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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
771Ranked
NI Northeastern Illinois University logo
#794 in United States Chicago, Illinois, United States

Northeastern Illinois University

Public University · 0 courses

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

USD 22,726/yrTuition (indicative)
Founded
3,982Students
International
Admissions open
#794 in United States · by research impact
86,618 citations · h-index 125
774Ranked
WN Western New England University logo
#797 in United States United States
#797 in United States · by research impact
86,300 citations · h-index 130
776Ranked
KU Kean University logo
#799 in United States Union, New Jersey, United States

Kean University

Public University · 0 courses

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

USD 22,446/yrTuition (indicative)
Founded
11,433Students
International
Admissions open
#799 in United States · by research impact
86,256 citations · h-index 120
777Ranked
WS Winston-Salem State University logo
#800 in United States United States

Winston-Salem State 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
#800 in United States · by research impact
85,870 citations · h-index 123
781Ranked
CU Concordia University Wisconsin logo
#805 in United States United States

Concordia University Wisconsin

Public University · 0 courses

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

Tuition (indicative)
Founded
Students
International
Admissions open
#805 in United States · by research impact
85,208 citations · h-index 107
784Ranked
SO Saint Olaf College logo
#808 in United States United States

Saint Olaf 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
#808 in United States · by research impact
84,783 citations · h-index 109
790Ranked
AT Atlanta Technical College logo
#815 in United States United States

Atlanta Technical 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
#815 in United States · by research impact
81,152 citations · h-index 131
791Ranked
SM Southeast Missouri State University logo
#816 in United States United States

Southeast Missouri State 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
#816 in United States · by research impact
79,271 citations · h-index 121
792Ranked
LF Lake Forest College logo
#817 in United States United States

Lake Forest 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
#817 in United States · by research impact
79,138 citations · h-index 120

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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