The University of Texas at Austin is one of the best public universities in the country.Alex Slitz/Getty ImagesUS News & World Report ranks the best universities across the US every year.While many of the top schools are private, every state in the union has its own public system.We used US News' ranking to compile a list of the 25 best public schools.This back-to-school season, the cost and value of higher education are top of mind.In a time when going to college can put you in hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt, and as more tech moguls share that they skipped university altogether, it could be worth considering a public school.Every state has some sort of public school system, though they're not all created equal. Just as private schools have the Ivy League, some state schools stand above the rest — Forbes now releases its own list of "Public Ivies" each year.Public schools are also generally cheaper than private schools, especially if you stay in-state. But even paying out-of-state tuition at some public schools can cost half as much as the most expensive colleges charge.We used US News & World Report's ranking of best national universities to identify the top 25 public schools in the country. The list does not include liberal arts colleges focused on undergraduate education or regional universities with limited doctoral programs, although those are typically private schools.Its ranking evaluated 434 US colleges across multiple metrics, including graduation rates, debt loads, average salaries, and admissions rates, among others, using data reported by schools and third-party sources.College rankings have faced scrutiny over the years, with critics of US News & World Report's lists arguing that they can pressure schools to perform well on certain metrics to boost their standing. Skeptics have also questioned the ranking methodology, saying it may fail to capture key, less quantifiable factors that add to a school's quality.US News has defended the rankings as a helpful resource, while admitting comparing colleges "can be challenging," and the lists "don't capture every nuance.""But we reject our critics' paternalistic view that students are somehow incapable of discerning for themselves from this information which school is the best fit," US News & World Report executive chairman and CEO Eric Gertler wrote in 2023 for the Wall Street Journal.Here are the 25 best public universities across the US.25. University of California, MercedConstruction of a new Student Services building on the UC Merced campus on Tuesday April 16, 2013, in Merced, Ca.Michael Macor/San Francisco Chronicle/Getty ImagesNational rank: #57 (tie)UC Merced, which opened in 2005, is the newest school in the UC system. It's around 80 miles west of Yosemite National Park and has an enrollment of around 9,000 students, including undergraduates and graduates.It's a top performer in US News' social mobility ranking, which means the university admits a large number of economically disadvantaged students and distributes Pell Grants to help them afford higher education.21 (tie). Florida State UniversityThe Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, FloridaDenisTangneyJr/Getty ImagesNational rank: #51 (tie)Florida State University, located in Tallahassee, Florida's capital city, was founded in 1851. It has an enrollment of about 33,000 undergraduate students.FSU is known as the home of the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, the only magnet-powered lab in the country and one of just 12 in the world.21 (tie). Texas A&M UniversityCollege Station, TX, USA - April 3, 2015: An entrance to Texas A&M University. Texas A&M University is a public research university located in College Station, Texas.wellesenterprises/iStockNational rank: #51 (tie)Texas A&M is located in College Station, about 90 miles northwest of Houston, and was founded in 1876, 150 years ago this year. It has an enrollment of 61,000 undergraduate students.Aside from its academics, Texas A&M is also known for its close ties to President George H. W. Bush. His presidential library is located on campus, and the school of government and public service is named after him. His gravesite is also on campus, near his library.21 (tie). Virginia TechApril 18, 2018: Historic Virginia Tech Polytechnic Institute and State University College campus with Burruss hall facade exterior in spring,krblokhin/iStockNational rank: #51 (tie)The town of Blacksburg is home to Virginia Tech, or the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, founded in 1872.Virginia Tech has about 31,000 undergraduate students enrolled. It ranks No. 6 for the best industrial/manufacturing engineering program.21 (tie). College of William & MaryThe sign for William and Mary college outside the campus in downtown Williamsburg.Eli Wilson/iStockNational rank: #51 (tie)The second school on this list (but not the last) located in Virginia is the College of William
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