Public Schools Remain Popular Choice

Public colleges and universities offer four-year degrees at in-state prices.

University of Michigan–Ann Arbor football players take the field as students, families and local fans cheer them on. While the University of Michigan maintains a slew of successful athletic programs, the public school's academic reputation is on par with private schools in the Ivy League.

U.S. public colleges and universities are operated by state governments and funded, in part, by state taxpayers. Because of this state funding, public colleges and universities offer reduced tuition to state residents. For example, students who live in Michigan at the time they apply for admission to the University of Michigan pay in-state tuition, while those students who live in other states must pay higher, out-of-state tuition.

While every U.S. state maintains at least one public college or university, several of the most prominent state schools are located in the Midwest. The University of Illinois–Urbana-Champaign, Ohio State University and the University of Wisconsin–Madison are all popular destinations. In fact, Ohio State is the third-largest university in the United States, with more than 56,000 students enrolled during the 2012–2013 academic year. Arizona State and the University of Central Florida, also public institutions, have the largest and second-largest student populations respectively.