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1,013 Best Public Bachelor's Universities in the United States

Cornell University leads the 1,013 Public Bachelor's universities in the United States at #13 in the QS World University Rankings 2026. University of Chicago (QS World #13) and Princeton University (QS World #15) complete the top three. Across the whole list there are 23,970 courses to choose from.

1,013 universities · ranked best first

how we rank
700Ranked
SU Southern University at New Orleans logo
#1,340 in United States United States
#1,340 in United States · by research impact
13,094 citations · h-index 61
703Ranked
AP American Public University System logo
#1,347 in United States United States
#1,347 in United States · by research impact
12,244 citations · h-index 46
704Ranked
LC Livingstone College logo
#1,350 in United States United States
#1,350 in United States · by research impact
12,045 citations · h-index 50
706Ranked
EC Edgewood College logo
#1,352 in United States United States
#1,352 in United States · by research impact
11,945 citations · h-index 51
708Ranked
CS Central State University logo
#1,354 in United States United States
#1,354 in United States · by research impact
11,788 citations · h-index 41
718Ranked
OC Onondaga Community College logo
#1,375 in United States United States
#1,375 in United States · by research impact
11,017 citations · h-index 49

How these universities are ranked

67 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). 37 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

1,013 are public and 0 private (100% public). By location, Texas (3), New York (3) and Massachusetts (3) 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.

What the courses look like

The most common subjects are Social Sciences & Psychology (3,295), Business & Management (2,642), Education (1,798) and Medicine & Health Sciences (1,624). The usual length is 4 years and 2 years. 96% are full-time and 829 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). Humboldt State University offers the widest choice, with 298 of these courses.

What it costs

We hold indicative fees for 31 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 21,833. 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 in the United States?

Cornell University (QS World #13), University of Chicago (QS World #13) and Princeton University (QS World #15) lead this list. QS World positions come first; the rest are ranked by research impact.

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

1,013 public and 0 private universities are on this list.

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

Most listed courses run 4 years, with 2 years the next most common.

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

829 of these courses are listed as online.

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