2,465 Best Public Universities in United States

Compare 2,465 Public universities in United States — ranked best first, with tuition fees, duration, intakes and entry requirements.

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Universities 2,465 Programs 41,697 Scholarships 2,551

2,465 universities · ranked best first

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1Best overall

QS World #12 #6 in United States Berkeley, California, United States

University of California, Berkeley

Public University — The University of California, Berkeley is a public land-grant research university in Berkeley, California, United States. Founded in 1868 and named after the Anglo-Irish philosopher George B...

USD 37,500 – USD 50,500/yrTuition (indicative)

1868Founded

45,000Students

7,000International

Admissions open

71.7 / 100 · Excellent

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2Top pick

#7 in United States United States

42 US

Public University — 42 US is a public university located in United States.

—Tuition (indicative)

—Founded

—Students

—International

Admissions open

27.3 / 100 · Rated

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3Top pick

#8 in United States United States

ASA College

Public University — ASA College was a private for-profit college in New York City and Hialeah, Florida. The college had three campuses: Midtown Manhattan and Downtown Brooklyn in New York, and Hialeah in Florid...

—Tuition (indicative)

—Founded

—Students

—International

Admissions open

27.3 / 100 · Rated

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4Ranked

#9 in United States United States

Aaniiih Nakoda College

Public University — Aaniiih Nakoda College is a public university located in United States.

—Tuition (indicative)

—Founded

—Students

—International

Admissions open

27.3 / 100 · Rated

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5Ranked

#10 in United States United States

Abilene Christian University

Public University — Abilene Christian University (ACU) is a private Christian research university in Abilene, Texas, United States. It is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as an R2 institution. It was found...

—Tuition (indicative)

—Founded

—Students

—International

Admissions open

27.3 / 100 · Rated

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6Ranked

#11 in United States United States

Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College

Public University — Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College (ABAC) is a public college in Tifton, Georgia, United States. It is part of the University System of Georgia and offers baccalaureate and associate degre...

—Tuition (indicative)

—Founded

—Students

—International

Admissions open

27.3 / 100 · Rated

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7Ranked

#12 in United States United States

Academic medical center at State University of New York at Stony Brook

Public University — The State University of New York at Stony Brook, commonly referred to as Stony Brook University (SBU), is a public research university in Stony Brook, New York, United States, on Long Island...

—Tuition (indicative)

—Founded

—Students

—International

Admissions open

27.3 / 100 · Rated

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8Ranked

#13 in United States United States

Academy of Art University

Public University — The Academy of Art University formerly Academy of Art College and Richard Stephens Academy of Art, is a private for-profit art school in San Francisco, California. It was founded as the Acad...

—Tuition (indicative)

—Founded

—Students

—International

Admissions open

27.3 / 100 · Rated

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9Ranked

#14 in United States United States

Adelphi University

Public University — Adelphi University is a private university in Garden City, New York, United States. Adelphi also has centers in Downtown Brooklyn, Hudson Valley, and Suffolk County in addition to a virtual,...

—Tuition (indicative)

—Founded

—Students

—International

Admissions open

27.3 / 100 · Rated

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10Ranked

#15 in United States United States

Adirondack Community College

Public University — Adirondack Community College is a public university located in United States.

—Tuition (indicative)

—Founded

—Students

—International

Admissions open

27.3 / 100 · Rated

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11Ranked

#16 in United States United States

Adrian College

Public University — Adrian College is a private United Methodist liberal arts college in Adrian, Michigan. The college offers bachelor's degrees in 92 academic majors and programs. The 100 acre (0.40 km2) campu...

—Tuition (indicative)

—Founded

—Students

—International

Admissions open

27.3 / 100 · Rated

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12Ranked

#17 in United States United States

Agnes Scott College

Public University — Agnes Scott College is a private women's liberal arts college in Decatur, Georgia. The college enrolls approximately 1,000 undergraduate and graduate students. The college is affiliated with...

—Tuition (indicative)

—Founded

—Students

—International

Admissions open

27.3 / 100 · Rated

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13Ranked

#18 in United States United States

Aiken Technical College

Public University — Aiken Technical College (ATC) is a public community college in Graniteville, South Carolina. It is part of the South Carolina Technical College System. More than 3,400 students enroll in cre...

—Tuition (indicative)

—Founded

—Students

—International

Admissions open

27.3 / 100 · Rated

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14Ranked

#19 in United States United States

Aims Community College

Public University — Aims Community College is a public community college serving northern Colorado with locations in Greeley, Windsor, Fort Lupton, and Loveland. Aims has more than 200 degree and certificate pr...

—Tuition (indicative)

—Founded

—Students

—International

Admissions open

27.3 / 100 · Rated

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15Ranked

#20 in United States United States

Air Force Institute of Technology

Public University — The Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) is a postgraduate institution and provider of professional and continuing education for the United States Armed Forces. It was founded in 1919 an...

—Tuition (indicative)

—Founded

—Students

—International

Admissions open

27.3 / 100 · Rated

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16Ranked

#21 in United States Normal, Alabama, United States

Alabama A & M University

Public University — Alabama A & M University is a public university located in Normal, Alabama, United States. Its programmes are accredited by US Dept. of Education (College Scorecard).

USD 18,634/yrTuition (indicative)

—Founded

6,124Students

—International

Admissions open

27.3 / 100 · Rated

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17Ranked

#22 in United States United States

Alabama A&M University

Public University — Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University is a public historically black land-grant university in Normal, Alabama, United States, a part of Huntsville. Founded in 1875 as a state-run "n...

—Tuition (indicative)

—Founded

—Students

—International

Admissions open

27.3 / 100 · Rated

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18Ranked

#23 in United States United States

Alabama Southern Community College

Public University — Alabama Southern Community College is a public university located in United States.

—Tuition (indicative)

—Founded

—Students

—International

Admissions open

27.3 / 100 · Rated

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19Ranked

#24 in United States United States

Alabama State University

Public University — Alabama State University is a public historically Black university (HBCU) in Montgomery, Alabama, United States. Founded in 1867 during the Reconstruction era, it was one of about 180 "norma...

—Tuition (indicative)

—Founded

—Students

—International

Admissions open

27.3 / 100 · Rated

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20Ranked

#25 in United States United States

Alamance Community College

Public University — Alamance Community College is a public community college in Graham, North Carolina, with a secondary campus in Burlington. It serves the area of Alamance County and was established in 1958 a...

—Tuition (indicative)

—Founded

—Students

—International

Admissions open

27.3 / 100 · Rated

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21Ranked

#26 in United States United States

Alamo Colleges

Public University — The Alamo Colleges District (previously the Alamo Community College District (ACCD), and The Alamo Colleges) is a network of five community colleges in San Antonio and Universal City, Texas,...

—Tuition (indicative)

—Founded

—Students

—International

Admissions open

27.3 / 100 · Rated

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22Ranked

#27 in United States United States

Alamo Colleges District

—Tuition (indicative)

—Founded

—Students

—International

Admissions open

27.3 / 100 · Rated

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23Ranked

#28 in United States United States

Alaska Pacific University

Public University — Alaska Pacific University (APU) is a private university in Anchorage, Alaska, United States. It was established as Alaska Methodist University in 1957. Although it was renamed to Alaska Paci...

—Tuition (indicative)

—Founded

—Students

—International

Admissions open

27.3 / 100 · Rated

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24Ranked

#29 in United States United States

Albany State University

Public University — Albany State University is a public historically black university in Albany, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1903, it is part of the University System of Georgia and is the largest histor...

—Tuition (indicative)

—Founded

—Students

—International

Admissions open

27.3 / 100 · Rated

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Frequently asked questions

Which are the best universities for Public universities in United States?

By our composite ranking, the top choices include University of California, Berkeley, 42 US, ASA College. The full ranked list above shows QS positions, tuition fees and entry requirements for each one.

How much does it cost to study Public universities in United States?

Tuition varies widely by university and program, and international students usually pay more than domestic students. Every listing above shows the fee we hold for that program — labelled indicative where it has not yet been verified against the university's own published figures.

How are these universities ranked?

We use a transparent composite score combining QS World positions, each institution's star rating, academic breadth, internationalisation and student support — never paid placement. See our ranking methodology for the exact weights.

About Public universities in United States

This page lists Public universities in United States held in our database, ordered by a composite score that combines QS World positions, our editorial star rating, academic breadth, internationalisation and student support — never paid placement. Use the filters to narrow by subject, level, university type or location; every combination has its own address you can bookmark or share.

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