Educads

2,465 Best Public Universities in the United States

California Institute of Technology tops our list of 2,465 Public universities in the United States at #10 in the QS World University Rankings 2026. University of Pennsylvania (QS World #12) and Cornell University (QS World #13) complete the top three. Across the whole list there are 41,584 courses to choose from.

2,465 universities · ranked best first

how we rank
217Ranked
AU Auburn University logo
#225 in United States United States
#225 in United States · by research impact
4,025,655 citations · h-index 491
223Ranked
OS Oklahoma State University logo
#231 in United States United States

Oklahoma State University

Public University · 0 courses

No course listed yet for this search — see the university's full profile.

Tuition (indicative)
Founded
Students
International
Admissions open
#231 in United States · by research impact
3,665,825 citations · h-index 487
224Ranked
OS Oklahoma State University-Main Campus logo
#232 in United States Stillwater, Oklahoma, United States

Oklahoma State University-Main Campus

Public University · 0 courses

No course listed yet for this search — see the university's full profile.

USD 25,754/yrTuition (indicative)
Founded
21,773Students
International
Admissions open
#232 in United States · by research impact
3,665,825 citations · h-index 487
227Ranked
GS Georgia State University logo
#235 in United States United States
#235 in United States · by research impact
3,525,553 citations · h-index 522
228Ranked
GM George Mason University logo
#236 in United States United States

George Mason University

Public University · 0 courses

No course listed yet for this search — see the university's full profile.

Tuition (indicative)
Founded
Students
International
Admissions open
#236 in United States · by research impact
3,404,478 citations · h-index 559
233Ranked
UN University of Nevada, Reno logo
#241 in United States United States

University of Nevada, Reno

Public University · 0 courses

No course listed yet for this search — see the university's full profile.

Tuition (indicative)
Founded
Students
International
Admissions open
#241 in United States · by research impact
3,145,239 citations · h-index 514
234Ranked
US Utah State University logo
#242 in United States United States

Utah State University

Public University · 0 courses

No course listed yet for this search — see the university's full profile.

Tuition (indicative)
Founded
Students
International
Admissions open
#242 in United States · by research impact
3,127,488 citations · h-index 527
236Ranked
UM The University of Montana logo
#244 in United States Missoula, Montana, United States
#244 in United States · by research impact
3,004,269 citations · h-index 581
238Ranked
MS Montana State University logo
#246 in United States Bozeman, Montana, United States

Montana State University

Public University · 0 courses

No course listed yet for this search — see the university's full profile.

USD 33,287/yrTuition (indicative)
Founded
14,451Students
International
Admissions open
#246 in United States · by research impact
2,975,223 citations · h-index 543

By university type

How these universities are ranked

153 of these universities hold a QS World position, from #10 (California Institute of Technology) to #600 (Tulane University); they are listed first, in that order. The rest are ordered by research impact. University of Washington has the largest research record in this group, with 98,078,141 citations and an h-index of 3,639. 177 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 2,465 public to 0 private institutions. By location, New York (20), Texas (13) and Ohio (8) account for the most of those we can place. The oldest is University of California, Berkeley, founded in 1868. Arizona State University Campus Immersion is the largest, with 64,674 students.

What the courses look like

By level: 23,970 bachelor's, 4,338 master's, 2,602 diploma and 1,119 professional. The most common subjects are Social Sciences & Psychology (5,139), Business & Management (5,074), Medicine & Health Sciences (4,406) and Education (3,474). The usual length is 4 years and 1–2 years. 94% are full-time and 2,034 can be studied online. Start dates lean to Fall (100% of courses with a stated intake) and Spring (96% of courses with a stated intake). Humboldt State University offers the widest choice, with 303 of these courses.

What it costs

We hold indicative fees for 134 of these universities. University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez is the least expensive at USD 5,274 a year and University of Virginia-Main Campus the most at USD 59,512; the middle of the range is about USD 23,082. Check each university's own fee page before you budget — figures change every year.

Frequently asked questions

What are the top universities for Public in the United States?

California Institute of Technology (QS World #10), University of Pennsylvania (QS World #12) and Cornell University (QS World #13) lead this list. QS World positions come first; the rest are ranked by research impact.

Which is the cheapest university for Public 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 in the United States?

2,465 public and 0 private universities are on this list.

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

Most listed courses run 4 years, with 1–2 years the next most common.

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

2,034 of these courses are listed as online.

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