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
1683Ranked
GW Golden West College logo
#1,723 in United States United States

Golden West 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
#1,723 in United States · by research impact
3,494 citations · h-index 27
1684Ranked
FS Florida SouthWestern State College logo
#1,724 in United States United States
#1,724 in United States · by research impact
3,470 citations · h-index 32
1688Ranked
CC Community College of Allegheny County logo
#1,728 in United States United States

Community College of Allegheny County

Public University · 0 courses

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

Tuition (indicative)
Founded
Students
International
Admissions open
#1,728 in United States · by research impact
3,287 citations · h-index 26
1693Ranked
TS Texas State Technical College-Marshall logo
#1,733 in United States United States

Texas State Technical College-Marshall

Public University · 0 courses

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

Tuition (indicative)
Founded
Students
International
Admissions open
#1,733 in United States · by research impact
3,214 citations · h-index 32
1695Ranked
TS Texas State Technical College-West Texas logo
#1,735 in United States United States

Texas State Technical College-West Texas

Public University · 0 courses

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

Tuition (indicative)
Founded
Students
International
Admissions open
#1,735 in United States · by research impact
3,214 citations · h-index 32
1696Ranked
WS Washington State Community College logo
#1,736 in United States United States

Washington State 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
#1,736 in United States · by research impact
3,180 citations · h-index 27
1697Ranked
VT Vermont Technical College logo
#1,737 in United States United States

Vermont 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
#1,737 in United States · by research impact
3,163 citations · h-index 30
1700Ranked
JJ Joliet Junior College logo
#1,740 in United States United States

Joliet Junior 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
#1,740 in United States · by research impact
3,094 citations · h-index 23
1702Ranked
LC Lane Community College logo
#1,742 in United States United States

Lane 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
#1,742 in United States · by research impact
3,049 citations · h-index 19
1703Ranked
AC Adirondack Community College logo
#1,743 in United States United States

Adirondack 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
#1,743 in United States · by research impact
3,022 citations · h-index 31

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.