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 42,063 courses to choose from.

2,465 universities · ranked best first

how we rank
1299Ranked
MW Mount Wachusett Community College logo
#1,336 in United States United States

Mount Wachusett 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
#1,336 in United States · by research impact
13,353 citations · h-index 57
1301Ranked
CO Central Oregon Community College logo
#1,338 in United States United States

Central Oregon 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
#1,338 in United States · by research impact
13,167 citations · h-index 59
1303Ranked
SU Southern University at New Orleans logo
#1,340 in United States United States
#1,340 in United States · by research impact
13,094 citations · h-index 61
1304Ranked
NI North Idaho College logo
#1,341 in United States United States
#1,341 in United States · by research impact
13,007 citations · h-index 55
1307Ranked
CC Columbia-Greene Community College logo
#1,344 in United States United States

Columbia-Greene 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
#1,344 in United States · by research impact
12,814 citations · h-index 51
1309Ranked
CW College of Western Idaho logo
#1,346 in United States United States

College of Western 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
#1,346 in United States · by research impact
12,265 citations · h-index 48
1310Ranked
AP American Public University System logo
#1,347 in United States United States
#1,347 in United States · by research impact
12,244 citations · h-index 46
1311Ranked
RC Ripon College logo
#1,348 in United States United States

Ripon 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
#1,348 in United States · by research impact
12,243 citations · h-index 51
1313Ranked
LC Livingstone College logo
#1,350 in United States United States
#1,350 in United States · by research impact
12,045 citations · h-index 50
1315Ranked
EC Edgewood College logo
#1,352 in United States United States
#1,352 in United States · by research impact
11,945 citations · h-index 51
1317Ranked
CS Central State University logo
#1,354 in United States United States
#1,354 in United States · by research impact
11,788 citations · h-index 41
1319Ranked
MC Marlboro College logo
#1,356 in United States United States

Marlboro 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
#1,356 in United States · by research impact
11,689 citations · h-index 36
1320Ranked
EC East Central University logo
#1,357 in United States United States
#1,357 in United States · by research impact
11,683 citations · h-index 50

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.

Get your destination country university & scholarship updates

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

Stay updated

Get admission alerts, scholarship deadlines & university news — free.