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2023 Best Value Public Admin Schools For Those Getting Aid

277 Ranked Colleges
16,897 Degrees Awarded
$9,600 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Public Admin Schools For Those Getting Aid

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Public Admin Schools For Those Getting Aid” 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.

This year’s “Best Value Public Admin Schools For Those Getting Aid” ranking looked at 277 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in public administration. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent public administration programs, but they also 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.

More Ways to Rank Public Administration Schools

Rankings by Degree Other Award Levels
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More Public Admin Rankings Other Ranking Categories

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Public Admin Schools For Those Getting Aid” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Best Value Public Admin Schools For Those Getting Aid

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Public Admin Schools For Those Getting Aid.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Public Administration (With Aid)

1

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend John Jay College of Criminal Justice. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Public Admin Schools For Those Getting Aid. New York, New York is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s public admin degrees to 280 students in 2020-2021.

On top of its placing in this ranking, John Jay also did well on our “Best Public Administration Schools” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The yearly cost to attend John Jay is $2,699 for Public Admin students with aid.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.2% 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 John Jay College of Criminal Justice

2
Baruch crest
Baruch College
New York, New York

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Baruch College. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Public Admin Schools For Those Getting Aid. This fairly large school is located in New York, New York, and it awarded 208 ’s public admin degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $2,264 for public admin students with aid per year to attend Baruch.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%.

Read full report on Public Administration at Baruch

3

Out of the 277 schools in the Best Value Public Admin Schools For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Washington - Seattle Campus landed the #3 spot on the list. This large school is located in Seattle, Washington, and it awarded 170 ’s public admin degrees in 2020-2021.

UW Seattle also took the #11 spot in our “Best Public Administration Schools” ranking. It costs about $12,017 for Public Admin students with aid per year to attend University of Washington - Seattle Campus.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Washington - Seattle Campus Public Administration Report

4

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Public Admin Schools For Those Getting Aid list. UT Rio Grande Valley is a large public school situated in Edinburg, Texas. It awarded 115 ’s public admin degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for UT Rio Grande Valley is $3,743 for Public Admin students with aid.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.7% 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%.

Read more about Public Administration at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

5

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Northridge. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Public Admin Schools For Those Getting Aid. California State University - Northridge is a public institution located in Northridge, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 309 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

CSUN also claimed a top spot on our “Best Public Administration Schools” list. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. It costs about $8,523 for public admin students with aid per year to attend CSUN.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Public Administration at CSUN

6
IU Bloomington crest
Indiana University - Bloomington
Bloomington, Indiana

With a ranking of #6, Indiana University - Bloomington did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Public Admin Schools For Those Getting Aid list. IU Bloomington is a public institution located in Bloomington, Indiana. The school has a large population, and it awarded 757 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

IU Bloomington not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Public Administration Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for IU Bloomington is $14,619 for public admin students with aid.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Public Administration at Indiana University - Bloomington

7
Harvard crest
Harvard University
Cambridge, Massachusetts

Harvard University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Admin Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. Harvard is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It awarded 193 ’s public admin degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our public admin students with aid list, Harvard has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Public Administration Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Harvard is $13,872 for public admin students with aid.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Public Administration at Harvard

8

California State University - Bakersfield came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Admin Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. California State University - Bakersfield is located in Bakersfield, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 53 ’s public admin degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Bakersfield is $7,454 for public admin students with aid.

Full CSUB Public Administration Report

9

With a ranking of #9, California State University - Dominguez Hills did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Public Admin Schools For Those Getting Aid list. This fairly large school is located in Carson, California, and it awarded 129 ’s public admin degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend CSUDH is $4,026 for Public Admin students with aid.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full CSUDH Public Administration Report

10
Rutgers Newark crest
Rutgers University - Newark
Newark, New Jersey

Rutgers University - Newark ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Public Admin Schools For Those Getting Aid list. Rutgers Newark is located in Newark, New Jersey and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 139 ’s public admin degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our public admin students with aid list, Rutgers Newark has also earned the #21 rank in our “Best Public Administration Schools” ranking. It costs about $15,996 for Public Admin students with aid per year to attend Rutgers Newark.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Rutgers Newark Public Administration Report

11

California State University - Long Beach ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Public Admin Schools For Those Getting Aid list. Long Beach, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s public admin degrees to 131 students in 2020-2021.

On top of its placing in this ranking, CSULB also did well on our “Best Public Administration Schools” list. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. The yearly cost to attend CSULB is $10,054 for Public Admin students with aid.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.4% 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%.

Read more about Public Administration at California State University - Long Beach

12

California State University - Fresno came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Admin Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. California State University - Fresno is a large school located in Fresno, California that handed out 21 ’s public admin degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Fresno State is $6,230 for public admin students with aid.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Public Administration at California State University - Fresno

13

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Public Admin Schools For Those Getting Aid list. This large school is located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and it awarded 60 ’s public admin degrees in 2020-2021.

On top of its placing in this ranking, UNC Chapel Hill also did well on our “Best Public Administration Schools” list. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. The estimated yearly cost for UNC Chapel Hill is $12,469 for Public Admin students with aid.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Public Administration at UNC Chapel Hill

14

Florida International University landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Best Value Public Admin Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. Miami, Florida is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s public admin degrees to 262 students in 2020-2021.

FIU also claimed a top spot on our “Best Public Administration Schools” list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The estimated yearly cost for FIU is $5,298 for public admin students with aid.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.

Read more about Public Administration at Florida International University

15

California State University - Los Angeles ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Public Admin Schools For Those Getting Aid list. Cal State LA is a large school located in Los Angeles, California that handed out 39 ’s public admin degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Los Angeles is $3,302 for Public Admin students with aid.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Public Administration at Cal State LA

16

Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Public Admin Schools For Those Getting Aid list. IUPUI is a large public school situated in Indianapolis, Indiana. It awarded 190 ’s public admin degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, IUPUI is also in the top of our “Best Public Administration Schools” ranking. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our “Best Public Administration Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for IUPUI is $12,416 for public admin students with aid.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis Public Administration Report

17

California State University - Fullerton landed the #17 spot on the 2023 Best Value Public Admin Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. Cal State Fullerton is located in Fullerton, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 66 ’s public admin degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $8,003 for public admin students with aid per year to attend California State University - Fullerton.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.5%, 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 California State University - Fullerton Public Administration Report

18

The University of Texas at Dallas ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Public Admin Schools For Those Getting Aid list. UT Dallas is a large public school situated in Richardson, Texas. It awarded 72 ’s public admin degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend UT Dallas is $15,526 for Public Admin students with aid.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.8% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%.

Full UT Dallas Public Administration Report

19
UMSL crest
University of Missouri - St Louis
Saint Louis, Missouri

University of Missouri - St Louis came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Admin Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Saint Louis, Missouri, this fairly large public school handed out 36 degrees to qualified ’s public admin students in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend UMSL is $12,232 for public admin students with aid.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.6% 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%.

Read more about Public Administration at UMSL

20

With a ranking of #20, University of Central Florida did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Public Admin Schools For Those Getting Aid list. University of Central Florida is a large school located in Orlando, Florida that handed out 222 ’s public admin degrees in 2020-2021.

UCF also claimed a top spot on our “Best Public Administration Schools” list. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. It costs about $8,618 for public admin students with aid per year to attend University of Central Florida.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Public Administration at University of Central Florida

21
FAU crest
Florida Atlantic University
Boca Raton, Florida

Florida Atlantic University came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Admin Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. Florida Atlantic University is a large school located in Boca Raton, Florida that handed out 79 ’s public admin degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend FAU is $10,735 for Public Admin students with aid.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Public Administration at Florida Atlantic University

22

Indiana University - Northwest did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Public Admin Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #22. Gary, Indiana is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s public admin degrees to 21 students in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for IU Northwest is $6,363 for public admin students with aid.

Read full report on Public Administration at Indiana University - Northwest

23

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Admin Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 37 ’s public admin degrees to qualified students.

UMN Twin Cities not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best Public Administration Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is $17,878 for Public Admin students with aid.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%.

Read full report on Public Administration at UMN Twin Cities

24

University of Missouri - Columbia ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Public Admin Schools For Those Getting Aid list. This large school is located in Columbia, Missouri, and it awarded 107 ’s public admin degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Mizzou, the school also landed the #22 spot in our “Best Public Administration Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Missouri - Columbia is $16,559 for public admin students with aid.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Public Administration at University of Missouri - Columbia

25

California State University - San Bernardino came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Admin Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. CSUSB is a fairly large public school situated in San Bernardino, California. It awarded 81 ’s public admin degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend CSUSB is $8,107 for Public Admin students with aid.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full California State University - San Bernardino Public Administration Report

Rest of the Best 42 in Best Value Public Admin Schools For Those Getting Aid

Not only did these schools make the top 42 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

26
27
27
Indian River State College crest
Indian River State College
Fort Pierce, Florida
29
30
Florida State crest
Florida State University
Tallahassee, Florida
31
San Antonio College crest
San Antonio College
San Antonio, Texas
32
SDSU crest
San Diego State University
San Diego, California
33
34
Appalachian State crest
Appalachian State University
Boone, North Carolina
35
36
Medgar crest
Medgar Evers College
Brooklyn, New York
37
NC State crest
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, North Carolina
38
39
40
CCNY crest
The City College of New York
New York, New York
41
U of U crest
University of Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah
42
UNF crest
University of North Florida
Jacksonville, Florida

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

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