Educads

485 Best Public Bachelor's Engineering Universities in the United States

Cornell University leads the 485 Public Bachelor's Engineering universities in the United States at #13 in the QS World University Rankings 2026. Duke University (QS World #26) and University of California, Berkeley (QS World #28) complete the top three. Across the whole list there are 1,630 courses to choose from.

485 universities · ranked best first

how we rank
75Ranked
NM New Mexico State University logo
#266 in United States United States

New Mexico State University

Public University · 15 courses in Bachelor's Engineering

All 15 courses →
Tuition (indicative)
Founded
Students
International
Admissions open
#266 in United States · by research impact
2,383,475 citations · h-index 506
78Ranked
RI Rochester Institute of Technology logo
#284 in United States United States
#284 in United States · by research impact
2,047,712 citations · h-index 525
80Ranked
SU State University of New York at Binghamton logo
#297 in United States United States

State University of New York at Binghamton

Public University · 7 courses in Bachelor's Engineering

All 7 courses →
Tuition (indicative)
Founded
Students
International
Admissions open
#297 in United States · by research impact
1,939,753 citations · h-index 418
83Ranked
ND North Dakota State University logo
#302 in United States United States
#302 in United States · by research impact
1,850,263 citations · h-index 349
88Ranked
UT University of Texas at El Paso logo
#321 in United States United States
#321 in United States · by research impact
1,449,187 citations · h-index 368
90Ranked
UT The University of Texas at Rio Grande Valley logo
#324 in United States United States

The University of Texas at Rio Grande Valley

Public University · 4 courses in Bachelor's Engineering

Tuition (indicative)
Founded
Students
International
Admissions open
#324 in United States · by research impact
1,410,570 citations · h-index 475
94Ranked
WP Worcester Polytechnic Institute logo
#338 in United States United States

Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Public University · 9 courses in Bachelor's Engineering

All 9 courses →
Tuition (indicative)
Founded
Students
International
Admissions open
#338 in United States · by research impact
1,240,998 citations · h-index 354
95Ranked
FI Florida Institute of Technology logo
#339 in United States United States
#339 in United States · by research impact
1,221,629 citations · h-index 345

By university type

How these universities are ranked

46 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. 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. 12 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 485 public to 0 private institutions. By location, Ohio (2), Washington (2) and New York (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 Engineering (1,551), Civil Engineering (17), Electrical & Electronic Engineering (13) and Mechanical Engineering (10). The usual length is 4 years and null. 99% are full-time and 21 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). Capitol Technology University offers the widest choice, with 27 of these courses.

What it costs

We hold indicative fees for 14 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 36,056. Check each university's own fee page before you budget — figures change every year.

Frequently asked questions

Which is the best university in the United States for Public Bachelor's Engineering?

Cornell University (QS World #13), Duke University (QS World #26) and University of California, Berkeley (QS World #28) lead this list. QS World positions come first; the rest are ranked by research impact.

Which is the cheapest university for Public Bachelor's Engineering 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 Engineering in the United States?

485 public and 0 private universities are on this list.

How long does a Public Bachelor's Engineering course take in the United States?

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

When do Public Bachelor's Engineering 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 Engineering online with a university in the United States?

21 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.