Educads

618 Best Public Bachelor's Arts, Design & Architecture Universities in the United States

Cornell University tops our list of 618 Public Bachelor's Arts, Design & Architecture universities in the United States at #13 in the QS World University Rankings 2026. It is followed by University of Chicago (QS World #13) and Duke University (QS World #26). The universities on this list offer 1,650 matching courses between them.

618 universities · ranked best first

how we rank
604Ranked
PI Pratt Institute logo
United States

Pratt Institute

Public University · 27 courses in Bachelor's Arts, Design & Architecture

All 27 courses →
Tuition (indicative)
Founded
Students
International
Admissions open
Not yet ranked No QS position or research record found
609Ranked
SG Southwest Georgia Technical College logo
United States
Not yet ranked No QS position or research record found

How these universities are ranked

44 of these universities hold a QS World position, from #13 (Cornell University) to #593 (University of Central Florida); they are listed first, in that order. Below them, universities follow their research output: University of Washington is cited most (98,078,141 citations). 15 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

618 are public and 0 private (100% public). By location, New York (3), Massachusetts (3) and Texas (2) account for the most of those we can place. The oldest is University of California, Berkeley, founded in 1868. Ohio State University-Main Campus is the largest, with 45,638 students.

Levels, lengths and start dates

Within the subject, the largest areas are Arts, Design & Architecture (1,581), Fine Arts (35), Multimedia Design (8) and Graphic Design (6). The usual length is 4 years and null. 98% are full-time and 23 can be studied online. Start dates lean to Fall (100% of courses with a stated intake) and Spring (100% of courses with a stated intake). Pratt Institute offers the widest choice, with 27 of these courses.

What it costs

We hold indicative fees for 21 of these universities. University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez is the least expensive at USD 5,274 a year and University of California, Berkeley the most at USD 44,000; the middle of the range is about USD 19,531. Check each university's own fee page before you budget — figures change every year.

Frequently asked questions

What are the top universities for Public Bachelor's Arts, Design & Architecture in the United States?

Cornell University (QS World #13), University of Chicago (QS World #13) and Duke University (QS World #26) lead this list. QS World positions come first; the rest are ranked by research impact.

Which is the cheapest university for Public Bachelor's Arts, Design & Architecture in the United States?

Of those with published fees, University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez is the least expensive at about USD 5,274 a year. Fees are indicative — confirm on the university's site.

How many public universities offer Public Bachelor's Arts, Design & Architecture in the United States?

618 public and 0 private universities are on this list.

How long does a Public Bachelor's Arts, Design & Architecture course take in the United States?

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

When do Public Bachelor's Arts, Design & Architecture 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 Public Bachelor's Arts, Design & Architecture online with a university in the United States?

23 of these courses are listed as online.

Get your destination country university & scholarship updates

New scholarships, application deadlines and admission guides — a couple of emails a month, no spam.

Stay updated

Get admission alerts, scholarship deadlines & university news — free.