6 Difference Between Public University Vs Private University

It is quite natural to be a little dubious over the credibility of public universities and private universities. It is because you are about to take a big decision of your life. If you are about to apply to a college and university, you might be wondering what is the difference between public and private institutions. In this blog, we will try to clear all your doubts by comparing the private and public institutions.

1. Funding Sources

The primary difference between a public and private university is the source of funds. Public universities are state-run or as you can say are funded by the government. On the other hand, the private universities and colleges are supported by the endowment funds and the fees incurred from the students. This indicates why the fees in private universities is higher than public institutions. Additionally, private institutions also get donations from inventors or organizations.

2. Cost of attendance

We are sure when you are searching for the top universities you are also considering the expenses. The private universities have a higher cost of attendance as compared to public attendance. The public universities are subsidized by the government, this enables them to charge lower fees, making them less costly. The private institutions on the other hand depend on the tuition fees to a major extent for their operating expenses.

3. Accreditation

According to the norms of the government and the education ministry the institutions can be accredited nationally, regionally and at times not at all. All the public universities are affiliated and accredited nationally or regionally as per the norms. While private universities might not be accredited at all. Thus, while considering university admission, make sure you have checked the accreditation as that would matter a lot while you apply for jobs or further education.

4. Degree program Offerings

Usually, public universities offer a wider array of degrees and courses to choose from. While private universities might have a limited choice to offer. Students who are sure about their career direction can benefit from attending a private institution. Because the private universities offer limited choices they also focus well on those programs. If you have already decided on the course all you need to do is select from the best private universities and go ahead with your application.

5. The prestige factor

This is a debatable difference but does need a mention in the list, there is a perceived prestige factor related to the public and private universities. This prestige factor is related to the ranking of the institutions, and typically the public universities are found to rank lower than private universities. The prestige factor of the institution is related to the employability qualification of the graduates and the universities from which the graduates are more sought after in the job market. Notably, some of the public universities also carry as much prestige as the private ones.

6. University Size

As you might have noticed yourself the public universities are bigger than the private universities. The size of a university depends on the student population, campus size, staff, number of courses etc. The private universities have everything in opposite other than some exceptional cases. However, due to the lesser student population, the professors are more likely to know the students in each batch and there is an opportunity for the students to establish proximity. This however is not possible in public universities always, and only a selected few student remains in the notice of the course instructors.

Should you go to a Public or Private University?

As you now know the difference between public and private universities the decision depends entirely upon you. If you have concentrated on a course already try to find out the universities offering the course in the best module and go by the differences once more, and you will have your answer.