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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
626Ranked
AU Alfred University logo
#646 in United States United States

Alfred 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
#646 in United States · by research impact
151,628 citations · h-index 148
628Ranked
NC Northampton Community College logo
#648 in United States United States

Northampton Community 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
#648 in United States · by research impact
149,894 citations · h-index 153
630Ranked
TA Texas A&M University - Commerce logo
#650 in United States United States

Texas A&M University - Commerce

Public University · 0 courses

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

Tuition (indicative)
Founded
Students
International
Admissions open
#650 in United States · by research impact
149,259 citations · h-index 145
632Ranked
HP Hawaii Pacific University logo
#652 in United States United States

Hawaii Pacific 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
#652 in United States · by research impact
148,522 citations · h-index 163
633Ranked
UN University of Nebraska at Kearney logo
#653 in United States Kearney, Nebraska, United States

University of Nebraska at Kearney

Public University · 0 courses

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

USD 15,284/yrTuition (indicative)
Founded
4,088Students
International
Admissions open
#653 in United States · by research impact
148,109 citations · h-index 146
634Ranked
UN University of Nebraska, Kearney logo
#654 in United States United States
#654 in United States · by research impact
148,109 citations · h-index 146
637Ranked
NU National University logo
#657 in United States United States
#657 in United States · by research impact
147,896 citations · h-index 129
640Ranked
CS California State University-East Bay logo
#660 in United States Hayward, California, United States

California State University-East Bay

Public University · 0 courses

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

USD 20,183/yrTuition (indicative)
Founded
9,809Students
International
Admissions open
#660 in United States · by research impact
147,497 citations · h-index 148
641Ranked
NC North Central College logo
#661 in United States United States

North Central 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
#661 in United States · by research impact
147,184 citations · h-index 147
643Ranked
RC Richland College logo
#663 in United States United States

Richland 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
#663 in United States · by research impact
146,451 citations · h-index 159
644Ranked
UH University of Houston-Clear Lake logo
#664 in United States Houston, Texas, United States

University of Houston-Clear Lake

Public University · 0 courses

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

USD 21,114/yrTuition (indicative)
Founded
6,078Students
International
Admissions open
#664 in United States · by research impact
146,195 citations · h-index 150
645Ranked
YC York College of Pennsylvania logo
#665 in United States United States
#665 in United States · by research impact
145,642 citations · h-index 168
648Ranked
SL Southeastern Louisiana University logo
#668 in United States United States

Southeastern Louisiana 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
#668 in United States · by research impact
143,418 citations · h-index 146

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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