The Best Urban Colleges in the U.S.

Located in Los Angeles' Northridge neighborhood, CSUN is a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) offering bachelor's and master's degrees in more than 200 disciplines. The university's most popular fields of study are psychology and business administration, management, and operations.

Outside of the classroom, students have access to the institution's computer lab, Pride Center for LGBTQ+ students, veterans' resource center, and DREAM Center for undocumented students.  

CSUN earns the top spot on our list thanks to its low total cost of attendance during the 2022-2023 academic year. The school additionally enrolls a high percentage of Pell Grant recipients who have a graduation rate of roughly 69%. Just one year after graduating, over 7 in 10 CSUN grads are employed and earn 150% above the poverty threshold.

Fresno State is a public university in Fresno, California, serving nearly 24,000 learners. The institution's most popular undergraduate programs are business administration and liberal arts and sciences. 

In addition to its designation as an HSI, Fresno State is also an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution (AANAPISI). In 2022-2023, the institution had a low total cost of attendance at $34,769, and 57% of enrollees were Pell Grant recipients.

FIU is a public research institution that serves more than 56,000 learners. The Miami-based university offers bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees, both on campus and fully online. 

The institution had a relatively low total cost of attendance in 2022-2023 at $37,279 but additionally stands out for its high overall graduation rate (74%) and its graduation rate for Pell Grant recipients (71%). 

UNO is the sole public research university in New Orleans. It has built a reputation as a less expensive provider of undergraduate and graduate programs, including degrees in business and management, engineering, and visual and performing arts.

In addition to UNO's low cost of attendance at under $33,000 a year, the institution also has the highest percentage of graduates who are employed and earn 150% above the poverty threshold just one year after graduating (94%).

Cal State LA is a public university offering 100 academic programs across 55 fields of study. The school's most popular major is business administration, management, and operations. It is also one of the state's major producers of educators. 

Though the institution's cost of attendance is slightly higher than others on this list at $42,569 a year, the designated HSI and AANAPISI awarded Pell Grant aid to 66% of its student body in 2022-2023. Pell Grant recipients at Cal State LA have a graduation rate of nearly 71%.

Rutgers University, Newark, offers more than 100 programs to 11,000 undergraduate and graduate learners. The public research institution's most popular programs are business administration, psychology, and finance. It is both an HSI and AANAPISI. 

Rutgers Newark's total cost of attendance was higher at over $53,000 in 2022-2023, but nearly 60% of all enrolled students that year received some level of Pell Grant aid. The school additionally has a high overall graduation rate of 68% and a slightly higher graduation rate for Pell Grant recipients (72%).

Located just a few miles from the heart of Memphis, Tennessee, the University of Memphis is one of fewer than 10 public research institutions throughout the state. U of M offers more than 180 academic programs to its bachelor's, master's, and doctoral students.

During the 2022-2023 academic year, U of M charged the lowest cost of attendance of all the schools on this list at just $32,360. Even with its low costs, 47% of all enrolled students that year were still awarded some level of Pell Grant aid.

The University of Houston is a public research institution serving nearly 47,000 students. It offers more than 250 undergraduate and graduate degree programs, with psychology and business administration among its most popular programs.

The total cost of attendance at UH was just under $38,000 in 2022-2023, and 42% of the university's students were awarded Pell Grant aid that year. UH has an overall graduation rate of 65% and a graduation rate for Pell Grant recipients of 63%.

UT San Antonio is an HSI serving over 35,000 students, 45% of which are first-generation. The institution offers bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in more than 180 programs. 

Even with a low total cost of attendance at $36,151 in 2022-2023, the university still awarded Pell Grant aid to 43% of its student body that year. The institution additionally boasts a high overall graduate rate of 64%. A similar percentage of students (65%) work and earn 150% above the poverty threshold just one year after graduating.

Morgan State University is a public, historically Black college (HBCU) serving about 10,000 learners. The institution offers bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees, and its most popular programs are business administration and liberal arts and sciences.

Morgan State's total cost of attendance was low at $36,206 in 2022-2023, and the institution still awarded 55% of its student body with Pell Grant aid during the year. More than 80% of Morgan State graduates work and earn 150% above the poverty threshold just one year after earning their degree.

Founded in 1855, Kean University is a public research institution located in Union, New Jersey. The designated HSI's most popular fields of study are psychology, business administration, and biology. 

Nearly half of all enrolled Kean students (48%) were awarded some level of Pell Grant aid in 2022-2023. Kean's Pell Grant recipients have a graduation rate of about 60%, and 76% of all the university's graduates are employed and earn 150% above the poverty threshold just one year after graduating.

Located in New York State's capital, SUNY at Albany is a public research institution offering more than 200 programs to over 17,000 undergraduate and graduate students. The school's most popular majors are psychology, business, and economics. 

During the 2022-2023 academic year, SUNY at Albany's total cost of attendance was nearly $47,000, but 42% of students were awarded Pell Grant aid. Albany students have a high overall graduation rate of 75%, and the same percentage of graduates are work and earn 150% above the poverty threshold just one year after graduation.

UNC Charlotte is a public research institution offering bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees. It prides itself on being a diverse and inclusive institution, and this year, 33% of enrolled undergraduate students were first-generation. 

The university had a relatively low cost of attendance in 2022-2023 at $37,784, and one-third of its students were awarded Pell Grant aid that year. UNC Charlotte students have a graduation rate of 68%.

Georgia State is one of the largest public schools in the nation. The university offers approximately 250 programs to nearly 35,000 students. The most popular majors include law, education, and psychology.

The school's proximity to downtown Atlanta's tech scene, which houses more than 17,000 tech companies, makes it a go-to destination for students interested in business and engineering.

During the 2022-2023 academic year, just over half the student body (51%) was awarded Pell Grant aid. Pell Grant recipients at Georgia State have a graduation rate of about 57%.

Founded in 1859, the University of Illinois Chicago is one of the oldest institutions in the city. Located in the city's center, the school prides itself on being part of the "educational, technological, and cultural fabric" of its region.

The University of Illinois Chicago's total cost of attendance was higher than the cost at many other schools on this list at more than $50,000 in 2022-2023. However, half of all enrolled students that year were awarded some level of Pell grant aid.