Big universities offer big benefits—so say many students and alumni of large institutions. Large alumni networks, diverse academic programs, and extensive social and extracurricular opportunities draw many people to big schools. Another advantage: large public universities often cost less than smaller private colleges.
Which large schools deliver the most value to students? Niche ranked four-year public and private universities with undergraduate populations over 15,000 using nine factors, with academics (40 percent) and value (27.5 percent) weighted most heavily. Below are the 25 big schools that topped that list, along with key facts and highlights for each.
25. University of Pittsburgh
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Location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Undergraduate students: 18,390
Acceptance rate: 60%
SAT range: 1240–1420
Net price (annual): $22,848
Highlights: Niche ranks Pitt No. 25 among public universities and No. 12 for kinesiology and physical therapy. The campus sits close to downtown, ideal for students who want city access.
24. Clemson University
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Location: Clemson, South Carolina
Undergraduate students: 18,642
Acceptance rate: 47%
SAT range: 1220–1390
Net price (annual): $18,757
Highlights: A top choice for sports fans, Clemson ranks highly for sports management and collegiate athletics. Students often praise the strong campus spirit.
23. North Carolina State University
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Location: Raleigh, North Carolina
Undergraduate students: 21,384
Acceptance rate: 51%
SAT range: 1230–1390
Net price (annual): $13,442
Highlights: NC State students receive an average of $10,998 in financial aid—well above the national average—and the university ranks highly for agricultural sciences.
22. Texas A&M University
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Location: College Station, Texas
Undergraduate students: 46,724
Acceptance rate: 71%
SAT range: 1140–1360
Net price (annual): $19,554
Highlights: A national leader in agricultural sciences, Texas A&M also draws many students to majors such as liberal arts and nutrition. It’s one of two schools on this list with more than 40,000 undergraduates.
21. The Ohio State University
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Location: Columbus, Ohio
Undergraduate students: 42,003
Acceptance rate: 48%
SAT range: 1260–1450
Net price (annual): $18,042
Highlights: Another very large campus, OSU ranks well for student life and is a major draw for students seeking a lively, socially engaged college experience.
20. Penn State University
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Location: State College, Pennsylvania
Undergraduate students: 39,785
Acceptance rate: 50%
SAT range: 1160–1340
Net price (annual): $25,346
Highlights: A national leader in information technology, Penn State’s most popular major is information science. The student-to-faculty ratio is 16:1.
19. University of Washington
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Location: Seattle, Washington
Undergraduate students: 28,759
Acceptance rate: 46%
SAT range: 1190–1420
Net price (annual): $9,443
Highlights: With major tech employers in the region, UW ranks highly for information technology and has strong diversity metrics.
18. University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
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Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Undergraduate students: 29,991
Acceptance rate: 50%
SAT range: 1270–1480
Net price (annual): $16,808
Highlights: Ranked No. 5 for agricultural sciences, the Twin Cities campus also reports strong graduate earnings—median earnings six years after graduation are $51,900.
17. Purdue University
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Location: West Lafayette, Indiana
Undergraduate students: 30,277
Acceptance rate: 57%
SAT range: 1150–1380
Net price (annual): $12,117
Highlights: Purdue’s student-to-faculty ratio is 13:1. Business is the most popular major, followed by mechanical engineering.
16. Brigham Young University
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Location: Provo, Utah
Undergraduate students: 28,156
Acceptance rate: 52%
SAT range: 1210–1410
Net price (annual): $12,979
Highlights: BYU ranks in the top 10 in six distinct Niche categories, including conservative colleges, Christian colleges, information technology, education, accounting and kinesiology.
15. University of California, Santa Barbara
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Location: Santa Barbara, California
Undergraduate students: 21,777
Acceptance rate: 33%
SAT range: 1190–1400
Net price (annual): $16,154
Highlights: Known for its stunning coastal campus, UCSB ranks among the top public universities and is also noted for its lively social scene.
14. University of Georgia
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Location: Athens, Georgia
Undergraduate students: 27,142
Acceptance rate: 54%
SAT range: 1200–1370
Net price (annual): $15,934
Highlights: UGA scores highly for student life, Greek life and campus food, and is widely regarded for its vibrant social culture.
13. University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
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Location: Champaign, Illinois
Undergraduate students: 32,613
Acceptance rate: 62%
SAT range: 1340–1500
Net price (annual): $16,638
Highlights: A leader in Greek life and social activities, UIUC is also strong academically—graduates report median earnings of about $61,500 six years after graduation.
12. University of Wisconsin
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Location: Madison, Wisconsin
Undergraduate students: 28,977
Acceptance rate: 54%
SAT range: 1280–1450
Net price (annual): $15,910
Highlights: Noted for an outstanding social environment and strong programs in agricultural sciences and education.
11. Boston University
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Location: Boston, Massachusetts
Undergraduate students: 17,286
Acceptance rate: 25%
SAT range: 1300–1480
Net price (annual): $33,728
Highlights: A strong urban university with popular programs in business and communications and a favorable 10:1 student-to-faculty ratio.
10. University of Florida
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Location: Gainesville, Florida
Undergraduate students: 31,384
Acceptance rate: 42%
SAT range: 1240–1400
Net price (annual): $15,283
Highlights: UF graduates 88% of students—well above the national average—and ranks No. 1 for college athletics and among the top for sports management.
9. Virginia Tech
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Location: Blacksburg, Virginia
Undergraduate students: 26,603
Acceptance rate: 70%
SAT range: 1180–1360
Net price (annual): $18,700
Highlights: High ranks for student life and food programs; popular majors include management sciences, information systems and mechanical engineering. Graduation rate: 84%.
8. University of Texas
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Location: Austin, Texas
Undergraduate students: 37,740
Acceptance rate: 36%
SAT range: 1220–1460
Net price (annual): $14,356
Highlights: Strong earnings for graduates—median earnings six years after graduation are $58,200—and a net annual cost below the average.
7. New York University
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Location: New York, New York
Undergraduate students: 25,347
Acceptance rate: 28%
SAT range: 1290–1490
Net price (annual): $36,256
Highlights: A premier urban campus with high rankings for its setting, film and photography, information technology and nursing programs.
6. University of North Carolina
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Location: Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Undergraduate students: 18,303
Acceptance rate: 24%
SAT range: 1270–1460
Net price (annual): $11,100
Highlights: Ranked in the top 10 across seven Niche categories, including student athletes, education, communications and global studies.
5. University of California, Berkeley
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Location: Berkeley, California
Undergraduate students: 29,351
Acceptance rate: 17%
SAT range: 1260–1480
Net price (annual): $18,178
Highlights: Highly ranked academically and culturally, Berkeley is among the most liberal campuses and posts a strong 91% graduation rate; top majors include economics, cellular biology and computer science.
4. University of Virginia
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Location: Charlottesville, Virginia
Undergraduate students: 15,766
Acceptance rate: 27%
SAT range: 1310–1500
Net price (annual): $16,594
Highlights: Founded by Thomas Jefferson, UVA maintains a 15:1 student-to-faculty ratio. The top major is liberal arts and humanities, and the school ranks highly for architecture and its scenic campus.
3. University of California, Los Angeles
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Location: Los Angeles, California
Undergraduate students: 30,458
Acceptance rate: 16%
SAT range: 1220–1450
Net price (annual): $14,760
Highlights: UCLA ranks in the top 10 across seven categories, including best campus, food, student life and strong programs in design and film.
2. University of Michigan
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Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan
Undergraduate students: 28,702
Acceptance rate: 27%
SAT range: 1330–1500
Net price (annual): $16,408
Highlights: Michigan appears in the top 10 in ten Niche categories, from top public university to strong programs in sports management, education, business, nursing and film.
1. University of Southern California
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Location: Los Angeles, California
Undergraduate students: 18,631
Acceptance rate: 17%
SAT range: 1300–1500
Net price (annual): $32,892
Highlights: Topping the list of big colleges, USC ranks No. 1 for student life and leads in design and film and photography. Despite a higher net cost, USC graduates report strong earnings—median income six years after graduation is about $74,000.