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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
121Ranked
NC North Carolina A&T State University logo
#451 in United States United States
#451 in United States · by research impact
500,951 citations · h-index 217
127Ranked
SD South Dakota School of Mines and Technology logo
#467 in United States United States

South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

Public University · 10 courses in Bachelor's Engineering

All 10 courses →
Tuition (indicative)
Founded
Students
International
Admissions open
#467 in United States · by research impact
417,552 citations · h-index 234
133Ranked
UW University of Washington-Bothell Campus logo
#488 in United States Bothell, Washington, United States

University of Washington-Bothell Campus

Public University · 4 courses in Bachelor's Engineering

USD 43,155/yrTuition (indicative)
Founded
5,457Students
International
Admissions open
#488 in United States · by research impact
343,677 citations · h-index 210
140Ranked
CS California State University, Sacramento logo
#518 in United States United States

California State University, Sacramento

Public University · 4 courses in Bachelor's Engineering

Tuition (indicative)
Founded
Students
International
Admissions open
#518 in United States · by research impact
284,905 citations · h-index 194
144Ranked
CP California Polytechnic State University, Pomona logo
#526 in United States United States

California Polytechnic State University, Pomona

Public University · 20 courses in Bachelor's Engineering

All 20 courses →
Tuition (indicative)
Founded
Students
International
Admissions open
#526 in United States · by research impact
276,702 citations · h-index 184

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.

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