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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 42,063 courses to choose from.

2,465 universities · ranked best first

how we rank
1129Ranked
NJ New Jersey City University logo
#1,161 in United States United States

New Jersey City 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
#1,161 in United States · by research impact
23,198 citations · h-index 67
1130Ranked
ES Empire State University logo
#1,162 in United States Saratoga Springs, New York, United States

Empire State University

Public University · 46 courses

All 46 courses →
USD 17,558/yrTuition (indicative)
Founded
7,585Students
International
Admissions open
#1,162 in United States · by research impact
23,093 citations · h-index 69
1131Ranked
WC Westmont College logo
#1,163 in United States United States

Westmont 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
#1,163 in United States · by research impact
22,974 citations · h-index 65
1132Ranked
VL Vermont Law School logo
#1,164 in United States United States

Vermont Law School

Public University · 0 courses

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

Tuition (indicative)
Founded
Students
International
Admissions open
#1,164 in United States · by research impact
22,895 citations · h-index 74
1135Ranked
MC Moravian College logo
#1,167 in United States United States

Moravian 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
#1,167 in United States · by research impact
22,610 citations · h-index 74
1137Ranked
FS Farmingdale State College logo
#1,169 in United States Farmingdale, New York, United States

Farmingdale State College

Public University · 0 courses

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

USD 18,536/yrTuition (indicative)
Founded
9,552Students
International
Admissions open
#1,169 in United States · by research impact
22,587 citations · h-index 65
1138Ranked
SU State University of New York at Farmingdale logo
#1,170 in United States United States
#1,170 in United States · by research impact
22,587 citations · h-index 65
1140Ranked
SV Saint Vincent College logo
#1,172 in United States United States

Saint Vincent 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
#1,172 in United States · by research impact
22,530 citations · h-index 58
1141Ranked
HC Hastings College logo
#1,173 in United States United States

Hastings 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
#1,173 in United States · by research impact
22,483 citations · h-index 74
1145Ranked
BC Birmingham-Southern College logo
#1,177 in United States United States

Birmingham-Southern 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
#1,177 in United States · by research impact
22,142 citations · h-index 61
1146Ranked
CC Cedarville College logo
#1,178 in United States United States
#1,178 in United States · by research impact
21,904 citations · h-index 62
1147Ranked
NU Neumann University logo
#1,180 in United States United States

Neumann 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
#1,180 in United States · by research impact
21,892 citations · h-index 77
1150Ranked
NS Northwestern State University of Louisiana logo
#1,183 in United States Natchitoches, Louisiana, United States

Northwestern State University of Louisiana

Public University · 0 courses

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

USD 19,652/yrTuition (indicative)
Founded
5,519Students
International
Admissions open
#1,183 in United States · by research impact
21,776 citations · h-index 68
1151Ranked
WC Wilson Community College logo
#1,184 in United States United States

Wilson 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
#1,184 in United States · by research impact
21,755 citations · h-index 69

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: 24,272 bachelor's, 4,448 master's, 2,622 diploma and 1,132 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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