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
435Ranked
PU Park University logo
#448 in United States United States
#448 in United States · by research impact
505,217 citations · h-index 277
437Ranked
NC North Carolina A & T State University logo
#450 in United States Greensboro, North Carolina, United States

North Carolina A & T State University

Public University · 0 courses

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

USD 20,673/yrTuition (indicative)
Founded
12,182Students
International
Admissions open
#450 in United States · by research impact
500,951 citations · h-index 217
439Ranked
UP University of Puget Sound logo
#452 in United States United States

University of Puget Sound

Public University · 0 courses

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

Tuition (indicative)
Founded
Students
International
Admissions open
#452 in United States · by research impact
491,690 citations · h-index 302
441Ranked
UM University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth logo
#454 in United States United States
#454 in United States · by research impact
480,894 citations · h-index 239
442Ranked
UM University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth logo
#455 in United States North Dartmouth, Massachusetts, United States

University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth

Public University · 0 courses

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

USD 32,567/yrTuition (indicative)
Founded
5,221Students
International
Admissions open
#455 in United States · by research impact
480,894 citations · h-index 239
443Ranked
PU Phillips University logo
#456 in United States United States

Phillips 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
#456 in United States · by research impact
480,284 citations · h-index 215
444Ranked
TC Texas College logo
#457 in United States United States

Texas 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
#457 in United States · by research impact
480,284 citations · h-index 215
449Ranked
HC Haverford College in Pennsylvania logo
#462 in United States United States

Haverford College in 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
#462 in United States · by research impact
442,310 citations · h-index 262
450Ranked
WU Western University of Health Sciences logo
#463 in United States United States

Western University of Health Sciences

Public University · 0 courses

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

Tuition (indicative)
Founded
Students
International
Admissions open
#463 in United States · by research impact
441,462 citations · h-index 242
451Ranked
IS Idaho State University logo
#464 in United States United States
#464 in United States · by research impact
437,218 citations · h-index 225
453Ranked
CS California State University, Fresno logo
#466 in United States United States
#466 in United States · by research impact
419,341 citations · h-index 234
454Ranked
SD South Dakota School of Mines and Technology logo
#467 in United States United States
#467 in United States · by research impact
417,552 citations · h-index 234
455Ranked
AC Allegheny College logo
#468 in United States United States

Allegheny 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
#468 in United States · by research impact
410,146 citations · h-index 264
456Ranked
SC Swarthmore College logo
#469 in United States United States

Swarthmore 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
#469 in United States · by research impact
407,267 citations · h-index 270

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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