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 41,584 courses to choose from.

2,465 universities · ranked best first

how we rank
1371Ranked
ST Savannah Technical College logo
#1,409 in United States United States

Savannah 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
#1,409 in United States · by research impact
9,856 citations · h-index 38
1372Ranked
OU Oglethorpe University logo
#1,410 in United States United States

Oglethorpe 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
#1,410 in United States · by research impact
9,657 citations · h-index 48
1373Ranked
CT Capitol Technology University logo
#1,411 in United States United States
#1,411 in United States · by research impact
9,657 citations · h-index 46
1376Ranked
CM College of Mount Saint Vincent logo
#1,414 in United States United States

College of Mount Saint Vincent

Public University · 0 courses

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

Tuition (indicative)
Founded
Students
International
Admissions open
#1,414 in United States · by research impact
9,590 citations · h-index 48
1377Ranked
AU Allen University logo
#1,415 in United States United States

Allen 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
#1,415 in United States · by research impact
9,559 citations · h-index 47
1379Ranked
CC Carrington College California-Sacramento logo
#1,417 in United States United States
#1,417 in United States · by research impact
9,525 citations · h-index 55
1381Ranked
TC Technical College of the Lowcountry logo
#1,419 in United States United States

Technical College of the Lowcountry

Public University · 0 courses

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

Tuition (indicative)
Founded
Students
International
Admissions open
#1,419 in United States · by research impact
9,477 citations · h-index 51
1383Ranked
WC Wartburg College logo
#1,421 in United States United States

Wartburg 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
#1,421 in United States · by research impact
9,450 citations · h-index 50
1384Ranked
SC Schenectady County Community College logo
#1,422 in United States United States
#1,422 in United States · by research impact
9,427 citations · h-index 49
1386Ranked
CC Calhoun Community College logo
#1,424 in United States United States

Calhoun 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
#1,424 in United States · by research impact
9,373 citations · h-index 42
1389Ranked
SI Southwestern Illinois College logo
#1,427 in United States United States
#1,427 in United States · by research impact
9,284 citations · h-index 45
1392Ranked
UM University of Mount Olive logo
#1,430 in United States United States

University of Mount Olive

Public University · 0 courses

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

Tuition (indicative)
Founded
Students
International
Admissions open
#1,430 in United States · by research impact
9,186 citations · h-index 46

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: 23,970 bachelor's, 4,338 master's, 2,602 diploma and 1,119 professional. The most common subjects are Social Sciences & Psychology (5,139), Business & Management (5,074), Medicine & Health Sciences (4,406) and Education (3,474). 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.