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100 Best Public Master's Arts, Design & Architecture Universities in the United States

University of California, Berkeley tops our list of 100 Public Master's Arts, Design & Architecture universities in the United States at #28 in the QS World University Rankings 2026. It is followed by University of Southern California (QS World #146) and Vanderbilt University (QS World #250). Across the whole list there are 235 courses to choose from.

100 universities · ranked best first

how we rank

How these universities are ranked

12 of these universities hold a QS World position, from #28 (University of California, Berkeley) to #575 (University of South Carolina); 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. 3 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 100 public to 0 private institutions. By location, New York (2), Texas (2) and California (1) account for the most of those we can place. The oldest is University of California, Berkeley, founded in 1868. University of California, Berkeley is the largest, with 45,000 students.

What the courses look like

Within the subject, the largest areas are Arts, Design & Architecture (223), Fine Arts (10) and Architecture (2). The usual length is 1–2 years and null. 96% are full-time and 10 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 39 of these courses.

What it costs

We hold indicative fees for 8 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 22,326. 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 Master's Arts, Design & Architecture?

University of California, Berkeley (QS World #28), University of Southern California (QS World #146) and Vanderbilt University (QS World #250) lead this list. QS World positions come first; the rest are ranked by research impact.

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

100 public and 0 private universities are on this list.

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

Most listed courses run 1–2 years, with null the next most common.

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

10 of these courses are listed as online.

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