A state university system in the United States is a group of public universities supported by an individual state, or a similar entity such as the District of Columbia. These systems constitute the majority of public-funded universities in the country. Each state supports at least one such system.

Federal funded colleges and universities are limited to military personnel and government employees. Members of foreign militaries and governments also attend some schools. These schools include the United States military academies, Naval Postgraduate School, and military staff colleges.

A state university system normally means a single legal entity and administration, but may consist of several institutions, each with its own identity as a university. Some states—such as California and Texas—support more than one such system.

State universities get subsidies from their states. The amount of the subsidy varies from university to university and state to state, but the effect is to lower tuition costs below that of private universities. As more and more Americans attend college, and private tuition rates increase well beyond the rate of inflation, admission to state universities is becoming more and more competitive.

Wayne State University—WSU is a public research university located in Detroit, Michigan, United States, in the city's Midtown Cultural Center Historic District and Wayne State University Buildings Historic District. Founded in 1868, WSU consists of 13 schools and colleges offering more than 400 major subject areas to over 32,000 graduate and undergraduate students. It is currently the third largest university in the state of Michigan and one of the 30 largest universities in the United States.

The WSU main campus encompasses 203 acres (822,000 m²) linking more than 100 education and research buildings in the heart of Detroit. It also has six extension centers in the Metro Detroit area providing access to a limited selection of courses. The institution is a notable engine in metro Detroit's educational, cultural, and economic landscape, as manifested through efforts such as its 75-acre (300,000 m²) research and technology park and its hosting of the Detroit Festival of the Arts and Detroit Windsor International Film Festival.