I think the systems are too different to compare that finely. I think the best way of explaining universities here in American terms is that they are all private universities, but almost all get government funding in return for keeping fees at a set price for British students (overseas students can get charged a multiple of that price).
That is over simplified because of differences between England, Scotland, Wales and NI, and historical differences in how different universities were founded etc, but its roughly correct I think.
Oh, apologies for the red herring here. In UK a 'college' is usually a Further Education College or a Sixth Form College. These institutions cater for students from 16 to 19 plus various adult education courses and some degree level work, the latter usually validated by a local university.
So your experience is of colleges? My fault too as I jumped to the conclusion that a previous comment of yours about not having taught in schools as meaning you taught an university. I should know better, especially as my kids both went to sixth form colleges for A levels.
That said, It makes Yale look even worse. They are better funded that British universities, and universities in turn are mostly better funded than HE/sixth form colleges.
