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
505Ranked
EM Eastern Michigan University logo
#519 in United States United States
#519 in United States · by research impact
283,634 citations · h-index 197
507Ranked
AC Alamo Colleges District logo
#521 in United States United States

Alamo Colleges District

Public University · 0 courses

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

Tuition (indicative)
Founded
Students
International
Admissions open
#521 in United States · by research impact
283,084 citations · h-index 142
508Ranked
BU Brescia University logo
#522 in United States United States

Brescia 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
#522 in United States · by research impact
282,789 citations · h-index 193
512Ranked
CP California Polytechnic State University, Pomona logo
#526 in United States United States
#526 in United States · by research impact
276,702 citations · h-index 184
513Ranked
CS California State Polytechnic University-Pomona logo
#527 in United States Pomona, California, United States

California State Polytechnic University-Pomona

Public University · 0 courses

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

USD 20,380/yrTuition (indicative)
Founded
25,042Students
International
Admissions open
#527 in United States · by research impact
276,702 citations · h-index 184
514Ranked
UP University of Portland logo
#528 in United States United States

University of Portland

Public University · 0 courses

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

Tuition (indicative)
Founded
Students
International
Admissions open
#528 in United States · by research impact
273,928 citations · h-index 193
515Ranked
UN University of Northern Iowa logo
#529 in United States United States

University of Northern Iowa

Public University · 0 courses

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

Tuition (indicative)
Founded
Students
International
Admissions open
#529 in United States · by research impact
273,258 citations · h-index 199
516Ranked
TT Tennessee Technological University logo
#530 in United States United States
#530 in United States · by research impact
272,602 citations · h-index 168
518Ranked
MT Middle Tennessee State University logo
#532 in United States United States
#532 in United States · by research impact
270,466 citations · h-index 191
525Ranked
GU Greenville University logo
#539 in United States United States

Greenville 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
#539 in United States · by research impact
262,884 citations · h-index 137
526Ranked
TA Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi logo
#540 in United States Corpus Christi, Texas, United States

Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi

Public University · 0 courses

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

USD 20,794/yrTuition (indicative)
Founded
8,034Students
International
Admissions open
#540 in United States · by research impact
262,570 citations · h-index 167

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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