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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
1322Ranked
SV Skagit Valley College logo
#1,359 in United States United States

Skagit Valley 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
#1,359 in United States · by research impact
11,614 citations · h-index 38
1325Ranked
RW Randolph-Macon Woman's College logo
#1,362 in United States United States

Randolph-Macon Woman's 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
#1,362 in United States · by research impact
11,581 citations · h-index 54
1326Ranked
BC Bakersfield College logo
#1,363 in United States United States

Bakersfield 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
#1,363 in United States · by research impact
11,550 citations · h-index 46
1327Ranked
NC Northland College logo
#1,364 in United States United States

Northland 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
#1,364 in United States · by research impact
11,546 citations · h-index 53
1328Ranked
GC Georgian Court University logo
#1,365 in United States United States

Georgian Court 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
#1,365 in United States · by research impact
11,534 citations · h-index 46
1329Ranked
AC Asnuntuck Community College logo
#1,366 in United States United States

Asnuntuck 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
#1,366 in United States · by research impact
11,532 citations · h-index 25
1333Ranked
AC Alamance Community College logo
#1,370 in United States United States

Alamance 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
#1,370 in United States · by research impact
11,318 citations · h-index 29
1335Ranked
MM Marymount Manhattan College logo
#1,372 in United States United States

Marymount Manhattan 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
#1,372 in United States · by research impact
11,126 citations · h-index 62
1337Ranked
MB Mary Baldwin College logo
#1,374 in United States United States

Mary Baldwin 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
#1,374 in United States · by research impact
11,037 citations · h-index 58
1339Ranked
DV Delaware Valley University logo
#1,376 in United States United States

Delaware Valley 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
#1,376 in United States · by research impact
10,983 citations · h-index 49
1340Ranked
NK Northwest Kansas Technical College logo
#1,377 in United States United States

Northwest Kansas 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
#1,377 in United States · by research impact
10,887 citations · h-index 55
1342Ranked
GS Georgia Southwestern State University logo
#1,379 in United States United States

Georgia Southwestern State 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
#1,379 in United States · by research impact
10,850 citations · h-index 51
1344Ranked
GC Glendale Community College logo
#1,381 in United States United States

Glendale 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
#1,381 in United States · by research impact
10,684 citations · h-index 43

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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