Top Rated East Public Colleges

These are the top ranked public four-year colleges in the East as ranked by CollegeSimply. Leading the rankings for 2027 as the best public college in the East is University at Buffalo. Learn how the Best Colleges rankings are calculated on our ranking methodology page.

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East Public 4 Year
University of Maine at Farmington Campus
 

  • Public 4 Year
  • Farmington, ME
  • | 0 reviews

University of Maine at Farmington is a small public liberal arts college known for undergraduate teacher education and creative writing. The residential campus is set in the western Maine college town of Farmington.

#3 Best Public Universities in Maine 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 995-1245
  • Avg GPA 3.15
  • Acceptance Rate 97%
  • Net Price $17,451

  • Public 4 Year
  • Union, NJ
  • 4.1 | 7 reviews
  • Aug 15 application deadline

Kean is a public university known for undergraduate teacher education, nursing, and design. The suburban campus in Union sits near New York City.

#11 Best Public Universities in New Jersey 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 930-1150
  • Avg GPA 3.2
  • Acceptance Rate 76%
  • Net Price $12,708

  • Public 4 Year
  • Kutztown, PA
  • | 0 reviews

Kutztown is a public university known for undergraduate education, communication design, and the visual arts. The campus sits in a small college town in eastern Pennsylvania.

#14 Best Public Universities in Pennsylvania 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1120-1310
  • Avg GPA 3.31
  • Acceptance Rate 91%
  • Net Price $22,134
SUNY Morrisville Campus
 

  • Public 4 Year
  • Morrisville, NY
  • | 0 reviews
  • Aug 15 application deadline

SUNY Morrisville is a public college known for undergraduate agriculture, equine studies, and applied technology. The rural campus is set in the village of Morrisville in central New York.

#30 Best Public Universities in New York 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 990-1230
  • Avg GPA 2.7
  • Acceptance Rate 92%
  • Net Price $15,960

  • Public 4 Year
  • Jamaica, NY
  • 5.0 | 1 reviews
  • Feb 1 application deadline

York College is a public CUNY college known for undergraduate nursing, health professions, and aviation. The urban campus sits in Jamaica, Queens.

#31 Best Public Universities in New York 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 790-960
  • Predicted Avg GPA 3.15
  • Acceptance Rate 64%
  • Net Price $5,131

  • Public 4 Year
  • Keene, NH
  • | 0 reviews
  • Dec 1 application deadline

Keene State is a public liberal arts college known for undergraduate teacher education and occupational safety studies. The compact campus sits in the small city of Keene in southwestern New Hampshire.

#2 Best Public Universities in New Hampshire 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 970-1170
  • Avg GPA 3.1
  • Acceptance Rate 90%
  • Net Price $19,997

  • Public 4 Year
  • Brooklyn, NY
  • 5.0 | 1 reviews

Medgar Evers is a public CUNY college known for undergraduate nursing, education, and business. The urban campus is located in Brooklyn's Crown Heights neighborhood.

#32 Best Public Universities in New York 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 850-1020
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 86%
  • Net Price $6,273

  • Public 4 Year
  • Salem, MA
  • | 0 reviews
  • Jun 1 application deadline

Salem State is a public university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and social work. The campus sits in the historic coastal city of Salem north of Boston.

#11 Best Public Universities in Massachusetts 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 990-1160
  • Avg GPA 3.17
  • Acceptance Rate 96%
  • Net Price $17,541

  • Public 4 Year
  • Brooklyn, NY
  • 5.0 | 1 reviews
  • Sep 1 application deadline

City Tech is a public CUNY college of technology known for undergraduate architecture, engineering technology, and hospitality management. The urban campus is in Downtown Brooklyn.

#33 Best Public Universities in New York 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 900-1140
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 80%
  • Net Price $5,794

  • Public 4 Year
  • Abington, PA
  • | 0 reviews

Penn State Abington is a public regional campus of Penn State known for undergraduate business, nursing, and information sciences. The suburban campus sits just north of Philadelphia.

#15 Best Public Universities in Pennsylvania 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1070-1265
  • Predicted Avg GPA 3.42
  • Acceptance Rate 97%
  • Net Price $19,232

  • Public 4 Year
  • Jersey City, NJ
  • | 0 reviews

NJCU is a public university known for undergraduate education, nursing, and business. The urban campus sits in Jersey City across the Hudson River from Manhattan.

#12 Best Public Universities in New Jersey 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 890-1140
  • Avg GPA 3.24
  • Acceptance Rate 98%
  • Net Price $16,724

  • Public 4 Year
  • Cobleskill, NY
  • 3.0 | 2 reviews

SUNY Cobleskill is a public college of agriculture and technology known for undergraduate animal science, agriculture, and culinary arts. The rural campus in upstate New York includes working farms and agricultural facilities.

#34 Best Public Universities in New York 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 990-1170
  • Avg GPA 3.1
  • Acceptance Rate 84%
  • Net Price $18,140

  • Public 4 Year
  • Media, PA
  • | 0 reviews

Penn State Brandywine is a public university campus known for undergraduate business, information sciences and technology, and biology. The suburban campus is located near Philadelphia in Media.

#16 Best Public Universities in Pennsylvania 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1080-1310
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 98%
  • Net Price $22,710

  • Public 4 Year
  • East Stroudsburg, PA
  • 4.0 | 2 reviews
  • Apr 1 application deadline

East Stroudsburg is a public university known for undergraduate education, athletic training, and exercise science. The campus sits in the Pocono Mountains near the Delaware Water Gap.

#17 Best Public Universities in Pennsylvania 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1000-1180
  • Avg GPA 3.24
  • Acceptance Rate 92%
  • Net Price $18,610

  • Public 4 Year
  • Providence, RI
  • 2.5 | 2 reviews
  • Mar 15 application deadline

Rhode Island College is a public college known for undergraduate teacher education, nursing, and social work. The campus sits in a residential area on the north side of Providence.

#2 Best Public Universities in Rhode Island 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 870-1120
  • Predicted Avg GPA 3.08
  • Acceptance Rate 92%
  • Net Price $10,346

  • Public 4 Year
  • Indiana, PA
  • | 0 reviews

IUP is a public university known for undergraduate criminology, education, and safety sciences. Students live on a residential campus in the small college town of Indiana in western Pennsylvania.

#18 Best Public Universities in Pennsylvania 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 970-1180
  • Avg GPA 3.39
  • Acceptance Rate 91%
  • Net Price $17,626

  • Public 4 Year
  • Canton, NY
  • | 0 reviews

SUNY Canton is a public college of technology known for undergraduate nursing, engineering technology, and veterinary science technology. The residential campus sits in the small college town of Canton in northern New York.

#35 Best Public Universities in New York 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1000-1160
  • Avg GPA 3.0
  • Acceptance Rate 92%
  • Net Price $14,754

  • Public 4 Year
  • Lincoln University, PA
  • | 0 reviews
  • May 1 application deadline

Lincoln University is a public HBCU known for undergraduate programs in education, business, and the sciences. The rural campus is set in Chester County in southern Pennsylvania.

#19 Best Public Universities in Pennsylvania 3/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 820-960
  • Avg GPA 3.06
  • Acceptance Rate 66%
  • Net Price $14,473