Public programs are offered at a focused set of schools across the country. A focused field like this rewards careful comparison of the schools that offer it.
For its 2027 ranking, College Factual looked at 3 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for public students pursuing a degree.
Where you study public matters for your future. To help, we created our Best Public Schools rankings. For our Best Overall Public School ranking, we roll up the results of our degree-level rankings, weighted by the number of degrees awarded at that level.
In order to find the schools that are the best fit for you, you may want to filter to one of the degree levels below.
We offer several rankings, including this Best Public Schools list, to help you decide. More interested in schools in a specific area of the country? Filter this list by region or state.
Want to compare schools head to head? Try our College Combat tool to weigh the factors that matter most to you.
Texas State University San Marcos tops our 2027 ranking of the best public schools. Texas State University San Marcos is a very large public school located in the city of San Marcos. Roughly 55% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 44 public degrees were awarded at Texas State University San Marcos in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, public degree recipients from Texas State University San Marcos generally make around $44,774. Texas State University San Marcos graduates carry a median of $25,000 in student loans.
See the full public program report for Texas State University San Marcos
East Carolina University is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in public, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the city of Greenville, East Carolina University is a very large public institution. East Carolina University graduates 63% of students within six years. East Carolina University awarded about 34 public degrees in the most recent data year. Public graduates of East Carolina University earn a median of $31,928 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $25,750.
Read more about the public program at East Carolina University
Students looking for a strong public program will find one at Tarleton State University, which ranked #3. Set in the town of Stephenville, Tarleton State University is a large public institution. Tarleton State University graduates 48% of students within six years. There were roughly 12 public students who graduated with this degree at Tarleton State University in the most recent data year. Public graduates of Tarleton State University earn a median of $50,532 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $23,222.
Read more about the public program at Tarleton State University
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 3 schools evaluated.
The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
