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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
650Ranked
CM Claremont McKenna College logo
#670 in United States United States

Claremont McKenna 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
#670 in United States · by research impact
142,581 citations · h-index 164
651Ranked
CC Canisius College logo
#671 in United States United States

Canisius 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
#671 in United States · by research impact
142,453 citations · h-index 132
655Ranked
SU State University of New York at New Paltz logo
#675 in United States New Paltz, New York, United States

State University of New York at New Paltz

Public University · 0 courses

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

USD 18,822/yrTuition (indicative)
Founded
6,086Students
International
Admissions open
#675 in United States · by research impact
140,538 citations · h-index 153
660Ranked
SU Stratford University logo
#680 in United States United States

Stratford 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
#680 in United States · by research impact
138,068 citations · h-index 151
661Ranked
AA Alabama A & M University logo
#681 in United States Normal, Alabama, United States

Alabama A & M University

Public University · 0 courses

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

USD 18,634/yrTuition (indicative)
Founded
6,124Students
International
Admissions open
#681 in United States · by research impact
137,680 citations · h-index 126
664Ranked
WP William Paterson University of New Jersey logo
#684 in United States Wayne, New Jersey, United States

William Paterson University of New Jersey

Public University · 0 courses

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

USD 25,344/yrTuition (indicative)
Founded
6,614Students
International
Admissions open
#684 in United States · by research impact
137,118 citations · h-index 148
665Ranked
DU Drew University logo
#685 in United States United States

Drew 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
#685 in United States · by research impact
137,031 citations · h-index 183
666Ranked
UA University of Arkansas System eVersity logo
#686 in United States United States

University of Arkansas System eVersity

Public University · 0 courses

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

Tuition (indicative)
Founded
Students
International
Admissions open
#686 in United States · by research impact
136,991 citations · h-index 142
668Ranked
BC Bellevue College logo
#689 in United States United States

Bellevue 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
#689 in United States · by research impact
135,840 citations · h-index 148
670Ranked
LU LaSalle University logo
#691 in United States United States
#691 in United States · by research impact
133,069 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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