The Best Big Colleges
These are the top ranked large, public and private, four-year colleges in the United States as ranked by CollegeSimply. These schools all have undergraduate enrollment over 15,000. Leading the list for 2027 is Duke University. Learn how the Best Large Colleges rankings are calculated on our ranking methodology page.
Florida Gulf Coast University
- Public 4 Year
- Fort Myers, FL
-
3.0 | 3 reviews
- Nov 1 application deadline
FGCU is a public university known for undergraduate environmental science, marine science, and hospitality management. The Fort Myers campus includes nature preserves and sits near the Gulf Coast.
- SAT Range 1040-1200
- Avg GPA 4.0
- Acceptance Rate 63%
- Net Price $12,863
Georgia State University
- Public 4 Year
- Atlanta, GA
-
5.0 | 2 reviews
- Apr 1 application deadline
Georgia State is a large public university known for undergraduate business, public health, and public policy. The urban campus sits in downtown Atlanta.
- SAT Range 940-1180
- Avg GPA 3.54
- Acceptance Rate 55%
- Net Price $16,854
Oakland University
- Public 4 Year
- Rochester Hills, MI
-
| 0 reviews
Oakland University is a public university known for undergraduate nursing, business, and engineering. The suburban campus sits in Rochester Hills northeast of Detroit.
- SAT Range 1030-1230
- Avg GPA 3.51
- Acceptance Rate 88%
- Net Price $12,208
San Francisco State University
- Public 4 Year
- San Francisco, CA
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
- Nov 30 application deadline
SF State is a large public university known for undergraduate ethnic studies, cinema, and creative writing. The urban campus borders Lake Merced in southwestern San Francisco.
- SAT Range 930-1130
- Avg GPA 3.31
- Acceptance Rate 96%
- Net Price $13,168
Savannah College of Art and Design
- Private 4 Year
- Savannah, GA
-
4.2 | 4 reviews
SCAD is a private art and design college known for undergraduate fashion, graphic design, and animation. The campus occupies renovated historic buildings in downtown Savannah.
- SAT Range 1030-1270
- Avg GPA 3.56
- Acceptance Rate 83%
- Net Price $50,821
New Mexico State University Main Campus
- Public 4 Year
- Las Cruces, NM
-
| 0 reviews
New Mexico State is a large public university known for undergraduate agriculture and engineering. The main campus lies in Las Cruces near the Organ Mountains.
- SAT Range 870-1110
- Avg GPA 3.55
- Acceptance Rate 89%
- Net Price $10,719
Minnesota State University Mankato
- Public 4 Year
- Mankato, MN
-
3.7 | 3 reviews
Minnesota State Mankato is a public university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and business. The campus sits on a bluff overlooking the Minnesota River valley in southern Minnesota.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA 3.37
- Acceptance Rate 88%
- Net Price $18,861
Sam Houston State University
- Public 4 Year
- Huntsville, TX
-
4.5 | 2 reviews
- Aug 1 application deadline
Sam Houston State is a large public university known for undergraduate criminal justice and forensic science. The main campus is in Huntsville in the piney woods of East Texas.
- SAT Range 930-1120
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.25
- Acceptance Rate 90%
- Net Price $14,737
California State University Fullerton
- Public 4 Year
- Fullerton, CA
-
4.0 | 1 reviews
- Nov 30 application deadline
Cal State Fullerton is a large public university known for undergraduate business, communications, and education. The suburban campus sits in northern Orange County.
- SAT Range 1000-1180
- Avg GPA 3.77
- Acceptance Rate 91%
- Net Price $7,064
Kent State University at Kent
- Public 4 Year
- Kent, OH
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
- Aug 1 application deadline
Kent State is a large public university known for undergraduate fashion design, journalism, and education. Most undergrads study on a residential campus in the college town of Kent.
- SAT Range 1010-1240
- Avg GPA 3.61
- Acceptance Rate 86%
- Net Price $21,278
Brigham Young University Idaho
- Private 4 Year
- Rexburg, ID
-
4.8 | 4 reviews
- Feb 15 application deadline
BYU-Idaho is a private university affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, known for undergraduate business, education, and nursing. The campus is in Rexburg, a small college town in eastern Idaho.
- SAT Range 970-1200
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.34
- Acceptance Rate 96%
- Net Price $8,528
University of Wisconsin Milwaukee
- Public 4 Year
- Milwaukee, WI
-
| 0 reviews
- Sep 1 application deadline
UWM is a large public university known for undergraduate architecture, nursing, and freshwater sciences. The urban East Side campus sits near Lake Michigan in Milwaukee.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA 3.16
- Acceptance Rate 91%
- Net Price $16,263
California State University San Marcos
- Public 4 Year
- San Marcos, CA
-
4.0 | 1 reviews
- Nov 30 application deadline
Cal State San Marcos is a public university known for undergraduate nursing, business, and education. The suburban hillside campus is in North San Diego County.
- SAT Range 950-1130
- Avg GPA 3.32
- Acceptance Rate 95%
- Net Price $10,241
California State University Sacramento
- Public 4 Year
- Sacramento, CA
-
| 0 reviews
- Nov 30 application deadline
Sacramento State is a large public university known for undergraduate government, criminal justice, and business. The urban campus sits along the American River in California's capital city.
- SAT Range 930-1130
- Avg GPA 3.42
- Acceptance Rate 94%
- Net Price $10,110
Texas Woman's University
- Public 4 Year
- Denton, TX
-
4.7 | 3 reviews
TWU is a public university primarily for women, known for undergraduate nursing, health sciences, and education. The main campus is in Denton, a college town north of Dallas-Fort Worth.
- SAT Range 930-1140
- Avg GPA 3.24
- Acceptance Rate 96%
- Net Price $11,636
Southern Utah University
- Public 4 Year
- Cedar City, UT
-
4.0 | 1 reviews
- Sep 8 application deadline
Southern Utah is a public university known for undergraduate theater, performing arts, and education. Cedar City is a small college town near southern Utah national parks.
- SAT Range 1030-1240
- Avg GPA 3.58
- Acceptance Rate 82%
- Net Price $11,840
Liberty University
- Private 4 Year
- Lynchburg, VA
-
4.8 | 4 reviews
Liberty is a private Christian university known for undergraduate aviation, nursing, and business. The Lynchburg campus sits in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
- SAT Range 1040-1250
- Avg GPA 3.56
- Acceptance Rate 99%
- Net Price $29,532
Northern Kentucky University
- Public 4 Year
- Highland Heights, KY
-
| 0 reviews
- Aug 15 application deadline
NKU is a public university known for undergraduate nursing, business, and education. The suburban campus in Highland Heights sits just south of Cincinnati.
- SAT Range 953-1150
- Avg GPA 3.42
- Acceptance Rate 68%
- Net Price $9,211