Top Rated West Public Colleges
These are the top ranked public four-year colleges in the West as ranked by CollegeSimply. Leading the rankings for 2027 as the best public college in the West is University of California Berkeley. Learn how the Best Colleges rankings are calculated on our ranking methodology page.
University of California Berkeley
- Public 4 Year
- Berkeley, CA
-
5.0 | 2 reviews
- Nov 30 application deadline
Berkeley is a highly selective public university known for undergraduate computer science, engineering, and chemistry. The hillside campus overlooks San Francisco Bay in the East Bay city of Berkeley.
- SAT Range 1310-1530
- Avg GPA 3.87
- Acceptance Rate 11%
- Net Price $16,538
University of California Los Angeles
- Public 4 Year
- Los Angeles, CA
-
5.0 | 3 reviews
- Nov 30 application deadline
UCLA is a highly selective public university known for undergraduate film, television, and theater. The urban Westwood campus also has a nationally known basketball program.
- SAT Range 1300-1530
- Avg GPA 3.92
- Acceptance Rate 9%
- Net Price $14,512
University of California San Diego
- Public 4 Year
- La Jolla, CA
-
| 0 reviews
- Nov 30 application deadline
UC San Diego is a highly selective public university known for undergraduate biological sciences, engineering, and oceanography. The coastal La Jolla campus sits on bluffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
- SAT Range 1270-1480
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.82
- Acceptance Rate 27%
- Net Price $14,047
University of Washington Seattle Campus
- Public 4 Year
- Seattle, WA
-
3.5 | 6 reviews
- Nov 16 application deadline
UW is a highly selective public university known for undergraduate computer science, engineering, and oceanography. The urban campus sits beside Portage Bay and Lake Washington.
- SAT Range 1200-1453
- Avg GPA 3.82
- Acceptance Rate 39%
- Net Price $11,784
University of California Irvine
- Public 4 Year
- Irvine, CA
-
5.0 | 2 reviews
- Nov 30 application deadline
UC Irvine is a large public university known for undergraduate computer science, biological sciences, and engineering. The suburban campus centers on Aldrich Park in the planned city of Irvine.
- SAT Range 1230-1430
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.75
- Acceptance Rate 29%
- Net Price $15,889
University of California Davis
- Public 4 Year
- Davis, CA
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
- Nov 30 application deadline
UC Davis is a large public university known for undergraduate agriculture, environmental science, and biological sciences. The campus sits in the bike-friendly college town of Davis.
- SAT Range 1160-1400
- Avg GPA 4.0
- Acceptance Rate 42%
- Net Price $17,270
University of California Santa Barbara
- Public 4 Year
- Santa Barbara, CA
-
4.7 | 3 reviews
- Nov 30 application deadline
UCSB is a highly selective public university known for undergraduate physics, marine science, and environmental studies. The oceanfront campus sits directly on the Pacific coast near Santa Barbara.
- SAT Range 1230-1460
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.82
- Acceptance Rate 33%
- Net Price $17,658
California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo
- Public 4 Year
- San Luis Obispo, CA
-
4.5 | 2 reviews
- Nov 30 application deadline
Cal Poly is a public polytechnic university known for undergraduate engineering, architecture, and agriculture. Students study on a Central Coast campus in the college town of San Luis Obispo.
- SAT Range 1220-1410
- Avg GPA 4.0
- Acceptance Rate 31%
- Net Price $17,453
Colorado School of Mines
- Public 4 Year
- Golden, CO
-
4.6 | 5 reviews
- Jan 15 application deadline
Mines is a public university known for undergraduate engineering focused on mining, petroleum, and the earth sciences. The Golden campus sits against the Rocky Mountain foothills west of Denver.
- SAT Range 1320-1480
- Avg GPA 3.84
- Acceptance Rate 61%
- Net Price $29,925
University of Colorado Boulder
- Public 4 Year
- Boulder, CO
-
4.0 | 6 reviews
- Jan 15 application deadline
CU Boulder is a large public university known for undergraduate aerospace engineering, environmental sciences, and physics. The campus sits against the Flatirons in the college town of Boulder.
- SAT Range 1240-1430
- Avg GPA 3.68
- Acceptance Rate 78%
- Net Price $26,231
University of California Santa Cruz
- Public 4 Year
- Santa Cruz, CA
-
4.3 | 6 reviews
- Nov 30 application deadline
UC Santa Cruz is a public university known for undergraduate marine science, environmental studies, and astronomy. The residential-college campus sits among redwood forests overlooking Monterey Bay.
- SAT Range 1160-1360
- Avg GPA 3.63
- Acceptance Rate 66%
- Net Price $18,059
University of Utah
- Public 4 Year
- Salt Lake City, UT
-
4.3 | 3 reviews
- Apr 1 application deadline
Utah is a large public university known for undergraduate engineering, computer science, and ballet. The campus sits in the foothills of the Wasatch Mountains overlooking Salt Lake City.
- SAT Range 1190-1380
- Avg GPA 3.64
- Acceptance Rate 86%
- Net Price $16,583
University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus
- Public 4 Year
- Denver, CO
-
3.0 | 5 reviews
- Aug 1 application deadline
CU Denver is a public university known for undergraduate architecture, business, and engineering. The urban campuses include downtown Denver and the Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora.
- SAT Range 980-1220
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.46
- Acceptance Rate 75%
- Net Price $14,831
University of California Riverside
- Public 4 Year
- Riverside, CA
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
- Nov 30 application deadline
UC Riverside is a large public university known for undergraduate entomology, plant sciences, and business. The suburban campus lies in California's Inland Empire east of Los Angeles.
- SAT Range 1080-1280
- Avg GPA 3.84
- Acceptance Rate 76%
- Net Price $14,562
University of Wyoming
- Public 4 Year
- Laramie, WY
-
| 0 reviews
- Aug 10 application deadline
Wyoming is a public university known for undergraduate geology, petroleum engineering, and agriculture. The campus sits in the college town of Laramie near the Medicine Bow Mountains.
- SAT Range 1040-1240
- Avg GPA 3.53
- Acceptance Rate 97%
- Net Price $14,872
Oregon State University
- Public 4 Year
- Corvallis, OR
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
- Feb 1 application deadline
Oregon State is a large public university known for undergraduate forestry, marine science, and engineering. Corvallis is a college town built around the campus in Oregon's Willamette Valley.
- SAT Range 1140-1400
- Avg GPA 3.61
- Acceptance Rate 77%
- Net Price $22,467
University of Hawaii at Manoa
- Public 4 Year
- Honolulu, HI
-
4.5 | 2 reviews
UH Manoa is a large public university known for undergraduate marine science, oceanography, and Hawaiian studies. The campus occupies Manoa Valley in Honolulu.
- SAT Range 1081-1293
- Avg GPA 3.67
- Acceptance Rate 87%
- Net Price $17,202
University of Oregon
- Public 4 Year
- Eugene, OR
-
5.0 | 4 reviews
- Jan 15 application deadline
Oregon is a large public university known for undergraduate journalism, architecture, and business. Eugene is a classic college town built around the campus.
- SAT Range 1130-1360
- Avg GPA 3.73
- Acceptance Rate 88%
- Net Price $24,605