Lens covers 124 large public universities, all public. They range from Metropolitan State University of Denver (15,002 undergraduates) to Arizona State University (64,674). Acceptance rates run from 9% to 100%, and 94 of the 124 admit at least half of applicants.
Large public universities here have 15,000 or more undergraduates (IPEDS).
Open these 124 colleges in the College Filter → Narrow them by cost at your rate, majors, size and more.
The 124 large public universities
Listed A to Z. Lens never ranks colleges.
| College | Location | Undergraduates | Acceptance rate | Tuition & fees (before aid) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appalachian State University | Boone, North Carolina | 19,444 | 90% | $7,579 in-state · $25,212 out-of-state |
| Arizona State University | Tempe, Arizona | 64,674 | 90% | $12,223 in-state · $33,139 out-of-state |
| Auburn University | Auburn, Alabama | 26,816 | 46% | $12,890 in-state · $34,922 out-of-state |
| Boise State University | Boise, Idaho | 17,674 | 87% | $9,048 in-state · $27,788 out-of-state |
| CUNY Bernard M Baruch College | New York, New York | 16,154 | 48% | $7,464 in-state · $15,414 out-of-state |
| CUNY Hunter College | New York, New York | 16,289 | 54% | $7,382 in-state · $15,332 out-of-state |
| California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo | San Luis Obispo, California | 21,996 | 31% | $13,596 in-state · $34,665 out-of-state |
| California State Polytechnic University, Pomona | Pomona, California | 25,042 | 75% | $7,780 in-state · $20,380 out-of-state |
| California State University, Fresno | Fresno, California | 21,605 | 95% | $7,350 in-state · $19,950 out-of-state |
| California State University, Fullerton | Fullerton, California | 38,546 | 91% | $7,470 in-state · $20,070 out-of-state |
| California State University, Long Beach | Long Beach, California | 35,924 | 46% | $7,350 in-state · $19,950 out-of-state |
| California State University, Los Angeles | Los Angeles, California | 19,562 | 91% | $7,160 in-state · $19,760 out-of-state |
| California State University, Northridge | Northridge, California | 32,691 | 93% | $7,458 in-state · $20,058 out-of-state |
| California State University, Sacramento | Sacramento, California | 28,350 | 94% | $8,018 in-state · $20,618 out-of-state |
| California State University, San Bernardino | San Bernardino, California | 15,023 | 94% | $8,093 in-state · $20,693 out-of-state |
| Clemson University | Clemson, South Carolina | 23,300 | 38% | $15,554 in-state · $40,866 out-of-state |
| Colorado State University–Fort Collins | Fort Collins, Colorado | 25,538 | 89% | $13,373 in-state · $34,783 out-of-state |
| East Carolina University | Greenville, North Carolina | 19,896 | 89% | $7,361 in-state · $23,638 out-of-state |
| Florida Atlantic University | Boca Raton, Florida | 23,757 | 66% | $4,879 in-state · $17,324 out-of-state |
| Florida International University | Miami, Florida | 39,508 | 55% | $6,565 in-state · $18,964 out-of-state |
| Florida State University | Tallahassee, Florida | 32,212 | 24% | $5,656 in-state · $18,786 out-of-state |
| George Mason University | Fairfax, Virginia | 27,752 | 87% | $14,220 in-state · $38,688 out-of-state |
| Georgia Institute of Technology | Atlanta, Georgia | 18,785 | 14% | $12,058 in-state · $34,484 out-of-state |
| Georgia Southern University | Statesboro, Georgia | 21,790 | 88% | $6,022 in-state · $17,734 out-of-state |
| Georgia State University | Atlanta, Georgia | 26,623 | 55% | $8,664 in-state · $24,840 out-of-state |
| Grand Valley State University | Allendale, Michigan | 18,854 | 83% | $15,140 in-state · $21,548 out-of-state |
| Illinois State University | Normal, Illinois | 19,057 | 88% | $16,144 in-state · $28,210 out-of-state |
| Indiana University–Bloomington | Bloomington, Indiana | 37,806 | 78% | $12,144 in-state · $41,891 out-of-state |
| Iowa State University | Ames, Iowa | 25,367 | 89% | $10,787 in-state · $28,881 out-of-state |
| James Madison University | Harrisonburg, Virginia | 20,888 | 72% | $14,250 in-state · $31,604 out-of-state |
| Kansas State University | Manhattan, Kansas | 15,142 | 82% | $11,221 in-state · $28,568 out-of-state |
| Kennesaw State University | Kennesaw, Georgia | 41,254 | 69% | $5,808 in-state · $17,736 out-of-state |
| Kent State University at Kent | Kent, Ohio | 19,320 | 86% | $13,232 in-state · $23,082 out-of-state |
| Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College | Baton Rouge, Louisiana | 30,594 | 73% | $11,954 in-state · $28,631 out-of-state |
| Metropolitan State University of Denver | Denver, Colorado | 15,002 | 99% | $11,124 in-state · $30,684 out-of-state |
| Miami University–Oxford | Oxford, Ohio | 16,656 | 75% | $18,161 in-state · $41,221 out-of-state |
| Michigan State University | East Lansing, Michigan | 40,922 | 85% | $16,458 in-state · $43,842 out-of-state |
| Middle Tennessee State University | Murfreesboro, Tennessee | 16,301 | 69% | $10,266 in-state · $31,574 out-of-state |
| Mississippi State University | Mississippi State, Mississippi | 18,397 | 78% | $10,202 in-state · $27,637 out-of-state |
| Montclair State University | Montclair, New Jersey | 18,376 | 88% | $15,912 in-state · $26,022 out-of-state |
| North Carolina State University at Raleigh | Raleigh, North Carolina | 27,371 | 42% | $8,799 in-state · $32,847 out-of-state |
| Northern Arizona University | Flagstaff, Arizona | 22,903 | 90% | $13,009 in-state · $29,881 out-of-state |
| Ohio State University | Columbus, Ohio | 45,638 | 61% | $13,244 in-state · $40,022 out-of-state |
| Ohio University | Athens, Ohio | 19,633 | 85% | $14,158 in-state · $24,838 out-of-state |
| Oklahoma State University | Stillwater, Oklahoma | 21,773 | 75% | $10,234 in-state · $25,754 out-of-state |
| Old Dominion University | Norfolk, Virginia | 17,514 | 90% | $12,750 in-state · $33,780 out-of-state |
| Oregon State University | Corvallis, Oregon | 30,743 | 77% | $14,400 in-state · $38,190 out-of-state |
| Pennsylvania State University | University Park, Pennsylvania | 42,284 | 61% | $20,644 in-state · $41,790 out-of-state |
| Purdue University | West Lafayette, Indiana | 44,503 | 50% | $9,992 in-state · $28,794 out-of-state |
| Rowan University | Glassboro, New Jersey | 15,841 | 78% | $16,574 in-state · $26,932 out-of-state |
| Rutgers University–New Brunswick | New Brunswick, New Jersey | 37,751 | 58% | $17,929 in-state · $37,441 out-of-state |
| Sam Houston State University | Huntsville, Texas | 17,743 | 90% | $9,228 in-state · $19,068 out-of-state |
| San Diego State University | San Diego, California | 35,377 | 36% | $8,728 in-state · $21,328 out-of-state |
| San Francisco State University | San Francisco, California | 18,639 | 96% | $7,950 in-state · $20,550 out-of-state |
| San Jose State University | San Jose, California | 27,601 | 85% | $8,410 in-state · $21,010 out-of-state |
| Stony Brook University | Stony Brook, New York | 18,101 | 49% | $10,931 in-state · $32,741 out-of-state |
| Temple University | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | 20,970 | 80% | $23,011 in-state · $38,958 out-of-state |
| Texas A&M University–College Station | College Station, Texas | 59,615 | 57% | $13,154 in-state · $40,124 out-of-state |
| Texas State University | San Marcos, Texas | 36,177 | 89% | $11,450 in-state · $22,930 out-of-state |
| Texas Tech University | Lubbock, Texas | 32,394 | 73% | $11,852 in-state · $24,451 out-of-state |
| The University of Alabama | Tuscaloosa, Alabama | 33,227 | 77% | $12,180 in-state · $34,172 out-of-state |
| The University of Tennessee–Knoxville | Knoxville, Tennessee | 30,418 | 42% | $13,812 in-state · $33,256 out-of-state |
| The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | Edinburg, Texas | 28,666 | 94% | $9,987 in-state · $19,827 out-of-state |
| The University of Texas at Arlington | Arlington, Texas | 32,294 | 80% | $11,950 in-state · $29,582 out-of-state |
| The University of Texas at Austin | Austin, Texas | 42,855 | 27% | $11,688 in-state · $44,908 out-of-state |
| The University of Texas at Dallas | Richardson, Texas | 21,751 | 65% | $14,644 in-state · $40,144 out-of-state |
| The University of Texas at El Paso | El Paso, Texas | 21,005 | 100% | $9,744 in-state · $25,502 out-of-state |
| The University of Texas at San Antonio | San Antonio, Texas | 30,580 | 87% | $9,011 in-state · $22,051 out-of-state |
| Towson University | Towson, Maryland | 16,136 | 82% | $11,728 in-state · $29,820 out-of-state |
| University at Buffalo | Buffalo, New York | 20,112 | 74% | $10,936 in-state · $31,536 out-of-state |
| University of Arizona | Tucson, Arizona | 42,537 | 86% | $13,926 in-state · $42,278 out-of-state |
| University of Arkansas | Fayetteville, Arkansas | 28,677 | 74% | $10,104 in-state · $29,966 out-of-state |
| University of California, Berkeley | Berkeley, California | 33,068 | 11% | $16,347 in-state · $50,547 out-of-state |
| University of California, Davis | Davis, California | 32,253 | 42% | $16,774 in-state · $50,974 out-of-state |
| University of California, Irvine | Irvine, California | 30,197 | 29% | $15,722 in-state · $49,922 out-of-state |
| University of California, Los Angeles | Los Angeles, California | 33,475 | 9% | $15,203 in-state · $49,403 out-of-state |
| University of California, Riverside | Riverside, California | 22,593 | 76% | $15,606 in-state · $49,806 out-of-state |
| University of California, San Diego | La Jolla, California | 34,948 | 27% | $16,758 in-state · $50,958 out-of-state |
| University of California, Santa Barbara | Santa Barbara, California | 23,113 | 33% | $16,414 in-state · $50,614 out-of-state |
| University of California, Santa Cruz | Santa Cruz, California | 17,940 | 66% | $16,005 in-state · $50,205 out-of-state |
| University of Central Florida | Orlando, Florida | 59,146 | 40% | $6,368 in-state · $22,467 out-of-state |
| University of Cincinnati | Cincinnati, Ohio | 29,882 | 85% | $13,976 in-state · $29,310 out-of-state |
| University of Colorado Boulder | Boulder, Colorado | 31,939 | 78% | $15,666 in-state · $44,918 out-of-state |
| University of Connecticut | Storrs, Connecticut | 19,835 | 52% | $21,044 in-state · $43,712 out-of-state |
| University of Delaware | Newark, Delaware | 19,071 | 71% | $16,810 in-state · $41,400 out-of-state |
| University of Florida | Gainesville, Florida | 35,629 | 24% | $6,381 in-state · $28,659 out-of-state |
| University of Georgia | Athens, Georgia | 32,137 | 38% | $11,450 in-state · $31,688 out-of-state |
| University of Hawaii at Manoa | Honolulu, Hawaii | 15,029 | 87% | $12,186 in-state · $34,218 out-of-state |
| University of Houston | Houston, Texas | 38,380 | 74% | $9,717 in-state · $22,547 out-of-state |
| University of Illinois Chicago | Chicago, Illinois | 22,170 | 77% | $14,338 in-state · $29,884 out-of-state |
| University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | Champaign, Illinois | 36,258 | 42% | $16,004 in-state · $35,124 out-of-state |
| University of Iowa | Iowa City, Iowa | 22,264 | 84% | $11,283 in-state · $33,371 out-of-state |
| University of Kansas | Lawrence, Kansas | 21,217 | 93% | $12,102 in-state · $30,432 out-of-state |
| University of Kentucky | Lexington, Kentucky | 24,763 | 93% | $13,502 in-state · $34,140 out-of-state |
| University of Maryland–College Park | College Park, Maryland | 30,760 | 45% | $11,809 in-state · $41,186 out-of-state |
| University of Massachusetts–Amherst | Amherst, Massachusetts | 23,671 | 60% | $17,772 in-state · $40,449 out-of-state |
| University of Michigan–Ann Arbor | Ann Arbor, Michigan | 34,177 | 16% | $17,736 in-state · $60,946 out-of-state |
| University of Minnesota–Twin Cities | Minneapolis, Minnesota | 31,855 | 80% | $17,214 in-state · $38,362 out-of-state |
| University of Mississippi | University, Mississippi | 21,473 | 97% | $9,772 in-state · $28,600 out-of-state |
| University of Missouri–Columbia | Columbia, Missouri | 23,929 | 78% | $14,837 in-state · $36,056 out-of-state |
| University of Nebraska–Lincoln | Lincoln, Nebraska | 19,178 | 87% | $10,434 in-state · $28,584 out-of-state |
| University of Nevada–Las Vegas | Las Vegas, Nevada | 24,622 | 96% | $9,748 in-state · $27,411 out-of-state |
| University of Nevada–Reno | Reno, Nevada | 15,599 | 74% | $9,578 in-state · $27,720 out-of-state |
| University of New Mexico | Albuquerque, New Mexico | 17,244 | 95% | $10,140 in-state · $33,060 out-of-state |
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | Chapel Hill, North Carolina | 20,752 | 15% | $8,994 in-state · $41,203 out-of-state |
| University of North Carolina at Charlotte | Charlotte, North Carolina | 24,453 | 80% | $7,239 in-state · $22,492 out-of-state |
| University of North Georgia | Dahlonega, Georgia | 16,146 | 68% | $5,285 in-state · $16,503 out-of-state |
| University of North Texas | Denton, Texas | 34,341 | 72% | $11,309 in-state · $21,149 out-of-state |
| University of Oklahoma | Norman, Oklahoma | 22,734 | 77% | $9,797 in-state · $27,377 out-of-state |
| University of Oregon | Eugene, Oregon | 20,497 | 88% | $16,137 in-state · $44,598 out-of-state |
| University of Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | 20,370 | 58% | $21,926 in-state · $41,430 out-of-state |
| University of South Carolina–Columbia | Columbia, South Carolina | 29,820 | 60% | $12,688 in-state · $35,972 out-of-state |
| University of South Florida | Tampa, Florida | 37,207 | 43% | $6,410 in-state · $17,324 out-of-state |
| University of Utah | Salt Lake City, Utah | 27,264 | 86% | $9,620 in-state · $30,860 out-of-state |
| University of Virginia | Charlottesville, Virginia | 17,597 | 17% | $21,803 in-state · $59,512 out-of-state |
| University of Washington–Seattle | Seattle, Washington | 31,942 | 39% | $12,973 in-state · $43,209 out-of-state |
| University of Wisconsin–Madison | Madison, Wisconsin | 36,902 | 45% | $11,603 in-state · $42,103 out-of-state |
| University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee | Milwaukee, Wisconsin | 16,758 | 91% | $10,398 in-state · $22,398 out-of-state |
| Utah State University | Logan, Utah | 20,272 | 92% | $9,228 in-state · $24,802 out-of-state |
| Virginia Commonwealth University | Richmond, Virginia | 20,753 | 93% | $16,945 in-state · $40,109 out-of-state |
| Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | Blacksburg, Virginia | 30,923 | 55% | $15,948 in-state · $37,764 out-of-state |
| Washington State University | Pullman, Washington | 21,099 | 87% | $13,391 in-state · $29,950 out-of-state |
| Wayne State University | Detroit, Michigan | 15,587 | 81% | $15,190 in-state · $32,037 out-of-state |
| West Virginia University | Morgantown, West Virginia | 17,385 | 89% | $10,104 in-state · $28,608 out-of-state |
Sources: IPEDS (fall 2024 enrollment and admissions); College Scorecard (published tuition and fees before aid, about 2023–24). You may pay less if receiving grants or scholarships.
Related lists
- Large Public Universities in the Northeast
- Large Public Universities in the Southeast
- Large Public Universities in the Midwest
- Large Public Universities in the South and Southwest
- Large Public Universities in the Mountain West
- Large Public Universities on the West Coast
FAQ
Which large public universities admit at least half of applicants? 94 of the 124: Appalachian State University, Arizona State University, Boise State University, CUNY Hunter College, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, California State University, Fresno, California State University, Fullerton, California State University, Los Angeles, California State University, Northridge, California State University, Sacramento, California State University, San Bernardino, Colorado State University–Fort Collins and 82 more (fall 2024).
What are the largest and smallest large public universities? Arizona State University is the largest, with 64,674 undergraduates, and Metropolitan State University of Denver is the smallest, with 15,002 (fall 2024).
Where these numbers come from
Lens covers the 850 four-year public and private nonprofit colleges that receive the most applications, so some smaller colleges are not listed. Enrollment, acceptance rates and degrees come from IPEDS (U.S. Department of Education, fall 2024); published prices from the College Scorecard. Each college's page lists its own sources. See the data behind Lens.