Public colleges and universities are higher education institutions that are mainly funded by state governments. In contrast, private colleges and universities rely more heavily on student tuition fees, alumni donations, and endowments to fund their academic programs.
Private colleges can be either for-profit or nonprofit. For-profit colleges are run like businesses and are most concerned with generating a profit, while nonprofit private colleges focus on providing students with a quality education.
There are a few key differences between public and private colleges that you should consider when choosing a school.
Since public schools are largely funded by state and federal governments, they can afford to charge lower tuition rates Because private schools rely on tuition for a larger portion of their funding, the cost of attendance is usually much higher.
When it comes to program offerings, private colleges — particularly liberal arts colleges — tend to offer fewer academic majors than public colleges. Public colleges typically have a larger student body and therefore offer more degree programs. For example, Purdue University
Another benefit of public universities' government funding is their ability to provide a large array of research facilities and labs. many private colleges have fewer student resources and research facilities.
Both public and private colleges provide federal financial aid to students. Private institutions, however, often have more money available to award grants and scholarships due to their large endowment funds. In addition, they frequently offer more sizable tuition discounts than public schools.
Although your education should be your top priority, your social and campus preferences should also align with your chosen school. Public and private schools can differ sharply in terms of the environment, extracurricular activities, and overall campus experience they offer