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2023 Best Value Colleges for Public Administration (Income $48-$75k) in the Southeast Region

76 Ranked Colleges
3,743 Degrees Awarded
Best Value Public Admin Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Public Admin Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

In 2020-2021, 16,897 people earned their degree in public administration, making the major the 49th most popular in the United States.

Across the Southeast region, there were 3,743 public administration graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Public Admin Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking, we looked at 76 colleges that offer a degree in public administration. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great public administration programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the public administration program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Public Admin Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Best Value Public Admin Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k

The colleges and universities below are the best for southeast region public admin students whose families make $48-$75k.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Public Administration (Income $48-$75k) in the Southeast Region

1

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Florida International University. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Best Value Public Admin Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. FIU is a large public school situated in Miami, Florida. It awarded 262 ’s public admin degrees in 2020-2021.

FIU also took the #7 spot in our “Best Public Administration Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Florida International University is $7,292 for southeast region public admin students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full FIU Public Administration Report

2

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Public Admin Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public institution located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The school has a large population, and it awarded 60 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

UNC Chapel Hill not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best Public Administration Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is $11,619 for southeast region public admin students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%.

Full University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Public Administration Report

3
Florida State crest
Florida State University
Tallahassee, Florida

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Florida State University. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Public Admin Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Florida State University is a public institution located in Tallahassee, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 59 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Florida State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best Public Administration Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Florida State is $11,506 for southeast region public admin students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full Florida State Public Administration Report

4

Out of the 76 schools in the Best Value Public Admin Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Central Florida landed the #4 spot on the list. University of Central Florida is a large public school situated in Orlando, Florida. It awarded 222 ’s public admin degrees in 2020-2021.

UCF also took the #10 spot in our “Best Public Administration Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UCF is $9,426 for Southeast Region Public Admin students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%.

Read more about Public Administration at UCF

5
American Military University crest
American Public University System
Charles Town, West Virginia

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend American Public University System. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value Public Admin Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. American Military University is a large school located in Charles Town, West Virginia that handed out 88 ’s public admin degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend American Public University System is $13,536 for Southeast Region Public Admin students whose families make $48-$75k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 98%.

Full American Military University Public Administration Report

6
FAU crest
Florida Atlantic University
Boca Raton, Florida

Florida Atlantic University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Admin Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Boca Raton, Florida is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s public admin degrees to 79 students in 2020-2021.

FAU also took the #15 spot in our “Best Public Administration Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Florida Atlantic University is $12,323 for southeast region public admin students whose families make $48-$75k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Public Administration at FAU

7
UGA crest
University of Georgia
Athens, Georgia

University of Georgia ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Public Admin Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. University of Georgia is located in Athens, Georgia and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 81 ’s public admin degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UGA, the school also landed the #6 spot in our “Best Public Administration Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UGA is $15,037 for Southeast Region Public Admin students whose families make $48-$75k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Read more about Public Administration at UGA

8
Indian River State College crest
Indian River State College
Fort Pierce, Florida

With a ranking of #8, Indian River State College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Public Admin Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Indian River State College is a public institution located in Fort Pierce, Florida. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 21 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $5,511 for southeast region public admin students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Indian River State College.

Read more about Public Administration at Indian River State College

9
UNF crest
University of North Florida
Jacksonville, Florida

With a ranking of #9, University of North Florida did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Public Admin Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. UNF is located in Jacksonville, Florida and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 21 ’s public admin degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend University of North Florida is $10,194 for southeast region public admin students whose families make $48-$75k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Public Administration at University of North Florida

10
NC State crest
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, North Carolina

North Carolina State University landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Best Value Public Admin Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. NC State is located in Raleigh, North Carolina and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 41 ’s public admin degrees to qualified students.

NC State also took the #8 spot in our “Best Public Administration Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for North Carolina State University is $14,424 for southeast region public admin students whose families make $48-$75k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Read full report on Public Administration at North Carolina State University

11

University of South Florida - Main Campus did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Public Admin Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #11. University of South Florida - Main Campus is a large school located in Tampa, Florida that handed out 12 ’s public admin degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $9,669 for southeast region public admin students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend USF Tampa.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Public Administration at USF Tampa

12
KY State crest
Kentucky State University
Frankfort, Kentucky

With a ranking of #12, Kentucky State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Public Admin Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. This small school is located in Frankfort, Kentucky, and it awarded 5 ’s public admin degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for KY State is $10,371 for Southeast Region Public Admin students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about Public Administration at Kentucky State University

13

Florida Gulf Coast University ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Public Admin Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Florida Gulf Coast University is a fairly large school located in Fort Myers, Florida that handed out 25 ’s public admin degrees in 2020-2021.

FGCU also made our “Best Public Administration Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #23. The yearly cost to attend FGCU is $11,133 for southeast region public admin students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full FGCU Public Administration Report

14
Virginia Tech crest
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, Virginia

Virginia Tech came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Admin Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Virginia Tech is located in Blacksburg, Virginia and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 44 ’s public admin degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Virginia Tech, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best Public Administration Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Virginia Tech is $18,372 for Southeast Region Public Admin students whose families make $48-$75k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Public Administration at Virginia Tech

15
WCU crest
Western Carolina University
Cullowhee, North Carolina

Western Carolina University landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Best Value Public Admin Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Western Carolina University is a fairly large school located in Cullowhee, North Carolina that handed out 86 ’s public admin degrees in 2020-2021.

WCU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #16 on our “Best Public Administration Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Western Carolina University is $14,701 for Southeast Region Public Admin students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about Public Administration at WCU

16
Appalachian State crest
Appalachian State University
Boone, North Carolina

With a ranking of #16, Appalachian State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Public Admin Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Appalachian State is a large public school situated in Boone, North Carolina. It awarded 40 ’s public admin degrees in 2020-2021.

Appalachian State also took the #20 spot in our “Best Public Administration Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $13,769 for southeast region public admin students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Appalachian State University.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full Appalachian State Public Administration Report

17
Clemson crest
Clemson University
Clemson, South Carolina

Clemson University landed the #17 spot on the 2023 Best Value Public Admin Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Clemson is a large public school situated in Clemson, South Carolina. It awarded 45 ’s public admin degrees in 2020-2021.

Clemson also took the #2 spot in our “Best Public Administration Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Clemson is $20,797 for southeast region public admin students whose families make $48-$75k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Public Administration at Clemson

18
Fayetteville State University crest
Fayetteville State University
Fayetteville, North Carolina

Fayetteville State University came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Admin Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Fayetteville State University is located in Fayetteville, North Carolina and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 12 ’s public admin degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend Fayetteville State University is $10,116 for Southeast Region Public Admin students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about Public Administration at Fayetteville State University

19
Augusta University crest
Augusta University
Augusta, Georgia

With a ranking of #19, Augusta University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Public Admin Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Augusta University is a medium-sized school located in Augusta, Georgia that handed out 20 ’s public admin degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $13,276 for southeast region public admin students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Augusta University.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Public Administration at Augusta University

20
UK crest
University of Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky

University of Kentucky landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Best Value Public Admin Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. This large school is located in Lexington, Kentucky, and it awarded 40 ’s public admin degrees in 2020-2021.

UK also took the #17 spot in our “Best Public Administration Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $16,708 for Southeast Region Public Admin students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of Kentucky.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Public Administration at UK

21
NKU crest
Northern Kentucky University
Highland Heights, Kentucky

Northern Kentucky University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Public Admin Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #21. Located in Highland Heights, Kentucky, this fairly large public school awarded 24 diplomas to qualified ’s public admin students in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend NKU is $9,505 for southeast region public admin students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read full report on Public Administration at Northern Kentucky University

22
UNG crest
University of North Georgia
Dahlonega, Georgia

University of North Georgia did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Public Admin Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #22. UNG is a public institution located in Dahlonega, Georgia. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 17 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend UNG is $11,005 for southeast region public admin students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about Public Administration at University of North Georgia

23

University of North Carolina at Greensboro ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value Public Admin Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Greensboro, North Carolina, this fairly large public school handed out 33 diplomas to qualified ’s public admin students in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for UNC Greensboro is $13,214 for Southeast Region Public Admin students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about Public Administration at UNC Greensboro

24
JMU crest
James Madison University
Harrisonburg, Virginia

James Madison University landed the #24 spot on the 2023 Best Value Public Admin Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Harrisonburg, Virginia is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s public admin degrees to 79 students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at JMU, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best Public Administration Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $19,216 for southeast region public admin students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend JMU.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full JMU Public Administration Report

25
GMU crest
George Mason University
Fairfax, Virginia

With a ranking of #25, George Mason University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Public Admin Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. George Mason University is a large school located in Fairfax, Virginia that handed out 118 ’s public admin degrees in 2020-2021.

GMU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Public Administration Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The yearly cost to attend GMU is $19,066 for Southeast Region Public Admin students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Public Administration at George Mason University

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