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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
986Ranked
MG Middle Georgia State College logo
#1,015 in United States United States
#1,015 in United States · by research impact
39,617 citations · h-index 68
987Ranked
MG Middle Georgia State University logo
#1,016 in United States Macon, Georgia, United States

Middle Georgia State University

Public University · 0 courses

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

USD 16,390/yrTuition (indicative)
Founded
6,574Students
International
Admissions open
#1,016 in United States · by research impact
39,617 citations · h-index 68
989Ranked
PC Phoenix College logo
#1,018 in United States United States

Phoenix 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
#1,018 in United States · by research impact
39,384 citations · h-index 79
993Ranked
GG Georgia Gwinnett College logo
#1,022 in United States United States
#1,022 in United States · by research impact
38,509 citations · h-index 80
1002Ranked
AI The Art Institutes logo
#1,032 in United States United States

The Art Institutes

Public University · 0 courses

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

Tuition (indicative)
Founded
Students
International
Admissions open
#1,032 in United States · by research impact
37,812 citations · h-index 99
1003Ranked
PC Palomar College logo
#1,033 in United States United States

Palomar 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
#1,033 in United States · by research impact
37,794 citations · h-index 77
1007Ranked
CA College of the Atlantic logo
#1,037 in United States United States

College of the Atlantic

Public University · 0 courses

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

Tuition (indicative)
Founded
Students
International
Admissions open
#1,037 in United States · by research impact
37,242 citations · h-index 89
1008Ranked
ES East Stroudsburg State University of Pennsylvania logo
#1,038 in United States United States
#1,038 in United States · by research impact
37,143 citations · h-index 78

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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