Educads

516 Best Public Master's Universities in the United States

Of the 516 Public Master's universities in the United States, University of Chicago ranks highest at #13 in the QS World University Rankings 2026. Next come Johns Hopkins University (QS World #24) and University of California, Berkeley (QS World #28). Across the whole list there are 4,338 courses to choose from.

516 universities · ranked best first

how we rank
73Ranked
CU Catholic University of America logo
#287 in United States United States
#287 in United States · by research impact
2,013,264 citations · h-index 416
74Ranked
SD SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University logo
#289 in United States United States
#289 in United States · by research impact
2,003,126 citations · h-index 399
76Ranked
SU State University of New York at Binghamton logo
#297 in United States United States
#297 in United States · by research impact
1,939,753 citations · h-index 418
77Ranked
CU Creighton University logo
#298 in United States United States
#298 in United States · by research impact
1,930,946 citations · h-index 439
81Ranked
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
84Ranked
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
85Ranked
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
87Ranked
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
92Ranked
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
93Ranked
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

How these universities are ranked

30 of these universities hold a QS World position, from #13 (University of Chicago) to #575 (University of South Carolina); they are listed first, in that order. Below them, universities follow their research output: Johns Hopkins University is cited most (78,461,703 citations). 22 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

516 are public and 0 private (100% public). By location, New York (3), Texas (3) and Washington (2) 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.

Inside the course list

The most common subjects are Business & Management (800), Education (606), Medicine & Health Sciences (580) and Social Sciences & Psychology (458). The usual length is 1–2 years and null. 82% are full-time and 666 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 73 of these courses.

What it costs

We hold indicative fees for 17 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 19,531. Check each university's own fee page before you budget — figures change every year.

Frequently asked questions

What are the top universities for Public Master's in the United States?

University of Chicago (QS World #13), Johns Hopkins University (QS World #24) 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 Master'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 Master's in the United States?

516 public and 0 private universities are on this list.

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

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

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

666 of these courses are listed as online.

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