallo (Alabama)

• University of Nevada-Las Vegas (Nevada)

• University of New Orleans (Louisiana)

• University of North Alabama (Alabama)

• University of North Carolina at Pembroke (North Carolina)

• University of North Georgia (Georgia)

• University of North Texas at Dallas (Texas)

• University of Northern Colorado (Colorado)

• University of Pittsburgh-Bradford (Pennsylvania)

• University of Pittsburgh-Greensburg (Pennsylvania)

• University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown (Pennsylvania)

• University of South Alabama (Alabama)

• University of South Carolina Beaufort (South Carolina)

• University of South Carolina-Aiken (South Carolina)

• University of South Carolina-Upstate (South Carolina)

• University of Southern Indiana (Indiana)

• University of Southern Maine (Maine)

• University of Southern Mississippi (Mississippi)

• University of Tennessee-Chattanooga (Tennessee)

• University of Tennessee-Martin (Tennessee)

• University of Texas at El Paso (Texas)

• University of Texas at Tyler (Texas)

• University of Texas of the Permian Basin (Texas)

• University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (Texas)

• University of the District of Columbia (District of Columbia)

• University of Toledo (Ohio)

• University of Virginia's College at Wise (Virginia)

• University of West Alabama (Alabama)

• University of West Georgia (Georgia)

• University of Wisconsin-Green Bay (Wisconsin)

• University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh (Wisconsin)

• University of Wisconsin-Parkside (Wisconsin)

• University of Wisconsin-Platteville (Wisconsin)

• University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (Wisconsin)

• University of Wisconsin-Stout (Wisconsin)

• University of Wisconsin-Superior (Wisconsin)

• Utah State University (Utah)

• Utah Valley University (Utah)

• Valdosta State University (Georgia)

• Virginia State University (Virginia)

• Washburn University (Kansas)

• Wayne State College (Nebraska)

• Weber State University (Utah)

• West Liberty University (West Virginia)

• West Texas A&M University (Texas)

• West Virginia State University (West Virginia)

• West Virginia University Institute of Technology (West Virginia)

• Western Connecticut State University (Connecticut)

• Western Illinois University (Illinois)

• Western Kentucky University (Kentucky)

• Western New Mexico University (New Mexico)

• Western Oregon University (Oregon)

• Western State Colorado University (Colorado)

• Winston-Salem State University (North Carolina)

• Wright State University (Ohio)

• York College (New York)

• Youngstown State University (Ohio)