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 Merced
- Public 4 Year
- Merced, CA
-
3.0 | 1 reviews
- Nov 30 application deadline
UC Merced is a public university known for undergraduate engineering, biology, and psychology. The newest University of California campus is located in California's Central Valley.
- SAT Range 960-1140
- Avg GPA 3.55
- Acceptance Rate 91%
- Net Price $13,690
California State University Chico
- Public 4 Year
- Chico, CA
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
- Dec 15 application deadline
Chico State is a public university known for undergraduate agriculture, nursing, and business. The campus sits in the college town of Chico in Northern California.
- SAT Range 970-1170
- Avg GPA 3.37
- Acceptance Rate 93%
- Net Price $14,630
University of Northern Colorado
- Public 4 Year
- Greeley, CO
-
| 0 reviews
- Aug 1 application deadline
Northern Colorado is a public university known for undergraduate education, nursing, and performing arts. The campus is located in Greeley in northern Colorado.
- SAT Range 950-1190
- Avg GPA 3.53
- Acceptance Rate 86%
- Net Price $19,376
Portland State University
- Public 4 Year
- Portland, OR
-
| 0 reviews
Portland State is a large public university known for undergraduate urban planning, sustainability, and business. The compact urban campus sits in downtown Portland.
- SAT Range 1000-1250
- Avg GPA 3.36
- Acceptance Rate 91%
- Net Price $10,195
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
- Public 4 Year
- Colorado Springs, CO
-
| 0 reviews
UCCS is a public university known for undergraduate nursing, health sciences, and business. The campus faces the Front Range foothills with views of Pikes Peak.
- SAT Range 1010-1220
- Avg GPA 3.36
- Acceptance Rate 97%
- Net Price $16,942
The University of Montana
- Public 4 Year
- Missoula, MT
-
4.0 | 1 reviews
- Aug 18 application deadline
Montana is a public university known for undergraduate wildlife biology, forestry, and creative writing. The campus sits in Missoula, a college town in the northern Rockies.
- SAT Range 1070-1280
- Avg GPA 3.36
- Acceptance Rate 96%
- Net Price $17,370
Fort Lewis College
- Public 4 Year
- Durango, CO
-
3.5 | 2 reviews
- Aug 1 application deadline
Fort Lewis is a public liberal arts college known for undergraduate adventure education, environmental studies, and Native American studies. The mountain campus is in Durango near the San Juan Mountains.
- SAT Range 1010-1210
- Avg GPA 3.3
- Acceptance Rate 77%
- Net Price $17,114
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
California State Polytechnic University Humboldt
- Public 4 Year
- Arcata, CA
-
| 0 reviews
- Apr 30 application deadline
Cal Poly Humboldt is a public polytechnic university known for undergraduate environmental science, forestry, and marine biology. The campus is set among coastal redwoods in far northern California.
- SAT Range 970-1190
- Avg GPA 3.33
- Acceptance Rate 98%
- Net Price $14,090
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
Eastern Washington University
- Public 4 Year
- Cheney, WA
-
| 0 reviews
- Sep 10 application deadline
Eastern Washington is a public university known for undergraduate education, business, and health sciences. The residential campus is in Cheney, a small college town near Spokane.
- SAT Range 880-1090
- Avg GPA 3.29
- Acceptance Rate 91%
- Net Price $14,767
California State University San Marcos
- Public 4 Year
- San Marcos, CA
-
| 0 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
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
Western Oregon University
- Public 4 Year
- Monmouth, OR
-
3.0 | 2 reviews
Western Oregon is a public university known for undergraduate teacher education and American Sign Language programs. The residential campus is in the small college town of Monmouth in the Willamette Valley.
- SAT Range 868-1108
- Avg GPA 3.36
- Acceptance Rate 98%
- Net Price $14,006
California State University Monterey Bay
- Public 4 Year
- Seaside, CA
-
| 0 reviews
- Jan 15 application deadline
CSUMB is a public university known for undergraduate marine science and environmental studies. The campus sits on the former Fort Ord site overlooking Monterey Bay.
- SAT Range 960-1160
- Avg GPA 3.45
- Acceptance Rate 97%
- Net Price $14,493
California State University Fresno
- Public 4 Year
- Fresno, CA
-
4.0 | 2 reviews
- Dec 15 application deadline
Fresno State is a large public university known for undergraduate agriculture, viticulture, and business. Students attend classes on a large campus in California's Central Valley.
- SAT Range 890-1100
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.12
- Acceptance Rate 95%
- Net Price $7,834
Colorado State University Pueblo
- Public 4 Year
- Pueblo, CO
-
| 0 reviews
- Aug 1 application deadline
CSU Pueblo is a public university known for undergraduate nursing, business, and exercise science. Most students study on a campus in the southern Colorado city of Pueblo.
- SAT Range 870-1100
- Avg GPA 3.3
- Acceptance Rate 95%
- Net Price $13,079