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749 Best Public Engineering Universities in the United States

Cornell University tops our list of 749 Public Engineering universities in the United States at #13 in the QS World University Rankings 2026. It is followed by Princeton University (QS World #15) and Duke University (QS World #26). Across the whole list there are 3,183 courses to choose from.

749 universities · ranked best first

how we rank
149Ranked
UC University of Colorado at Colorado Springs logo
#413 in United States United States
#413 in United States · by research impact
638,015 citations · h-index 289
150Ranked
SU State University of New York Polytechnic Institute logo
#416 in United States United States
#416 in United States · by research impact
634,251 citations · h-index 271
157Ranked
UA University of Arkansas - Little Rock logo
#436 in United States United States
#436 in United States · by research impact
532,974 citations · h-index 266
162Ranked
NC North Carolina A&T State University logo
#451 in United States United States
#451 in United States · by research impact
500,951 citations · h-index 217
168Ranked
IS Idaho State University logo
#464 in United States United States
#464 in United States · by research impact
437,218 citations · h-index 225

How these universities are ranked

62 of these universities hold a QS World position, from #13 (Cornell University) to #596 (University of Iowa); they are listed first, in that order. The rest are ordered by research impact. University of California, Berkeley has the largest research record in this group, with 58,388,527 citations and an h-index of 1,903. 27 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 749 public to 0 private institutions. By location, Ohio (2), Washington (2) and New York (2) account for the most of those we can place. The oldest is University of California, Berkeley, founded in 1868. Ohio State University-Main Campus is the largest, with 45,638 students.

Levels, lengths and start dates

By level: 1,630 bachelor's, 393 diploma, 178 master's and 84 phd / doctorate. Within the subject, the largest areas are Engineering (3,088), Civil Engineering (19), Electrical & Electronic Engineering (17) and Mechanical Engineering (12). The usual length is 4 years and 2 years. 98% are full-time and 58 can be studied online. Start dates lean to Fall (100% of courses with a stated intake) and Spring (97% of courses with a stated intake). New Mexico State University offers the widest choice, with 30 of these courses.

What it costs

We hold indicative fees for 16 of these universities. University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez is the least expensive at USD 5,274 a year and University of California, Berkeley the most at USD 44,000; the middle of the range is about USD 36,056. 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 Public Engineering?

Cornell University (QS World #13), Princeton University (QS World #15) and Duke University (QS World #26) lead this list. QS World positions come first; the rest are ranked by research impact.

Which is the cheapest university for Public Engineering 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 Engineering in the United States?

749 public and 0 private universities are on this list.

How long does a Public Engineering course take in the United States?

Most listed courses run 4 years, with 2 years the next most common.

When do Public Engineering 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 Engineering online with a university in the United States?

58 of these courses are listed as online.

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