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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
266Ranked
UM University of Massachusetts Boston logo
#274 in United States United States
#274 in United States · by research impact
2,230,748 citations · h-index 472
267Ranked
UB University of Baltimore logo
#275 in United States United States
#275 in United States · by research impact
2,228,892 citations · h-index 468
268Ranked
UM University of Missouri - Kansas City logo
#276 in United States United States

University of Missouri - Kansas City

Public University · 0 courses

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

Tuition (indicative)
Founded
Students
International
Admissions open
#276 in United States · by research impact
2,225,803 citations · h-index 451
270Ranked
CW College of William and Mary logo
#278 in United States United States
#278 in United States · by research impact
2,152,791 citations · h-index 456
271Ranked
WM William & Mary logo
#279 in United States Williamsburg, Virginia, United States

William & Mary

Public University · 0 courses

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

USD 51,038/yrTuition (indicative)
Founded
7,055Students
International
Admissions open
#279 in United States · by research impact
2,152,791 citations · h-index 456
272Ranked
UW University of Wisconsin System logo
#280 in United States United States

University of Wisconsin System

Public University · 0 courses

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

Tuition (indicative)
Founded
Students
International
Admissions open
#280 in United States · by research impact
2,147,141 citations · h-index 476
273Ranked
LL Loma Linda University logo
#281 in United States United States
#281 in United States · by research impact
2,112,485 citations · h-index 402
277Ranked
CS California Southern University logo
#285 in United States United States
#285 in United States · by research impact
2,042,447 citations · h-index 468
278Ranked
KU Kettering University logo
#286 in United States United States

Kettering 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
#286 in United States · by research impact
2,021,282 citations · h-index 560
279Ranked
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
281Ranked
UA University of Akron logo
#290 in United States United States

University of Akron

Public University · 0 courses

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

Tuition (indicative)
Founded
Students
International
Admissions open
#290 in United States · by research impact
1,987,760 citations · h-index 376
282Ranked
UA University of Akron Main Campus logo
#291 in United States Akron, Ohio, United States

University of Akron Main Campus

Public University · 0 courses

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

USD 20,815/yrTuition (indicative)
Founded
9,052Students
International
Admissions open
#291 in United States · by research impact
1,987,760 citations · h-index 376
283Ranked
UA University of Akron Wayne College logo
#292 in United States United States

University of Akron Wayne College

Public University · 0 courses

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

Tuition (indicative)
Founded
Students
International
Admissions open
#292 in United States · by research impact
1,987,760 citations · h-index 376
286Ranked
UM University of Missouri - Rolla logo
#295 in United States United States

University of Missouri - Rolla

Public University · 0 courses

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

Tuition (indicative)
Founded
Students
International
Admissions open
#295 in United States · by research impact
1,940,801 citations · h-index 392
287Ranked
BU Binghamton University logo
#296 in United States Vestal, New York, United States

Binghamton University

Public University · 0 courses

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

USD 30,447/yrTuition (indicative)
Founded
14,655Students
International
Admissions open
#296 in United States · by research impact
1,939,753 citations · h-index 418

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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