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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
723Ranked
TA Texas A & M International University logo
#745 in United States Laredo, Texas, United States

Texas A & M International University

Public University · 0 courses

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

USD 19,454/yrTuition (indicative)
Founded
6,667Students
International
Admissions open
#745 in United States · by research impact
105,369 citations · h-index 135
724Ranked
TA Texas A&M International University logo
#746 in United States United States

Texas A&M International 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
#746 in United States · by research impact
105,369 citations · h-index 135
725Ranked
GC Gettysburg College logo
#747 in United States United States

Gettysburg 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
#747 in United States · by research impact
105,307 citations · h-index 128
727Ranked
TH The Citadel logo
#749 in United States United States

The Citadel

Public University · 0 courses

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

Tuition (indicative)
Founded
Students
International
Admissions open
#749 in United States · by research impact
104,217 citations · h-index 132
729Ranked
SU State University of New York at Cortland logo
#751 in United States Cortland, New York, United States
#751 in United States · by research impact
101,971 citations · h-index 132
733Ranked
WS Wayne State College logo
#755 in United States Wayne, Nebraska, United States
#755 in United States · by research impact
100,161 citations · h-index 134
734Ranked
CC Coastal Carolina University logo
#756 in United States United States

Coastal Carolina 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
#756 in United States · by research impact
99,763 citations · h-index 130
735Ranked
RI Rhode Island College logo
#757 in United States United States

Rhode Island 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
#757 in United States · by research impact
99,619 citations · h-index 132
737Ranked
CS College of Saint Catherine logo
#759 in United States United States

College of Saint Catherine

Public University · 0 courses

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

Tuition (indicative)
Founded
Students
International
Admissions open
#759 in United States · by research impact
99,481 citations · h-index 134
739Ranked
WC Wagner College logo
#761 in United States United States

Wagner 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
#761 in United States · by research impact
98,564 citations · h-index 139
743Ranked
BC Brookhaven College logo
#766 in United States United States

Brookhaven 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
#766 in United States · by research impact
97,301 citations · h-index 117

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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