| Updated On - Nov 7, 2025
Forbes ranks colleges on the basis of Post graduation outcomes and return on investment. The University of California, Berkeley, and the University of California, Los Angeles are some colleges included in the list. Popular courses in these colleges are MS Computer Science, MS Data Science, and MBA. There are options of scholarships available to fund your studies in the USA, like the Global Study Awards and the Fulbright Scholarships. Fees for the Best Forbes-ranked colleges can range between 16,902- 74,104 USD (17.9- 65.2 L INR).
- Best Forbes-Ranked Public Colleges
- Popular Course at the Best Forbes-Ranked Public Colleges
- Eligibility at the Best Forbes-ranked Public Colleges
- Fees of the Best Forbes-ranked Public Colleges
- Scholarships for the Best Forbes-ranked Colleges
- Living Expenses at Best Forbes-Rated Public Colleges
- Visa for USA to study in the top Forbes-rated public colleges
- Jobs after graduating from the Best Forbes-rated public Colleges
- FAQs
Best Forbes-Ranked Public Colleges
Below are the top 10 public colleges ranked by Forbes in the year 2025
| Forbes Rank 2025 | Colleges |
|---|---|
| #5 | University of California, Berkeley |
| #15 | University of California, Los Angeles |
| #20 | University of California, San Diego |
| #21 | University of Michigan, Ann Arbor |
| #30 | University of Florida |
| #31 | University of California, Irvine |
| #32 | Georgia Institute of Technology |
| #34 | University of Virginia |
| #35 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
| #37 | University of Maryland and College Park |
Popular Course at the Best Forbes-Ranked Public Colleges
Some of the popular courses at the Best Forbes-Ranked Public colleges are given in the table below.
| Colleges | Popular Course |
|---|---|
| University of California, Berkeley | MS Computer Science |
| University of California, Los Angeles | MS Computer Science |
| University of California, San Diego | MS Data Science |
| University of Michigan, Ann Arbor | MS Data Science |
| University of Florida | MS Computer Science |
| University of California, Irvine | MS Computer Science |
| Georgia Institute of Technology | MS Computer Science |
| University of Virginia | MS Computer Science |
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | MBA |
| University of Maryland and College Park | MS Data Science |
Eligibility at the Best Forbes-Ranked Public Colleges
The eligibilty for popular courses at the best Forbes-ranked public colleges is ECTS Credits, a Bachelor's degree, and an English proficiency test, as given in the table below.
| Colleges | Minimum Qualification for the Popular Course | English Proficiency Test |
|---|---|---|
| University of California, Berkeley | Bachelor's degree with 3.0 on 4.0 CGPA | IELTS 7.0, TOEFL 90 |
| University of California, Los Angeles | Bachelor's degree with 3.0 on 4.0 CGPA | IELTS 7.0, TOEFL 87 |
| University of California, San Diego | Bachelor's degree with 3.0 on 4.0 CGPA | IELTS 7.0, TOEFL 85 |
| University of Michigan, Ann Arbor | Bachelor's degree with 3.0 on 4.0 CGPA with 25 credit points | IELTS 6.5, TOEFL 84 |
| University of Florida | Graduation, 308 GRE | IELTS 7.5, TOEFL 90 |
| University of California, Irvine | Bachelor's degree with 3.0 on 4.0 CGPA | IELTS 7.0, TOEFL 80 |
| Georgia Institute of Technology | Bachelor's degree with 3.0 on 4.0 CGPA | IELTS 7.5, TOEFL 100 |
| University of Virginia | Bachelor's degree with 3.3 on 4.0 CGPA | IELTS 6.5, TOEFL 90 |
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | Graduation, GMAT 700 | IELTS 7, TOEFL 100, PTE 68 |
| University of Maryland and College Park | Bachelor's degree with 3.0 on 4.0 CGPA | IELTS 7, TOEFL 96, PTE 68 |
Fees of the Best Forbes-Ranked Public Colleges
Fees for the popular courses in the top Forbes-ranked public colleges are given in the table below.
| Colleges | Fees in USD | Fees in INR |
|---|---|---|
| University of California, Berkeley | 16,902 USD | 17.9 Lacs INR |
| University of California, Los Angeles | 27,864 USD | 24.5 Lacs INR |
| University of California, San Diego | 37,730 USD | 33.2 Lacs INR |
| University of Michigan, Ann Arbor | 56,088 USD | 49.4 Lacs INR |
| University of Florida | 30,134 USD | 26.5 Lacs INR |
| University of California, Irvine | 27,864 USD | 24.5 Lacs INR |
| Georgia Institute of Technology | 15,590 USD | 13.7 Lacs INR |
| University of Virginia | 39,926 USD | 35.1 Lacs INR |
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | 74,104 USD | 65.2 Lacs INR |
| University of Maryland and College Park | 19,507 USD | 17.2 Lacs INR |
Scholarships for the Best Forbes-Ranked Colleges
Studying in the USA is very expensive. So to fund it and make your college journey financially comfortable, here comes the Scholarships.
| Scholarships | Eligibilty | Coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Fullbright Fellowship |
1. Bachelor's from India wth 55% marks 2. 3 years of experience |
Covers entire tuition fees, living expenses, airfare, and insurance |
| Inlaks Shivdasani Scholarship |
1. First class in the last qualifying exam 2. 70% in the graduation for the technical field 3. Proof of admission |
1,00,000 USD (88.7 Lacs INR) |
| Generation Google Scholarship |
1. Enrolled in any technical course in the USA 2. Qualified 12th class or equivalent |
10,000 USD (8.8 Lacs INR) |
| Global Study Award |
1. Enrolled in the USA University 2. Qualified IELTS test |
12,000 USD (10.6 Lacs INR) |
| Aga Khan Foundation Scholarship |
1. Bachelor's degree 2. Financial need 3. Enrolled in a Master's degree |
50% loan and 50% grant on tuition fees and living expenses |
Also Check: Scholarships for Indian Students in the USA
Living Expenses at Best Forbes-Rated Public Colleges
The yearly cost of living in the USA after taking admission in the top Forbes-rated public colleges can be 11,700- 48,600 USD (10- 43 Lacs INR).
| Expenses Type | In USD per Year | In INR per Year |
|---|---|---|
| Accomodation | 6,000- 30,000 USD | 5.3- 27 Lacs INR |
| Food and meals | 3,000- 7,200 USD | 2.6- 6.3 Lacs INR |
| Transport | 300-700 USD | 26,000- 62,000 INR |
| Insurance | 700- 7,000 USD | 62,000- 6.2 Lacs INR |
| Mobile and Wifi | 1200- 1700 USD | 1- 1.5 Lacs INR |
| Others | 500- 2,000 USD | 44,000- 1.8 Lacs INR |
Also Check: Cost of Living in the USA
Visa for USA to study in the top Forbes-Rated public colleges
To get a Visa to the USA, you need to have the following documents
- Valid Passport
- Proof of Admission
- Certificate of eligibility for a non-immigrant student status (Form I-20)
- Proof of financial support
- English Proficiency Test
- DS-160 Confirmation page
- SEVIS Fees receipt
- Passport-sized photos
Jobs after Graduating from the Best Forbes-Rated Public Colleges
You could work as an engineer, scientist, or manager in the USA after completing your course from the Best Forbes-rated public colleges.
| Job Types | Salary in USD | Salary in INR |
|---|---|---|
| Software Engineer | 1 Lacs USD | 88.7 Lacs INR |
| Data Scientist | 1 Lacs USD | 88.7 Lacs INR |
| Data Analyst | 75,000 USD | 66 Lacs INR |
| Human Resource Manager | 80,000 USD | 71 Lacs INR |
Admission into the best Forbes-ranked Public colleges can help you land a job in the USA in top firms like Google, Microsoft, and Apple. You could work as an engineer or analyst, which has job growth in this age of exponential software development. After completing the Visa formalities of the USA, you could stay for a longer period and work in the USA.
FAQs
Ques. Can I work in the USA during my course in the Best Forbes-rated Public Colleges?
Ans. Yes, you can work for 20 hours a week if you have regular classes. And 40 hours a week if you don't have any classes in the Best Forbes-rated Public Colleges. You cannot work more than this, or there might be action taken against you.
Ques. How to commute to the Best Forbes-rated colleges from India?
Ans. You can fly from Delhi, Mumbai, and Bangalore international airports to the cities of San Francisco, Atlanta, Orlando, Los Angeles, and Detroit. You can take either a direct flight to the USA or with a layover in Dubai.
Ques. Are there any exams I need to take to get admission in the Best Forbes-rated colleges?
Ans. You are required to give IELTS, TOEFL, and PTE for English language eligibility fulfillment. And GRE, GMAT to assess your academic knowledge. You need to qualify for these exams with the required scores as given by the University.
Ques. How long can I stay in the USA on a student visa after getting admission in the Best Forbes-rated colleges?
Ans. A USA student visa is valid for 5 years. But it can be cut short if the authorities deem it fit to be cancelled. It can be cancelled on criminal grounds or by any legislative decision. As long as you follow the rules and guidelines of the USA government, you can easily live in the USA.
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