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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
145Ranked
AS Albany State University logo
#309 in United States United States
#309 in United States · by research impact
1,570,358 citations · h-index 402
146Ranked
CS California State University, Fullerton logo
#310 in United States United States
#310 in United States · by research impact
1,566,789 citations · h-index 479
149Ranked
US University of South Alabama logo
#317 in United States United States
#317 in United States · by research impact
1,457,684 citations · h-index 390
150Ranked
TT Texas Tech University-Health Sciences Center logo
#319 in United States United States
#319 in United States · by research impact
1,450,613 citations · h-index 356
151Ranked
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
153Ranked
UT The University of Texas at Rio Grande Valley logo
#324 in United States United States
#324 in United States · by research impact
1,410,570 citations · h-index 475
155Ranked
UN The University of North Carolina at Greensboro logo
#326 in United States United States
#326 in United States · by research impact
1,339,685 citations · h-index 375
159Ranked
MU Marquette University logo
#333 in United States United States
#333 in United States · by research impact
1,247,328 citations · h-index 317
160Ranked
WU Wilmington University logo
#334 in United States United States
#334 in United States · by research impact
1,246,980 citations · h-index 396
161Ranked
UN University of North Dakota logo
#337 in United States United States
#337 in United States · by research impact
1,246,285 citations · h-index 305
163Ranked
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
165Ranked
BG Bowling Green State University logo
#343 in United States United States
#343 in United States · by research impact
1,171,634 citations · h-index 359
167Ranked
AC Abilene Christian University logo
#350 in United States United States
#350 in United States · by research impact
1,063,099 citations · h-index 421

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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