Just as the title asks. It’s mostly a question out of curiosity.
Out of bias, I argue that California has the best public higher education system due to the presence of the UC’s (all of which are truly top-notch nationally and/or globally) and the CSU’s (which are excellent even though they are overshadowed by the UC’s; in any other state, they would be the top public colleges).
However, I also have the opinion that a few state flagship schools may be on par or even better than the two “top” UC’s – UC Berkeley and UCLA. I hold that the best public university in the country (of course, my criteria of what I consider a top university should have will differ from those of other students) is University of Michigan.
(In no particular order,) Massachusetts, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Georgia, Illinois, Colorado, New Jersey, Maryland, Indiana, and Wisconsin also have robust public education systems overall and/or state flagships that are considered world-reknowned and a step higher than those of other states (though these other states do not necessarily lack in any detrimental way either).
I think it’s safe to say that the public higher education landscape in the United States is, quite simply put, unparalled and unmatched, full to the brim with countless opportunities and high quality programs that cater well to the most motivated and accomplished high school students (and to most others as well).
There’s no argument needed. California has the best public colleges. Other states have only 1 or 2 elite public universities. Ex: only UT Austin is great public school, but California has around 4 outstanding UCs and Cal Poly in CSU that have high standards for getting in. Pennsylvania is probably second on the list.
Anyways, what’s the point of this discussion lol?
Note that there are differences which may not be obvious from the usual rankings. Such differences may be relevant to particular populations of students. In addition, a state’s public higher education system is not just the flagship university.
For example, low income students in Pennsylvania and Illinois often find their public four year universities unaffordable due to high list prices and poor in-state financial aid. Low income students in California tend to be better off, due to relatively good in-state financial aid at the public four year universities, and over a hundred community colleges that provide good low cost frosh/soph level preparation for transfer as juniors in most majors at the public four year universities (as well as the usual community college offerings in subjects requiring two or fewer years’ worth of course work).
The community colleges are also an important stepping stone for many non-traditional students and late bloomers with poor high school records who turn themselves around academically after high school graduation or GED. Also, a good community college is often an acceptable safety school for students who may get shut out of four year schools that they apply to. States with weaker community college systems may offer less opportunity for such student populations.
VA has both UVa and W&M as well as VTech and a bunch of other public options.
I would put them 2nd behind CA. MI has UMich. IN covers a lot between IU and PU.
Several truly outstanding “flagships” have already been discussed: UVa, UC, UT (Austin), U of M . . . and there are a few others (UNC-CH, notwithstanding its current, severe academic/athletic ethics debacle, comes to mind). However, what about the second and third tiers of public higher education in these – and other – states? I know very little about the CSUs, but I always had a “feeling” they were not outstanding (I am not attempting to incite anyone, I truly dion’t know), and the same point could probably be made in Virginia (Old Dominion, VCU), in Texas (the non-Austin UTs), in Florida (FSU and the “new” mega-state schools), in Pennsylvania (Slippery Rock, California, and Indiana), in North Carolina (NCCU, ECU, Appalachian, and the non-Chapel Hill UNCs), and so forth? Can knowledgable individuals comment regarding the below-flagship state university systems?
What about Alabama?
I would have to say my opinion in order would be CA, VA, TX, MI. They all have two outstanding “flagships”. CA gets the nod due to its Cal Grant support for lower income families and the CCC–>CSU or UC transfer programs.
I’m sorry; Alabama is not yet even in a similar category with California, Virginia, Texas, etc. For example, the “state flagship” – the University of Alabama, I love the school but I’m being candid – in #88 in U S News’ most recent ranking of major American universities. I intend no offense, and I know the state is working diligently to improve public higher education, but the facts are clear.
Alabama basically gives poor students the finger when it comes to affording college. My top four are CA (by a wide margin), NY(props on the CUNY and SUNY systems), VA, and maybe Florida.
The CSUs may not be the greatest schools ever, but boy do they serve the state’s needs.
Lots of good comments here. NYS has a good system of colleges. They offer a solid education for an affordable price.The state awards grants for partial tuition (through TAP) to families who make ~$60k/year or less. With TAP, Pell, the federal student loan, and some family or student work contributions our 4-year colleges can be affordable for low income families.
There are also many good community colleges in NYS. For $3500/year tuition, students can get a 2-year degree in a variety of majors. There’s a guaranteed transfer agreement between our community colleges and the 4-year SUNYs which entitles a cc grad a place at one of the 4-year schools. Families who are lucky enough to be within commuting distance of both can earn a 4-year degree for roughly $25k.
Hard to beat CA
8 UC campus - all national research universities (plus UCSF, grad and Med only)
Berkeley, Los Angeles Davis, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, Riverside, Merced (est. 2005)
23 California State Universities, plus locations - generally up to Master’s degree granting
somewhat higher admission standards due to demand: Chico State, Fresno State, Cal State Fullerton, Humboldt State, Cal State Los Angeles, Cal State Long Beach, Cal State Northridge, Cal Poly Pomona, Sacramento State, Cal State San Bernardino, San Diego State. San Francisco State, San Jose State, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Cal State San Marcos, Sonoma State
basic admissions standards: Cal State Bakersfield, Cal State Channel Islands, Cal State Dominguez Hills, Cal State East Bay, California Maritime Academy, Cal State Monterey Bay, Cal State Stanislaus
112 Community Colleges, transfers get priority at UC and CSU campuses
I agree with the CA, VA, MI, and add NY and NC to the mix. MD not bad either. PA would be good except for price of the PSU and Pitt.
However.for any given student, any of those states might not have the public options that a lot of students like. A kid in MD, for example, would have a shot at nice flagship school without super high stats, with good name recognition, school spirit galore, a reasonably diverse group in terms of OOSers, that might not be possible in CA or NY. My kids did not like the instate choices of NY at all, but would have loved a number of the options in MI, VA, NC, PA with the type of options offered. Even tiny Delaware with UD was better in their eyes, and CA was not a state they would have liked possible choices either.
I agree - CA is the hands down winner. The question is who is second? NY, TX due to scale OR, WA serve their populations well. With fewer people (and therefore institutions), that doesn’t look as impressive.
The problem with NY (and CA) is the lack of OOSers in the mix at most of the choices. NY’s SUNYs, other than the Cornell land grant schools also suffer from lack of rep, recognition and ratings, the 3 Rs that often make a school desirable.
My BIL lives in TX and due to the 10% rule, he is down on the state system His kid wanted UTAustin , did not like A&M as it did not have the liberal arts strength he wanted. He was accepted to some highly selective schools but not the one UT school he would have selected (including some other OOS flagshps that are tough to gain entry). I know a lot of kids who just don’t like the SUNYs but look at PSU, UMD, UDel, URI, other state flagships because the environments are more what they like and NY doesn’t offer this.
Don’t most state universities (especially non-flagships) have predominantly in-state students, due to it being their mission to educate those from the state?
Of course, going to most out-of-state public schools is probably a luxury that is only affordable to students from wealthy families (except for the few who get big scholarships like UMD Bannecker-Key or UDel DuPont, etc.).
@NCalRent, in terms of coverage (high to low; engineering to LAC), I would put CA first and VA 2nd.
One of the top publics or top b-school? UVa. Liberal arts environment at a top school? W&M. Engineering? VTech. Have to start at a CC? Depending on which one, guaranteed admission to UVa/W&M/VTech/other depending on GPA. Add in GMU, JMU, ODU, VCU, Radford, and VMI, and pretty much anywhere else on the scale, every geographic region, and taste is covered.
UCalumnus re post #15. Yes, most state Universities have mostly in staters. But when you look at the SUNYs (they are getting better but still…), the % out of state is very small as compared to some many other popular state school. Also with some of the larger school even if the % is small, that still means a large absolute number of OOS kids.
Yes, for many OOS is a luxury, but for some states where the sticker price is high for their state schools, going to an OOS public, could be about the same price or even less. Or a small enough premium that makes it worth the extra cost to give the student more of what s/he wants. Some state Us are close to private school costs, however, for OOSers and that can be an issue.
I knew some UMi students who did end up going there from NY because as pricey as it is for OOSers, it’s still about $10K less than the privates they were considering and they got a $10 or so merit award to sweeten the pot even more, making the school $40-60K less, over 4 years, than the private schools like ND, GWU, BC, etc that were charging full price, and also in consideration. That can tip the scales. Though I am paying an OOS premium for my son who is at an OOS public, it was his first choice school and within the cost limit we set for him (though right at the top of it) . It is still far less than any of the full priced private school options, even some that offered merit money, but yes, it’s nearly double what the cost a SUNY would have been for him.
True, for those living in PA, IL, or other states who find their in-state schools too expensive and have to look elsewhere (maybe even NY, with relatively cheap SUNYs).
Is the question ‘the best university,’ or is it the ‘best university system (i.e. multiple campuses)?’
I would say that California HAD the best university system (including CSU), hands down. But other states have closed the gap; most prominently New York and Virginia, although it seems like New York will never fully receive from the public at large the high regard it deserves. Aside from Ohio State University, the several very fine public universities in Ohio constitute a great system of higher education. Add Wisconsin to the mix, also. And Colorado.