Top Public Medical Schools

There are 96 public medical schools accredited by LCME (Liaison Committee on Medical Education). Most public medical schools often give priority to in-state students during the admissions process, and tuition is somewhat cheaper than private medical schools. For this reason, the acceptance and enrollment rates of state residents in public medical schools are higher than private schools.
For the public medical schools, the 2024 average tuition & fees is $39,216 for state residents and $61,203 for out-of-state students. (The private medical schools' average is $65,416.)
University of Virginia School of Medicine ranked first among public medical schools. Its MCAT score is 518 and the acceptance rate is 2.78%. David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine follow it in public medical school rankings.
The following table lists the top 25 public medical schools. The ranking is based on the MCAT score & GPA, acceptance rate, yield, tuition, and more characteristics of medical schools.
RankSchoolAcceptance RateApplicantsMatriculatedApplication FeeTuition & FeesMCAT ScoreGPA
1 University of Virginia School of Medicine
PublicCharlottesville, VA
2.78%5,679158$80$64,4845183.86
2 David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
PublicLos Angeles, CA
1.34%13,064175$95$56,0885143.8
3 University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine
PublicSan Francisco, CA
1.96%8,847173$80$59,8255153.87
4 University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
PublicPittsburgh, PA
1.69%8,782148$110$67,0725143.79
5 University of California, San Diego School of Medicine
PublicLa Jolla, CA
1.61%8,757141$135$55,5375153.77
6 UT Health San Antonio Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine
PublicSan Antonio, TX
4.31%5,378232$200$40,4545183.88
7 University of California, Irvine School of Medicine
PublicIrvine, CA
1.62%7,030114$120$56,0805163.93
8 University of Michigan Medical School
Public6100 THSL, 1135 Catherine Street, MI
1.84%8,916164$85$72,2685153.79
9 University of Texas Southwestern Medical School at Dallas
PublicDallas, TX
4.20%5,527232$185$36,1235173.83
10 Stony Brook University School of Medicine
PublicStony Brook, NY
2.49%5,469136$100$71,0435153.89
11 University of South Florida College of Medicine
PublicTampa, FL
3.30%5,507182$30$54,9165183.92
12 University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
PublicCincinnati, OH
2.86%6,180177$100$55,2315153.83
13 University of Utah School of Medicine
PublicSalt Lake City,, UT
4.12%3,035125$110$84,7625143.87
14 The Ohio State University College of Medicine
PublicColumbus, OH
2.74%7,229198$80$56,0015143.81
15 University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine
PublicIowa City, IA
4.48%3,395152$60$58,8975143.81
16 University of Florida College of Medicine
PublicGainesville, FL
2.54%5,316135$37$49,3905143.79
17 University of Massachusetts Medical School
PublicNorth Worcester, MA
3.80%5,264200$100$70,4555143.81
18 SUNY Downstate Medical Center College of Medicine
PublicBrooklyn, NY
2.97%6,974207$100$67,8165143.73
19 Dell Medical School at The University of Texas at Austin
PublicAustin, TX
0.95%5,28350No Fee$35,4065143.78
20 Rutgers New Jersey Medical School
PublicNewark, NJ
2.97%5,859174$80$71,6345123.7
20 Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
PublicNew Brunswick, NJ
2.97%5,859174$80$70,7665123.7
22 University of Central Florida College of Medicine
PublicOrlando, FL
2.42%4,952120$30$56,5545153.85
23 University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health
PublicMadison, WI
2.68%6,384171$75$59,4485113.75
24 The University of Texas Medical Branch
PublicGalveston, TX
4.47%5,148230$70$40,7285113.8
25 Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine
PublicLubbock, TX
3.64%4,969181$75$35,4795123.9