Educads

204 Best PhD Universities in the United States

Princeton University tops our list of 204 PhD universities in the United States at #15 in the QS World University Rankings 2026. Next come University of California, Berkeley (QS World #28) and Georgia Institute of Technology (QS World #123). Across the whole list there are 736 courses to choose from.

204 universities · ranked best first

how we rank
193Ranked
WC Walsh College logo
#2,012 in United States United States
#2,012 in United States · by research impact
1,177 citations · h-index 21

By university type

How these universities are ranked

18 of these universities hold a QS World position, from #15 (Princeton University) to #575 (University of South Carolina); they are listed first, in that order. The rest are ordered by research impact. University of California, Berkeley has the largest research record in this group, with 58,388,527 citations and an h-index of 1,903. 10 universities have neither a QS position nor a research record yet and appear at the end, marked "Not yet ranked".

Public, private and where they are

The split is 201 public to 3 private institutions. By location, New York (3), Texas (2) and California (1) account for the most of those we can place. The oldest is University of California, Berkeley, founded in 1868. University of California, Berkeley is the largest, with 45,000 students.

What the courses look like

The most common subjects are Medicine & Health Sciences (151), Education (93), Engineering (85) and Social Sciences & Psychology (80). The usual length is 4–6 years and null. 94% are full-time and 32 can be studied online. Start dates lean to Fall (100% of courses with a stated intake) and Spring (0% of courses with a stated intake). New Mexico State University offers the widest choice, with 29 of these courses.

What it costs

We hold indicative fees for 10 of these universities. Universidad del Sagrado Corazon is the least expensive at USD 6,410 a year and The Catholic University of America the most at USD 58,378; the middle of the range is about USD 33,671. Check each university's own fee page before you budget — figures change every year.

Frequently asked questions

What are the top universities for PhD in the United States?

Princeton University (QS World #15), University of California, Berkeley (QS World #28) and Georgia Institute of Technology (QS World #123) lead this list. QS World positions come first; the rest are ranked by research impact.

Which is the cheapest university for PhD in the United States?

Of those with published fees, Universidad del Sagrado Corazon is the least expensive at about USD 6,410 a year. Fees are indicative — confirm on the university's site.

How many public universities offer PhD in the United States?

201 public and 3 private universities are on this list.

How long does a PhD course take in the United States?

Most listed courses run 4–6 years, with null the next most common.

When do PhD courses start in the United States?

Fall is the main intake — 100% of courses with a stated start date begin then, and Spring is the second.

Can I study PhD online with a university in the United States?

32 of these courses are listed as online.

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