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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
938Ranked
SC Scottsdale Community College logo
#965 in United States United States

Scottsdale 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
#965 in United States · by research impact
48,931 citations · h-index 108
941Ranked
LC Luther College logo
#968 in United States United States

Luther 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
#968 in United States · by research impact
48,297 citations · h-index 97
943Ranked
UW University of Wisconsin - Stout logo
#970 in United States United States
#970 in United States · by research impact
47,998 citations · h-index 94
944Ranked
AS Armstrong State College logo
#971 in United States United States

Armstrong State 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
#971 in United States · by research impact
47,968 citations · h-index 98
946Ranked
WO Western Oregon University logo
#973 in United States Monmouth, Oregon, United States

Western Oregon University

Public University · 0 courses

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

USD 32,534/yrTuition (indicative)
Founded
3,103Students
International
Admissions open
#973 in United States · by research impact
46,608 citations · h-index 101
948Ranked
PS Plymouth State University logo
#975 in United States United States

Plymouth 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
#975 in United States · by research impact
46,339 citations · h-index 102
949Ranked
SU Stetson University logo
#976 in United States United States

Stetson 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
#976 in United States · by research impact
45,898 citations · h-index 95
950Ranked
CU Clarion University of Pennsylvania logo
#977 in United States United States
#977 in United States · by research impact
45,587 citations · h-index 85
953Ranked
NU Niagara University logo
#981 in United States United States
#981 in United States · by research impact
44,951 citations · h-index 90
957Ranked
KU Kutztown University of Pennsylvania logo
#985 in United States United States

Kutztown University of Pennsylvania

Public University · 0 courses

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

Tuition (indicative)
Founded
Students
International
Admissions open
#985 in United States · by research impact
44,239 citations · h-index 88
958Ranked
LT Lawrence Technological University logo
#986 in United States United States
#986 in United States · by research impact
44,223 citations · h-index 84

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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