The Best Big Colleges

The Best Large Colleges in America for 2023

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 2023 is Stanford University. Learn how the Best Large Colleges rankings are calculated on our ranking methodology page.


192 results nationwide

University of Miami
M
Coral Gables, FL

University of Miami

Private 4 Year

14 reviews

#1 Best Private Colleges in Florida

  • 19,096enrollment
  • $31,726net price
  • 28%acceptance rate
  • 1300-1460SAT range
  • 30-33ACT range
  • 3.7Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 1

University of California Berkeley
C
Berkeley, CA

University of California Berkeley

Public 4 Year

1 reviews

#5 Best Public Universities in America

  • 45,036enrollment
  • $19,329net price
  • 14%acceptance rate
  • 1310-1530SAT range
  • 30-35ACT range
  • 3.87Avg GPA

Applications Due Nov 30

George Washington University
G
Washington, DC

George Washington University

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

#2 Best Colleges in District Of Columbia

  • 26,457enrollment
  • $40,308net price
  • 50%acceptance rate
  • 1310-1490SAT range
  • 30-34ACT range
  • 3.81Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 5

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
N
Chapel Hill, NC

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Public 4 Year

2 reviews

#9 Best Value Colleges in America

  • 31,641enrollment
  • $10,038net price
  • 20%acceptance rate
  • 1140-1380SAT range
  • 22-27ACT range
  • 3.83Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 15

Boston University
B
Boston, MA

Boston University

Private 4 Year

9 reviews

#8 Best Private Colleges in Massachusetts

  • 36,104enrollment
  • $29,154net price
  • 19%acceptance rate
  • 1360-1520SAT range
  • 31-34ACT range
  • 3.79Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 4

University of Florida
F
Gainesville, FL

University of Florida

Public 4 Year

6 reviews

#7 Best Public Universities in America

  • 55,781enrollment
  • $10,075net price
  • 30%acceptance rate
  • 1300-1470SAT range
  • 29-33ACT range
  • 3.9Avg GPA

Applications Due Mar 1

University of Washington Seattle Campus
W
Seattle, WA

University of Washington Seattle Campus

Public 4 Year

6 reviews

#8 Best Public Universities in America

  • 52,434enrollment
  • $9,661net price
  • 53%acceptance rate
  • 1200-1453SAT range
  • 27-33ACT range
  • 3.82Avg GPA

Applications Due Nov 16

University of California San Diego
C
La Jolla, CA

University of California San Diego

Public 4 Year

0 reviews

#9 Best Public Universities in America

  • 41,885enrollment
  • $15,222net price
  • 34%acceptance rate
  • 1270-1480SAT range
  • 28-34ACT range
  • 3.82Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Nov 30

University of Connecticut
C
Storrs, CT

University of Connecticut

Public 4 Year

2 reviews

#10 Best Public Universities in America

  • 26,876enrollment
  • $22,233net price
  • 56%acceptance rate
  • 1230-1430SAT range
  • 27-33ACT range
  • 3.74Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 15

University of California Irvine
C
Irvine, CA

University of California Irvine

Public 4 Year

2 reviews

#11 Best Public Universities in America

  • 36,505enrollment
  • $13,106net price
  • 29%acceptance rate
  • 1230-1430SAT range
  • 26-33ACT range
  • 3.75Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Nov 30

The University of Texas at Austin
T
Austin, TX

The University of Texas at Austin

Public 4 Year

3 reviews

#12 Best Public Universities in America

  • 51,991enrollment
  • $16,892net price
  • 29%acceptance rate
  • 1230-1500SAT range
  • 27-33ACT range
  • 3.8Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Dec 1

University of Maryland College Park
M
College Park, MD

University of Maryland College Park

Public 4 Year

6 reviews

#13 Best Public Universities in America

  • 41,272enrollment
  • $17,643net price
  • 52%acceptance rate
  • 1330-1510SAT range
  • 30-34ACT range
  • 3.84Estimated Avg GPA

University of California Davis
C
Davis, CA

University of California Davis

Public 4 Year

1 reviews

#14 Best Public Universities in America

  • 40,050enrollment
  • $17,026net price
  • 49%acceptance rate
  • 1160-1400SAT range
  • 25-33ACT range
  • 4.0Avg GPA

Applications Due Nov 30

University of Wisconsin Madison
W
Madison, WI

University of Wisconsin Madison

Public 4 Year

1 reviews

#15 Best Public Universities in America

  • 47,016enrollment
  • $14,030net price
  • 60%acceptance rate
  • 1320-1500SAT range
  • 26-32ACT range
  • 3.88Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 15

University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign
I
Champaign, IL

University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign

Public 4 Year

5 reviews

#16 Best Public Universities in America

  • 56,607enrollment
  • $13,517net price
  • 60%acceptance rate
  • 1320-1510SAT range
  • 29-34ACT range
  • 3.79Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 5

University of California Santa Barbara
C
Santa Barbara, CA

University of California Santa Barbara

Public 4 Year

3 reviews

#17 Best Public Universities in America

  • 26,124enrollment
  • $17,223net price
  • 29%acceptance rate
  • 1230-1460SAT range
  • 28-34ACT range
  • 3.82Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Nov 30

Georgia Institute of Technology Main Campus
G
Atlanta, GA

Georgia Institute of Technology Main Campus

Public 4 Year

0 reviews

#18 Best Public Universities in America

  • 43,859enrollment
  • $17,410net price
  • 16%acceptance rate
  • 1310-1500SAT range
  • 30-34ACT range
  • 3.85Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 4

Purdue University Main Campus
P
West Lafayette, IN

Purdue University Main Campus

Public 4 Year

4 reviews

#19 Best Public Universities in America

  • 50,344enrollment
  • $12,294net price
  • 69%acceptance rate
  • 1190-1430SAT range
  • 26-33ACT range
  • 3.67Avg GPA