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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
674Ranked
UT The University of Texas at Tyler logo
#695 in United States Tyler, Texas, United States

The University of Texas at Tyler

Public University · 0 courses

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

USD 25,494/yrTuition (indicative)
Founded
7,440Students
International
Admissions open
#695 in United States · by research impact
131,161 citations · h-index 129
678Ranked
SB SUNY Brockport logo
#699 in United States Brockport, New York, United States

SUNY Brockport

Public University · 0 courses

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

USD 15,822/yrTuition (indicative)
Founded
5,784Students
International
Admissions open
#699 in United States · by research impact
128,330 citations · h-index 135
681Ranked
XU Xavier University of Louisiana logo
#702 in United States United States

Xavier University of Louisiana

Public University · 0 courses

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

Tuition (indicative)
Founded
Students
International
Admissions open
#702 in United States · by research impact
127,545 citations · h-index 148
683Ranked
TS Texas Southern University logo
#704 in United States United States

Texas Southern 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
#704 in United States · by research impact
124,216 citations · h-index 136
684Ranked
LC Lewis & Clark College logo
#705 in United States United States

Lewis & Clark 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
#705 in United States · by research impact
123,670 citations · h-index 142
687Ranked
IC Iona College logo
#708 in United States United States
#708 in United States · by research impact
121,966 citations · h-index 145
688Ranked
IU Indiana University at South Bend logo
#709 in United States United States
#709 in United States · by research impact
121,909 citations · h-index 155
689Ranked
JC Jones College logo
#710 in United States United States

Jones 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
#710 in United States · by research impact
121,513 citations · h-index 142
690Ranked
UC University of Central Arkansas logo
#711 in United States United States

University of Central Arkansas

Public University · 0 courses

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

Tuition (indicative)
Founded
Students
International
Admissions open
#711 in United States · by research impact
120,720 citations · h-index 134
691Ranked
UW University of Wisconsin - River Falls logo
#712 in United States United States

University of Wisconsin - River Falls

Public University · 0 courses

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

Tuition (indicative)
Founded
Students
International
Admissions open
#712 in United States · by research impact
119,878 citations · h-index 169

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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