Public Ivies

It was in 1985 when the term “Public Ivy” came into being — it was used to refer to a public institution that offered an Ivy League experience at a fraction of the sticker price.

Other than being a lot cheaper than the eight Ivy Leagues, especially to in-state students, Public Ivies also tend to have larger enrollments and a wider range of academic programs.

Except for a few highly selective ones, many Public Ivies are not as hard to get into as the real deal, such as Harvard University and Columbia University.

Originally, there were only eight Public Ivies:

• Miami University
• University of California system
• University of Michigan – Ann Arbor
• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• University of Texas at Austin
• University of Vermont
• University of Virginia
• William & Mary

However, the list grew longer and longer as time passed by, and there are a total of 30 Public Ivy schools that we will talk about in this post — read on if you want to see which ones should go to your college list.

Below are the different Public Ivies, arranged from the most selective to the least selective.

University of California, Los Angeles

• Location: Los Angeles, California
• Acceptance rate: 9%
• In-state tuition and fees: $13,752
• Out-of-state tuition and fees: $46,326

Ranked #15 in National Universities 2024 and #1 in Top Public Schools 2024 by US News, UCLA has a total of 47,832 students, almost 68% of whom are undergraduates.

The highly selective public research university is test-blind — it does not consider standardized test scores in the admissions process. The average high school GPA of admitted freshmen students is 3.9.

Some of the most popular majors at UCLA include social sciences, psychology, mathematics and engineering.

University of California, Berkeley

• Location: Berkeley, California
• Acceptance rate: 11%
• In-state tuition and fees: $15,891
• Out-of-state tuition and fees: $48,465

UC Berkeley is the founding campus of the University of California system as well as California’s first land-grant public institution. Similar to other schools in the UC system, it has a test-blind admission policy.

Admitted freshmen students have an average GPA of 3.9, and the four-year graduation rate is 82%. UC Berkeley has a 1,232-acre city campus, which is home to more than 45,700 students — around 72% of whom are undergraduates.

About 63% of UC Berkeley’s students are minorities, giving it a highly diverse campus.

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

• Location: Chapel Hill, North Carolina
• Acceptance rate: 17%
• In-state tuition and fees: $8,998
• Out-of-state tuition and fees: $39,338

The US’ first public university and the flagship campus of the University of North Carolina system, UNC-Chapel Hill consists of 14 schools, the largest of which is the undergraduate College of Arts and Sciences.

It offers more than 70 majors, some of the most popular of which include social sciences, biology, communications, journalism, behavioral sciences, computer science, economics, business, and physical education teaching and coaching.

According to state law, at least 83% of each freshman class at UNC-Chapel Hill must be local residents.

University of Michigan

• Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan
• Acceptance rate: 18%
• In-state tuition and fees: $17,786
• Out-of-state tuition and fees: $57,273

Founded in 1817, UMich is both the oldest and largest public research university in Michigan.

The average high school GPA of admitted freshmen students is 3.9. On the other hand, their SAT scores range from 1350 to 1530, while their ACT scores range from 31 to 34. The school is test-optional.

Ranked #21 in National Universities 2024 and #3 in Top Public Schools 2024 by US News, UMich offers more than 280 majors, the most popular of which include information science, economics, business and psychology.

University of Virginia

• Location: University of Virginia
• Acceptance rate: 19%
• In-state tuition and fees: $22,323
• Out-of-state tuition and fees: $58,950

Founded by Thomas Jefferson in 1819, UVA is a public research university located in a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A total of 26,149 students, around 67% of whom are undergraduates, share its spacious 1,682-acre campus.

Among the more than 70 majors available, some of the most popular are liberal arts and humanities, economics, biology, English, history, psychology, information science, international relations and nursing.

The SAT and ACT scores of UVA’s admitted freshmen students range from 1400 to 1540 and 32 to 34, respectively.

University of California, Irvine

• Location: Irvine, California
• Acceptance rate: 21%
• In-state tuition and fees: $15,185
• Out-of-state tuition and fees: $47,759

More than 75% of all UC Irvine students live on campus even though they are not required to do so. There are a total of 35,936 students attending it, and nearly 80% of them are pursuing undergraduate degrees.

Around 55% of all its attendees belong to the minority group.

US News ranks UC Irvine #33 in National Universities 2024 and #10 in Top Public Schools 2024. The popular college ranking site also highly ranks these undergraduate programs at the institution: business, computer science and psychology.

University of Florida

• Location: Gainesville, Florida
• Acceptance rate: 23%
• In-state tuition and fees: $6,381
• Out-of-state tuition and fees: $28,658

There are nearly 70 fraternities and sororities at UC, and around 15% of the over 55,200 students at the public institution are members of those. Attendees may also choose from more than 700 official clubs and organizations.

Accepting less than a quarter of all applicants each time, admitted students have an average high school GPA of 3.9. Meanwhile, they have SAT scores ranging from 1300 to 1490 and ACT scores ranging from 28 to 33.

The median starting salary of UF graduates amounts to $45,803 per year.

University of California, San Diego

• Location: San Diego, California
• Acceptance rate: 24%
• In-state tuition and fees: $16,056
• Out-of-state tuition and fees: $48,630

Nearly 80% of the 41,482 students attending UC San Diego are undergraduate students. Its population consists of 65% minority students, 39% Asians, 23% Hispanics and 19% Whites.

More than 160 majors are available for undergraduates to choose from, some of the most popular of which include biology, computer science, international studies, economics, psychology, and political science and government.

First-time, first-year students admitted to UC San Diego have an average high school GPA of 3.9.

University of California, Santa Barbara

• Location: Santa Barbara, California
• Acceptance rate: 26%
• In-state tuition and fees: $14,881
• Out-of-state tuition and fees: $45,658

According to UC Santa Barbara itself, it’s a leading center for teaching and research on the California coast.

There are over 400 official clubs and organizations students can choose from. Around 30% of the students at UC Santa Barbara reside in the school’s eight residence halls and various apartment complexes.

Ranked #35 in National Universities 2024 and #12 in Top Public Schools 2024 by US News, the public research university has a high retention rate of 92% and a 73% four-year graduation rate.

University of Texas at Austin

• Location: Austin, Texas
• Acceptance rate: 31%
• In-state tuition and fees: $11,698
• Out-of-state tuition and fees: $41,070

The flagship as well as the largest institution of the University of Texas system, UT Austin was founded in 1883.

Its 431-acre urban campus is home to 13 colleges and schools, 17 libraries and seven museums. It’s also home to 52,384 students, around 79% of whom are pursuing undergraduate degrees.

Speaking of which, UT Austin’s students can choose from more than 170 degree programs. Some of the most highly-ranked undergraduate programs include engineering, business, computer science and psychology.

William & Mary

• Location: Williamsburg, Virginia
• Acceptance rate: 33%
• In-state tuition and fees: $25,041
• Out-of-state tuition and fees: $48,841

Considered the second-oldest postsecondary institution in the US, William & Mary was attended by the following former presidents of the nation: Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe, and John Tyler.

Ranked by US News #53 in National Universities 2024 and #23 in Top Public Schools 2024, the public research university has a student-to-faculty ratio of 13:1, a retention rate of 93% and a four-year graduation rate of 86%.

It has less than 10,000 students, and around 33% of those are minorities.

University of California, Davis

• Location: Davis, California
• Acceptance rate: 37%
• In-state tuition and fees: $15,266
• Out-of-state tuition and fees: $46,043

A college town, UC Davis has a spacious 5,300-acre campus, which houses over 1,000 buildings and more than 39,600 students, nearly 80% of whom are undergraduates.

There are also more than 100 majors to choose from, some of the most popular include psychology, economics, biology, computer science, human development, communications, and political science and government.

UC Davis’ four-year graduation rate is 66%, and the median starting salary of graduates is $39,866 per year.

Binghamton University – SUNY

• Location: Binghamton, New York
• Acceptance rate: 42%
• In-state tuition and fees: $10,363
• Out-of-state tuition and fees: $28,203

Officially known as the State University of New York at Binghamton, the public research university is one of the State University of New York (SUNY) system’s four university centers.

Binghamton is a test-optional school. But for reference, admitted freshmen students have SAT scores of 1340 to 1510 and ACT scores of 29 to 34. Their average high school GPA, meanwhile, is 3.9.

The institution is ranked #73 in National Universities 2024 and #34 in Top Public Schools 2024 by US News.

University of Georgia

• Location: Athens, Georgia
• Acceptance rate: 43%
• In-state tuition and fees: $11,180
• Out-of-state tuition and fees: $30,220

One of the oldest public institutions in the US, UGA was chartered in 1785. Its students can choose from more than 700 clubs and organizations as well as join the more than 60 Greek chapters — around 25% of its attendees are members.

Biology, finance, psychology, marketing, business, accounting, computer science, management sciences and information systems, and international relations are some of the most popular of the more than 200 majors around.

UGA has more than 40,600 students — about 76% are undergraduates and almost 30% are minorities.

University of Maryland, College Park

• Location: College Park, Maryland
• Acceptance rate: 44%
• In-state tuition and fees: $11,505
• Out-of-state tuition and fees: $40,306

Founded in 1856, UMD is the flagship school of the entire University System of Maryland.

The public research university’s massive 1,340-acre suburban campus is home to 12 schools and colleges, over 250 buildings and 40,792 students, around 74% of whom are working on undergraduate degrees.

There are more than 100 sports teams, over 800 student clubs and organizations, and nearly 60 fraternities and sororities to choose from. Undergraduates at UMD can also choose from more than 100 available majors.

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

• Location: Champaign, Illinois
• Acceptance rate: 45%
• In-state tuition and fees: $17,572
• Out-of-state tuition and fees: $36,068

Founded in 1867, U of I is the flagship institution of the University of Illinois system and is one of the largest public universities in the US by enrollment: it has more than 56,900 students, around 62% of whom are undergraduates.

It has 15 colleges and schools, and its College of Engineering, School of Information Sciences and Department of Psychology are considered some of the best in the nation.

U of I has a 72% four-year graduation rate, and the median starting salary of its graduates amounts to $50,616 per year.

University of Washington

• Location: Seattle, Washington
• Acceptance rate: 48%
• In-state tuition and fees: $12,643
• Out-of-state tuition and fees: $41,997

Considered one of the oldest academic institutions on the West Coast, UW is the flagship school of the six public universities in the state of Washington. Seven of its faculty members have won the Nobel Prize.

The public research university is attended by 53,083 students, almost 70% of whom are undergraduates. Around 49% of its enrollees are minorities and, according to UW’s website itself, 27% of its freshmen students are first-generation.

US News ranks UW #40 in National Universities2024 and #15 in Top Public Schools 2024.

University of Wisconsin-Madison

• Location: Madison, Wisconsin
• Acceptance rate: 49%
• In-state tuition and fees: $11,205
• Out-of-state tuition and fees: $40,603

Other than being the official state university of Wisconsin, UW-Madison is also the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin system. Its 936-acre campus is home to 388 buildings and 49,886 students, around 75% of whom are undergraduates.

There are 145 majors at UW-Madison to choose from. Among those, the most popular are information science, economics, biology, psychology, mathematics, environmental science, and political science and government.

As of this writing, the school is test-optional, and the average high school GPA of admits is 3.8.

Ohio State University

• Location: Columbus, Ohio
• Acceptance rate: 53%
• In-state tuition and fees: $12,485
• Out-of-state tuition and fees: $36,722

Home to the prestigious Wexner Medical Center, OSU is a member of the public university system of Ohio. It has a Personalized Study Program, which allows its undergraduate students to enjoy a non-traditional education.

Adopting a test-optional admissions policy, admitted students have SAT scores ranging from 1310 to 1480 and ACT scores ranging from 29 to 32. Unless they are local residents who can commute, freshmen students must live on campus.

Undergrads can choose from more than 1,000 clubs and organizations as well as over 200 majors.

Pennsylvania State University

• Location: University Park, Pennsylvania
• Acceptance rate: 55%
• In-state tuition and fees: $19,835
• Out-of-state tuition and fees: $38,651

Ranked by US News #60 in National Universities 2024 and #28 in Top Public Schools 2024, Penn State is the first land-grant university in Pennsylvania — it was founded in 1855 as Farmers’ High School of Pennsylvania.

Penn State has a rolling admissions policy and is test-optional, and admitted first-time, first-year students have SAT and ACT scores ranging from 1210 to 1390 and 26 to 31, respectively. Their average GPA, meanwhile, is 3.7.

It has a spacious 7,958-acre rural campus, which houses 48,765, of whom 86% are undergrads and 23% are minorities.

University of Connecticut

• Location: Storrs, Connecticut
• Acceptance rate: 55%
• In-state tuition and fees: $20,366
• Out-of-state tuition and fees: $43,034

Originally known as the Storrs Agricultural School when it was founded in 1881, UConn has 27,003, around 70% of whom are undergraduate students and 39% of whom are minority students.

There are more than 120 minors and over 115 majors, some of the most popular of which include economics, psychology, communications, nursing, biology, mechanical engineering and medical assistant.

UConn has a 74% four-year graduation rate, and the median starting salary of graduates is $50,446 per year.

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

• Location: Piscataway, New Jersey
• Acceptance rate: 66%
• In-state tuition and fees: $17,239
• Out-of-state tuition and fees: $36,001

The flagship school of New Jersey’s state university, Rutgers was originally referred to as Queen’s College. It’s also one of the nine colonial colleges in the US chartered before the American Revolution.

As of this writing, it has 50,637 students, around 72% of whom are undergraduates.

Rutgers has a rolling admissions policy. It has a high 93% retention rate, and its four-year graduation rate is 70%. The median starting salary of the public research university’s alumni members is $49,190 per year.

University of Delaware

• Location: Newark, Delaware
• Acceptance rate: 72%
• In-state tuition and fees: $16,080
• Out-of-state tuition and fees: $39,720

UD is the largest university in Delaware. It has a suburban campus that measures 1,996 acres, and it has eight colleges, including highly ranked ones such as the College of Engineering and the School of Education.

Undergraduates, which consists of around 81% of its 23,440 total population, can choose from more than 150 majors, some of the most popular are finance, marketing, biology, nursing, communications, and liberal arts and humanities.

The average high school GPA of freshman admits is 3.9.

University of Minnesota, Twin Cities

• Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
• Acceptance rate: 75%
• In-state tuition and fees: $16,488
• Out-of-state tuition and fees: $36,402

U of M is the flagship school of the entire University of Minnesota system — it’s the ninth-largest campus in the US in terms of enrollment, having more than 54,950 students on its 1,204-acre urban campus.

It has a rolling admissions policy and is test-optional, too — the SAT and ACT scores of admitted students who submitted their test scores range from 1290 to 1500 and 27 to 32, respectively.

Undergraduates at U of M can choose from nearly 300 majors and more than 1,000 clubs and organizations.

University of Colorado Boulder

• Location: Boulder, Colorado
• Acceptance rate: 79%
• In-state tuition and fees: $13,622
• Out-of-state tuition and fees: $41,966

Founded in 1876 even before Colorado became a state, CU Boulder is the flagship school of the University of Colorado system. It has 38,222 students, of whom 81% are undergraduates and 28% are minorities.

The average high school GPA of admitted first-time, first-year students is 3.7.

Undergrads at CU Boulder can choose from more than 50 majors, some of the most popular of which include computer science, business, psychology, mechanical engineering and public relations.

Indiana University Bloomington

• Location: Bloomington, Indiana
• Acceptance rate: 82%
• In-state tuition and fees: $11,790
• Out-of-state tuition and fees: $40,482

The flagship and the largest campus of Indiana University, IU Bloomington has a rolling admissions policy. The average GPA of admitted students is 3.8, and their SAT and ACT scores range from 1180 to 1400 and 27 to 32, respectively.

Its 1,953-acre campus with a city setting is home to 16 colleges and schools, plus the prestigious Hutton Honors College. Its student population is more than 47,000, approximately 76% of whom are undergraduates.

Around 38% of IU Bloomington’s classes consist of fewer than 20 students, and the student-to-faculty ratio is 18:1.

University of Iowa

• Location: Iowa City, Iowa
• Acceptance rate: 86%
• In-state tuition and fees: $10,964
• Out-of-state tuition and fees: $32,927

Ranked #93 in National Universities 2024 and #47 in Top Public Schools 2024 by US News, UI is the oldest university in Iowa. It consists of 12 colleges and schools, including its College of Law and Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine.

Undergraduate students, which make up around 73% of its 30,000 plus total enrollment, can choose from more than 200 majors, the most popular of those include business, finance, psychology, and kinesiology and exercise science.

The average high school GPA of admitted freshmen students is 3.8.

University of Arizona

• Location: Tucson, Arizona
• Acceptance rate: 87%
• In-state tuition and fees: $12,937
• Out-of-state tuition and fees: $37,355

Founded in 1885, U of A is the first university in Arizona. It consists of 21 degree-granting colleges and schools, including the Eller College of Management and College of Medicine.

U of A is a test-optional school, and admitted students who submit their standardized test scores have SAT scores ranging from 1140 to 1370 and ACT scores ranging from 21 to 29. Their average GPA, meanwhile, is 3.5.

The institution has a four-year graduation rate of 54%, and graduates have a median starting salary of $41,742 per year.

Miami University

• Location: Oxford, Ohio
• Acceptance rate: 88%
• In-state tuition and fees: $17,055
• Out-of-state tuition and fees: $38,127

Founded in 1809, Miami is the second- and tenth-oldest university in Ohio and the US, respectively.

Its freshmen admits have an average high school GPA of 3.9, and their test scores range between 1160 and 1370 for the SAT and 24 and 29 for the ACT. The public research university, by the way, has a test-optional admissions policy.

Ranked #70 in Top Public Schools 2024 by US News, there are more than 200 majors available at Miami. Of those, some of the most popular are finance, marketing, psychology, and political science and government.

Miami’s large 2,100-acre campus houses 19,108 students, around 88% are undergraduates.

Michigan State University

• Location: East Lansing, Michigan
• Acceptance rate: 88%
• In-state tuition and fees: $15,372
• Out-of-state tuition and fees: $41,958

Originally known as the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan, MSU was founded in 1855. It consists of 17 colleges and schools, collectively offering more than 400 programs of study.

Advertising, communications, biology, psychology, finance, economics, mechanical engineering, information science, kinesiology and exercise science — these are some of the most popular of MSU’s more than 200 majors.

The average high school GPA of freshmen students who get admitted to MSU is 3.8.