Educads

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
193Ranked
TJ Thomas Jefferson University logo
#201 in United States United States

Thomas Jefferson 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
#201 in United States · by research impact
7,052,198 citations · h-index 735
195Ranked
UH University of Houston logo
#203 in United States United States

University of Houston

Public University · 0 courses

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

Tuition (indicative)
Founded
Students
International
Admissions open
#203 in United States · by research impact
6,801,946 citations · h-index 670
196Ranked
UO University of Oklahoma logo
#204 in United States United States

University of Oklahoma

Public University · 0 courses

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

Tuition (indicative)
Founded
Students
International
Admissions open
#204 in United States · by research impact
6,760,122 citations · h-index 681
197Ranked
UO University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus logo
#205 in United States Norman, Oklahoma, United States

University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus

Public University · 0 courses

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

USD 27,377/yrTuition (indicative)
Founded
22,734Students
International
Admissions open
#205 in United States · by research impact
6,760,122 citations · h-index 681
202Ranked
UT University of Texas Medical Branch logo
#210 in United States United States

University of Texas Medical Branch

Public University · 0 courses

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

Tuition (indicative)
Founded
Students
International
Admissions open
#210 in United States · by research impact
6,104,952 citations · h-index 619
203Ranked
UL University of Louisville logo
#211 in United States United States

University of Louisville

Public University · 0 courses

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

Tuition (indicative)
Founded
Students
International
Admissions open
#211 in United States · by research impact
5,802,296 citations · h-index 622
204Ranked
UV University of Vermont logo
#212 in United States United States
#212 in United States · by research impact
5,353,938 citations · h-index 675
209Ranked
PU Philadelphia University logo
#217 in United States United States

Philadelphia 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
#217 in United States · by research impact
4,369,036 citations · h-index 650
211Ranked
UA University at Albany logo
#219 in United States Albany, New York, United States

University at Albany

Public University · 0 courses

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

USD 31,256/yrTuition (indicative)
Founded
12,564Students
International
Admissions open
#219 in United States · by research impact
4,262,149 citations · h-index 596
212Ranked
CU California University of Pennsylvania logo
#220 in United States United States
#220 in United States · by research impact
4,194,650 citations · h-index 685
214Ranked
UT The University of Texas at Arlington logo
#222 in United States Arlington, Texas, United States

The University of Texas at Arlington

Public University · 0 courses

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

USD 29,582/yrTuition (indicative)
Founded
32,294Students
International
Admissions open
#222 in United States · by research impact
4,125,279 citations · h-index 520
215Ranked
UT University of Texas at Arlington logo
#223 in United States United States
#223 in United States · by research impact
4,125,279 citations · h-index 520

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.

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