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
554Ranked
UH University of Hartford logo
#569 in United States United States

University of Hartford

Public University · 0 courses

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

Tuition (indicative)
Founded
Students
International
Admissions open
#569 in United States · by research impact
222,894 citations · h-index 167
555Ranked
MC Middlebury College logo
#570 in United States United States

Middlebury 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
#570 in United States · by research impact
221,436 citations · h-index 185
558Ranked
NC North Carolina Central University logo
#573 in United States United States

North Carolina Central 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
#573 in United States · by research impact
216,819 citations · h-index 163
561Ranked
UT University of Tampa logo
#577 in United States United States

University of Tampa

Public University · 0 courses

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

Tuition (indicative)
Founded
Students
International
Admissions open
#577 in United States · by research impact
212,184 citations · h-index 169
563Ranked
TU Tuskegee University logo
#579 in United States United States
#579 in United States · by research impact
211,160 citations · h-index 160
567Ranked
NC North Central State College logo
#583 in United States United States

North Central State 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
#583 in United States · by research impact
205,676 citations · h-index 167
570Ranked
UN University of New England logo
#588 in United States United States

University of New England

Public University · 0 courses

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

Tuition (indicative)
Founded
Students
International
Admissions open
#588 in United States · by research impact
196,526 citations · h-index 160
572Ranked
UW University of Wisconsin-La Crosse logo
#590 in United States La Crosse, Wisconsin, United States

University of Wisconsin-La Crosse

Public University · 0 courses

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

USD 19,517/yrTuition (indicative)
Founded
9,277Students
International
Admissions open
#590 in United States · by research impact
196,449 citations · h-index 158
573Ranked
BU Bethel University logo
#591 in United States United States
#591 in United States · by research impact
195,428 citations · h-index 186
576Ranked
GC Georgia College & State University logo
#594 in United States Milledgeville, Georgia, United States

Georgia College & State University

Public University · 0 courses

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

USD 29,512/yrTuition (indicative)
Founded
5,947Students
International
Admissions open
#594 in United States · by research impact
192,637 citations · h-index 143

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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