Educads
Numbers show universities listed in each destination. All destinations →

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
1085Ranked
LA Los Angeles Mission College logo
#1,117 in United States United States

Los Angeles Mission 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
#1,117 in United States · by research impact
27,495 citations · h-index 85
1086Ranked
SA St. Ambrose University logo
#1,118 in United States United States
#1,118 in United States · by research impact
27,468 citations · h-index 77
1088Ranked
SM Santa Monica College logo
#1,120 in United States United States

Santa Monica 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
#1,120 in United States · by research impact
27,092 citations · h-index 72
1089Ranked
US University of Saint Thomas (TX) logo
#1,121 in United States United States

University of Saint Thomas (TX)

Public University · 0 courses

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

Tuition (indicative)
Founded
Students
International
Admissions open
#1,121 in United States · by research impact
26,817 citations · h-index 78
1092Ranked
RC Rivier College logo
#1,124 in United States United States

Rivier 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
#1,124 in United States · by research impact
26,637 citations · h-index 63
1093Ranked
EC Elizabethtown College logo
#1,125 in United States United States

Elizabethtown 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
#1,125 in United States · by research impact
26,421 citations · h-index 76
1095Ranked
HC Hocking College logo
#1,127 in United States United States

Hocking 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
#1,127 in United States · by research impact
26,237 citations · h-index 52
1096Ranked
WJ Washington & Jefferson College logo
#1,128 in United States United States

Washington & Jefferson 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
#1,128 in United States · by research impact
25,992 citations · h-index 80
1098Ranked
EU Edinboro University of Pennsylvania logo
#1,130 in United States United States
#1,130 in United States · by research impact
25,847 citations · h-index 73
1099Ranked
AC Assumption College logo
#1,131 in United States United States
#1,131 in United States · by research impact
25,799 citations · h-index 78
1103Ranked
TU Taylor University logo
#1,135 in United States United States

Taylor 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
#1,135 in United States · by research impact
25,440 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.

Get your destination country university & scholarship updates

New scholarships, application deadlines and admission guides — a couple of emails a month, no spam.