Updated February 11, 2025
Public vs. Private College: Making the Right Choice
Bonus Material: SAT Score Ranges for Top 500 Schools
As you get ready to apply to college, choosing the school that’s the best fit for you is a huge part of the process – whether that’s your state school, a public university in another state, or a private college.
But there are lots of unhelpful myths about the differences between public and private colleges that can discourage students from even considering schools that might turn out to be a great match.
Using our two decades of experience helping students throughout the application process, we’ve lined up everything you need to know about choosing between a public or private college.
We’ve also dug into the essential data on tuition, affordability, scholarships and aid, so that you can choose the right option for you without missing out because of myths or misconceptions about cost.
To find public and private schools where you could be a competitive applicant, download our free data set showing the SAT score ranges for the country’s top 500 public and private institutions.
Keep reading for everything you need to know about choosing between a public or private university.
Jump to section:
Public and Private Colleges at a Glance
Public vs. Private: the Key Differences
Comparing the Cost
Financial aid and the real cost of attendance
Merit-Based Aid
Scholarships and Grants
When Could a Public University be a Good Fit?
When Could a Private University be a Good Fit?
Making the Right Choice for You
Next Steps
Public and Private Colleges at a Glance
When you’re comparing public and private colleges, there are a few key differences to be aware of. The table below sets out a few of the main differences at a glance.
| Public colleges | Private colleges | |
| Average tuition fees | $9,750 (in-state)$28,297 (out of state) | $38,421 |
| Difference between in-state and out-of-state tuition? | Yes (in-state tuition is lower) | No |
| % of students receiving institutional financial aid | 53% | 84% |
| Average amount of institutional financial aid | $6,600 | $25,400 |
| Student population | Tend to have larger enrollment | Tend to have smaller enrollment |
| Majors offered | Typically offer a wider range of majors and academic programs, often including more vocational programs | Typically offer a smaller number of academically focused degree options |
Of course, these generalizations don’t apply to every public and private institution. As you do your own research on schools you’re interested in applying to, it’s a good idea to take a look at the statistics and resources for each specific school to find the best fit.
What Makes a College Public or Private?
Technically, what makes the difference between private and public colleges is their source of funding.
Public colleges and universities receive funding from their local and state governments and from the federal government. That means that tuition costs are subsidized, especially for students who come from within the state.
Private colleges and universities don’t get government funding, at least not in the same form as public universities (they may receive research grants, but those don’t go towards subsidizing tuition for the student body as a whole). Instead, they rely on other sources of funding, including endowments, donations, and tuition.
Institution Size and Academic and Extracurricular Programs
Public universities tend to have a larger student body than private universities. They also tend to be larger, with multiple campuses throughout the state.
Looking at the statistics, this makes sense: around 73% of U.S. college students are enrolled in public universities.
This is reflected in certain resources that may be more available at private universities. As of a few years ago (2018), the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) noted that the average student to faculty ratio at four-year public schools was 14 students for every full-time faculty member. That ratio was slightly lower at four-year private, nonprofit institutions, where it averaged 10 students per full-time faculty member.
Of course, these numbers vary by school and even by major, so it’s not a hard and fast rule that public universities have larger class sizes. (In fact, according to the NCES, the ratio was highest at for-profit private universities, where it was as high as 22 students per faculty member.)
And on the other hand, larger public schools may have more offerings in other areas than small private schools are able to provide, like more or higher-level sports teams and other extracurricular activities, or a larger number of academic programs that you can major in.
Comparing the Cost
Because the tuition cost at public schools is subsidized, it can often be cheaper to attend a public college than a private one.
According to the Education Data Initiative, one year of in-state tuition at a public university costs an average of $9,750, compared to $38,421 at a private one. That’s almost four times less expensive.
There are some important factors to consider here, though. For one thing, when comparing the cost of tuition at public or private institutions, it’s essential to take your residency status into account.
Because public schools receive public funding from their states, they maintain different tuition brackets for students from in and out of state. That means that whether you’re an in-state or out-of-state student at a public school can make a big difference.
On average, one year of tuition for an in-state student at a public university costs $9,750. This number can vary hugely by state, though. Vermont currently has the highest in-state rate for tuition and fees – over $17,000 – while Florida has the lowest, at under $5,000.
If you’re an out-of-state student at a public school, the average cost of tuition increases to $28,297. That’s a steep difference from in-state tuition, but it’s still less than average tuition at a private school ($38,421).
Financial aid and the real cost of attendance
When comparing the cost of public and private universities, there’s an important caveat: the tuition fees above are only the “sticker price.” In fact, many private universities tend to give much more financial aid and tuition discounts. Because of that, ironically, it can actually be more affordable for some students to attend a private university than a public one, depending on their personal circumstances and what aid they qualify for.
Aid can be based on financial need, academic merit, or both.
84% of students at private colleges receive financial aid, with average grants of around $25,000. That means that, paradoxically, private school can actually be more affordable than public school for some students, since the average cost after aid may be lower.
At some schools, financial aid packages may look different for international students, so if that’s you, make sure to check what you can expect and get in touch with the university if you have questions.
Merit-Based Aid
Public schools also offer aid, of course, and some schools even give aid automatically based on your test scores.
At the (public) University of Alabama, for example, applicants with a 4.0 GPA and a perfect SAT or ACT score are automatically awarded a full scholarship for all four years (for in-state students, this scholarship is awarded at a 30 on the ACT or 1360 on the SAT). You don’t have to be in the 99th percentile to benefit, though: automatic merit scholarships at Alabama start at an ACT score of 25 or an SAT score of 1200.
That means that if your scores aren’t quite in the qualifying range for merit aid yet, it can be well worth it to put in the time and energy to raise them. When scholarships of up to full college tuition are on the table, a few months of SAT or ACT tutoring can be a smart investment of time and resources.
Students who complete SAT tutoring with PrepMaven, for example, often see an increase of 100-300 points on the SAT after three months of one-on-one tutoring. That can make a huge difference in the success of your college applications, including securing merit scholarships.
Scholarships and Grants
There are also many non-institutional scholarships and grants available from outside funding sources. Some are one-time grants of $1,000; others heavily subsidize the cost of tuition, room and board for all four years. Tools like the College Board’s Scholarship Search can help you find and apply for scholarship opportunities that might be a good fit.
Ultimately, what will be the most affordable choice for you depends on many factors, including your state of residence, your grades and test scores, and your family’s financial situation and eligibility for need-based aid. While you make your college list, keep track of which schools offer merit or need-based aid that you would be eligible for, as well as where you could benefit from in-state tuition.
When Could a Public University Be A Good Fit?
A public university could be a good choice for you if:
- You choose to attend your state university and benefit from in-state tuition rates.
- Your test scores qualify you for significant merit aid at a public school.
- You want to pursue a more specialized or vocational major that’s offered by a public school.
- You’d prefer to attend a larger school.
When Could a Private University Be A Good Fit?
A private university could be a good choice for you if:
- You qualify for significant need-based financial aid from the institution, reducing the cost of attendance.
- You want to attend a smaller school with smaller class sizes.
- You’d prefer to attend an single-sex or undergraduate-only institution (usually a private school).
- You want to go to a religiously affiliated college.
Making the Right Choice for You
With all of this said, while you research schools to apply to and make your college list, it’s usually a good idea to look at a mix of public and private institutions.
You never know where you might find a good fit – academically, financially, and socially. Keep the factors that are important to you in mind as you search, including location, in-state or out-of-state status, tuition cost as well as available aid and effective average cost, and degree programs offered.
Next Steps
After you’ve familiarized yourself with the differences between private and public universities, the next step is to research prospective schools and make your application plan!
A qualified tutor can also help you with whichever component of the college application process is holding you back. If you need to raise your SAT score, for example, working with a tutor for a few months can help you reach the average score for the schools you’re applying to or become eligible for merit aid. Our tutors have helped thousands of students reach their goals with SAT or essay tutoring.
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Ro
Rosamond graduated summa cum laude from Princeton. During college, she worked as a peer tutor for Italian, French, Greek, and academic writing. Since graduation, she’s continued to tutor students of all ages in French, Italian, Latin, English, and math, some of them for several years. She’s currently a graduate student studying the relationship between religion and secular law, and she works as a freelance journalist and translator.