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
412Ranked
KC Knoxville College logo
#425 in United States United States

Knoxville 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
#425 in United States · by research impact
598,493 citations · h-index 248
414Ranked
JS Jackson State University logo
#427 in United States United States

Jackson 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
#427 in United States · by research impact
575,924 citations · h-index 262
416Ranked
DU Duquesne University logo
#429 in United States United States

Duquesne 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
#429 in United States · by research impact
568,327 citations · h-index 238
417Ranked
JF John F. Kennedy University logo
#430 in United States United States

John F. Kennedy 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
#430 in United States · by research impact
553,409 citations · h-index 322
418Ranked
MU Mansfield University of Pennsylvania logo
#431 in United States United States

Mansfield University of Pennsylvania

Public University · 0 courses

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

Tuition (indicative)
Founded
Students
International
Admissions open
#431 in United States · by research impact
551,793 citations · h-index 268
419Ranked
WC Williams College logo
#432 in United States United States

Williams 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
#432 in United States · by research impact
546,234 citations · h-index 256
420Ranked
SC Santa Clara University logo
#433 in United States United States

Santa Clara 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
#433 in United States · by research impact
543,708 citations · h-index 293
424Ranked
UA University of Arkansas at Little Rock logo
#437 in United States Little Rock, Arkansas, United States

University of Arkansas at Little Rock

Public University · 0 courses

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

USD 22,158/yrTuition (indicative)
Founded
4,949Students
International
Admissions open
#437 in United States · by research impact
532,974 citations · h-index 266
425Ranked
UN University of North Carolina Wilmington logo
#438 in United States Wilmington, North Carolina, United States

University of North Carolina Wilmington

Public University · 0 courses

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

USD 24,152/yrTuition (indicative)
Founded
14,922Students
International
Admissions open
#438 in United States · by research impact
527,944 citations · h-index 230
427Ranked
RC Rowan College logo
#440 in United States United States

Rowan 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
#440 in United States · by research impact
520,905 citations · h-index 235
428Ranked
RU Rowan University logo
#441 in United States Glassboro, New Jersey, United States

Rowan University

Public University · 0 courses

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

USD 26,932/yrTuition (indicative)
Founded
15,841Students
International
Admissions open
#441 in United States · by research impact
520,905 citations · h-index 235
431Ranked
UL University of Louisiana at Lafayette logo
#444 in United States Lafayette, Louisiana, United States

University of Louisiana at Lafayette

Public University · 0 courses

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

USD 24,146/yrTuition (indicative)
Founded
12,428Students
International
Admissions open
#444 in United States · by research impact
514,970 citations · h-index 228

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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