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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
1249Ranked
LC Lycoming College logo
#1,284 in United States United States

Lycoming 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
#1,284 in United States · by research impact
15,317 citations · h-index 59
1251Ranked
WC West Coast University logo
#1,287 in United States United States
#1,287 in United States · by research impact
15,253 citations · h-index 60
1252Ranked
EC Elgin Community College logo
#1,288 in United States United States

Elgin 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
#1,288 in United States · by research impact
15,132 citations · h-index 54
1254Ranked
GC Goshen College logo
#1,290 in United States United States

Goshen 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
#1,290 in United States · by research impact
15,098 citations · h-index 57
1256Ranked
BT Bates Technical College logo
#1,292 in United States United States

Bates Technical 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
#1,292 in United States · by research impact
14,949 citations · h-index 53
1257Ranked
BT Bellingham Technical College logo
#1,293 in United States United States

Bellingham Technical 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
#1,293 in United States · by research impact
14,949 citations · h-index 53
1258Ranked
PC Pierce College at Puyallup logo
#1,294 in United States United States

Pierce College at Puyallup

Public University · 0 courses

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

Tuition (indicative)
Founded
Students
International
Admissions open
#1,294 in United States · by research impact
14,949 citations · h-index 53
1259Ranked
SP South Puget Sound Community College logo
#1,295 in United States United States

South Puget Sound 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
#1,295 in United States · by research impact
14,949 citations · h-index 53
1260Ranked
WC Whatcom Community College logo
#1,296 in United States United States

Whatcom 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
#1,296 in United States · by research impact
14,949 citations · h-index 53
1261Ranked
TC Tarrant County College logo
#1,297 in United States United States

Tarrant County 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
#1,297 in United States · by research impact
14,887 citations · h-index 60
1262Ranked
TM Thomas More College logo
#1,298 in United States United States
#1,298 in United States · by research impact
14,840 citations · h-index 64
1263Ranked
WC Whitworth College logo
#1,299 in United States United States

Whitworth 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
#1,299 in United States · by research impact
14,829 citations · h-index 59
1264Ranked
CU Chaminade University of Honolulu logo
#1,300 in United States United States
#1,300 in United States · by research impact
14,757 citations · h-index 60
1271Ranked
HB Houston Baptist University logo
#1,308 in United States United States

Houston Baptist 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
#1,308 in United States · by research impact
14,379 citations · h-index 59

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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