Educads

40 Best Master's Economics & Public Policy Universities in the United States

Of the 40 Master's Economics & Public Policy universities in the United States, Johns Hopkins University ranks highest at #24 in the QS World University Rankings 2026. It is followed by University of California, Berkeley (QS World #28) and Georgia Institute of Technology (QS World #123). The universities on this list offer 69 matching courses between them.

40 universities · ranked best first

how we rank

How these universities are ranked

9 of these universities hold a QS World position, from #24 (Johns Hopkins University) to #545 (CUNY Baruch College); they are listed first, in that order. The rest are ordered by research impact. Johns Hopkins University has the largest research record in this group, with 78,461,703 citations and an h-index of 2,284. 1 university 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 39 public to 1 private institutions. By location, California (1), Texas (1) and District of Columbia (1) account for the most of those we can place. The oldest is University of California, Berkeley, founded in 1868. University of California, Berkeley is the largest, with 45,000 students.

Levels, lengths and start dates

Within the subject, the largest areas are Economics & Public Policy (65), Public Policy (3) and Economics (1). The usual length is 1–2 years and 2 years. 83% are full-time and 8 can be studied online. Start dates lean to Fall (100% of courses with a stated intake) and Spring (100% of courses with a stated intake). Institute for World Politics offers the widest choice, with 7 of these courses.

What it costs

We hold indicative fees for 5 of these universities. University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez is the least expensive at USD 5,274 a year and The Catholic University of America the most at USD 58,378; the middle of the range is about USD 43,155. Check each university's own fee page before you budget — figures change every year.

Frequently asked questions

Which is the best university in the United States for Master's Economics & Public Policy?

Johns Hopkins University (QS World #24), University of California, Berkeley (QS World #28) and Georgia Institute of Technology (QS World #123) lead this list. QS World positions come first; the rest are ranked by research impact.

Which is the cheapest university for Master's Economics & Public Policy 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 Master's Economics & Public Policy in the United States?

39 public and 1 private universities are on this list.

How long does a Master's Economics & Public Policy course take in the United States?

Most listed courses run 1–2 years, with 2 years the next most common.

When do Master's Economics & Public Policy 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 Master's Economics & Public Policy online with a university in the United States?

8 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.