<p>Both Maryland and Penn State are higher-ranked in USNWR terms, but ultimately the education you get at any of these schools is going to be based on what the student puts into it, not on rankings. And of course, as Mwallenmd points out, the specific major may also play into it. </p>
<p>(BTW, I think the term ‘Public Ivy’ is an exaggeration here; that’s usually applied to schools like William&Mary, Michigan, and UVA.)</p>