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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 42,071 courses to choose from.

2,465 universities · ranked best first

how we rank
1057Ranked
RC Ramapo College of New Jersey logo
#1,088 in United States Mahwah, New Jersey, United States

Ramapo College of New Jersey

Public University · 0 courses

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

USD 27,708/yrTuition (indicative)
Founded
4,898Students
International
Admissions open
#1,088 in United States · by research impact
31,387 citations · h-index 75
1058Ranked
MC Mercy College logo
#1,089 in United States United States
#1,089 in United States · by research impact
31,347 citations · h-index 66
1059Ranked
SL Sarah Lawrence College logo
#1,091 in United States United States

Sarah Lawrence 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
#1,091 in United States · by research impact
31,328 citations · h-index 72
1060Ranked
GC Greensboro College logo
#1,092 in United States United States

Greensboro 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
#1,092 in United States · by research impact
31,298 citations · h-index 77
1061Ranked
CC Community College of Rhode Island logo
#1,093 in United States United States
#1,093 in United States · by research impact
30,988 citations · h-index 85
1063Ranked
SM Saint Mary's College (IN) logo
#1,095 in United States United States

Saint Mary's College (IN)

Public University · 0 courses

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

Tuition (indicative)
Founded
Students
International
Admissions open
#1,095 in United States · by research impact
30,795 citations · h-index 89
1064Ranked
MO Morehouse logo
#1,096 in United States United States

Morehouse

Public University · 0 courses

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

Tuition (indicative)
Founded
Students
International
Admissions open
#1,096 in United States · by research impact
30,686 citations · h-index 76
1065Ranked
UT The University of Tennessee-Martin logo
#1,097 in United States Martin, Tennessee, United States

The University of Tennessee-Martin

Public University · 0 courses

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

USD 16,600/yrTuition (indicative)
Founded
4,866Students
International
Admissions open
#1,097 in United States · by research impact
30,364 citations · h-index 75
1068Ranked
OC Otterbein College logo
#1,100 in United States United States

Otterbein 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
#1,100 in United States · by research impact
30,300 citations · h-index 80
1069Ranked
UA University of Arkansas - Monticello logo
#1,101 in United States United States
#1,101 in United States · by research impact
29,881 citations · h-index 79
1075Ranked
WC Wofford College logo
#1,107 in United States United States

Wofford 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
#1,107 in United States · by research impact
28,906 citations · h-index 51
1076Ranked
LM Le Moyne College logo
#1,108 in United States United States

Le Moyne 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
#1,108 in United States · by research impact
28,675 citations · h-index 73
1078Ranked
GM Gwynedd Mercy University logo
#1,110 in United States United States

Gwynedd Mercy 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
#1,110 in United States · by research impact
28,575 citations · h-index 90
1080Ranked
LM Lincoln Memorial University logo
#1,112 in United States United States
#1,112 in United States · by research impact
28,220 citations · h-index 63

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 98,133,539 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: 24,277 bachelor's, 4,448 master's, 2,622 diploma and 1,135 professional. The most common subjects are Social Sciences & Psychology (5,171), Business & Management (5,138), Medicine & Health Sciences (4,459) and Education (3,545). 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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