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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
1105Ranked
KC Kansas City Kansas Community College logo
#1,137 in United States United States

Kansas City Kansas 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
#1,137 in United States · by research impact
25,248 citations · h-index 69
1107Ranked
CC Cypress College logo
#1,139 in United States United States

Cypress 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
#1,139 in United States · by research impact
25,171 citations · h-index 73
1110Ranked
BY Brigham Young University - Idaho logo
#1,142 in United States United States

Brigham Young University - Idaho

Public University · 0 courses

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

Tuition (indicative)
Founded
Students
International
Admissions open
#1,142 in United States · by research impact
24,876 citations · h-index 62
1113Ranked
UC Utica College logo
#1,145 in United States United States

Utica 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
#1,145 in United States · by research impact
24,522 citations · h-index 68
1119Ranked
DU Dominican University logo
#1,151 in United States United States
#1,151 in United States · by research impact
23,995 citations · h-index 66
1123Ranked
PW Pennsylvania Western University logo
#1,155 in United States California, Pennsylvania, United States

Pennsylvania Western University

Public University · 0 courses

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

USD 16,054/yrTuition (indicative)
Founded
7,451Students
International
Admissions open
#1,155 in United States · by research impact
23,569 citations · h-index 69
1124Ranked
FM Florida Memorial University logo
#1,156 in United States United States

Florida Memorial 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
#1,156 in United States · by research impact
23,523 citations · h-index 69
1126Ranked
FM Francis Marion University logo
#1,158 in United States United States

Francis Marion 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
#1,158 in United States · by research impact
23,358 citations · h-index 74

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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