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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Public Administration in the Southeast Region

20 Ranked Colleges
599 Degrees Awarded
$14,200 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Bachelor's in the Southeast Region

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

Public Administration is the 47th most popular major in the country with 17,269 degrees awarded in 2019-2020.

Across the Southeast region, there were 3,557 public administration graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 599 public administration graduates with average earnings and debt of $36,277 and $25,415 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region” ranking, we looked at 20 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.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the public administration program at the school. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

One Size Does Not Fit All

When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region” list to help you make the college decision.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region

The colleges and universities below are the best for southeast region bachelor’s degree public admin students.

Top 20 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Public Administration in the Southeast Region

#1

Western Carolina University

Cullowhee, North Carolina
#3 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Western Carolina University. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region list. This fairly large school is located in Cullowhee, North Carolina, and it awarded 45 bachelors’s public admin degrees in 2019-2020.

WCU also took the #3 spot in our “Best Public Administration Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Western Carolina University is $13,722 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Admin students.

Read more about Public Administration at WCU

#2

Harding University

Searcy, Arkansas
#2 in overall quality

Out of the 20 schools in the Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Harding University landed the #2 spot on the list. Harding is a small school located in Searcy, Arkansas that handed out 6 bachelors’s public admin degrees in 2019-2020.

Harding did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Public Administration Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Harding University is $19,375 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Admin students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. The student loan default rate at the school is 4.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Harding University Public Administration Report

#4 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Florida International University. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region. Florida International University is located in Miami, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 113 bachelors’s public admin degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at FIU, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best Public Administration Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $7,296 for southeast region bachelor’s degree public admin students per year to attend FIU.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.

Read full report on Public Administration at Florida International University

#4

Indian River State College

Fort Pierce, Florida
#14 in overall quality

Out of the 20 schools in the Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Indian River State College landed the #4 spot on the list. Indian River State College is a fairly large public school situated in Fort Pierce, Florida. It awarded 23 bachelors’s public admin degrees in 2019-2020.

Indian River State College also took the #14 spot in our “Best Public Administration Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Indian River State College is $2,003 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Admin students.

Read more about Public Administration at Indian River State College

#5

Florida Atlantic University

Boca Raton, Florida
#11 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Florida Atlantic University. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region. Florida Atlantic University is a large school located in Boca Raton, Florida that handed out 47 bachelors’s public admin degrees in 2019-2020.

FAU also took the #11 spot in our “Best Public Administration Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for FAU is $10,186 for southeast region bachelor’s degree public admin students.

Full Florida Atlantic University Public Administration Report

#6

St Petersburg College

Clearwater, Florida
#15 in overall quality

St Petersburg College came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region ranking. St Petersburg College is a large public school situated in Clearwater, Florida. It awarded 45 bachelors’s public admin degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at SPC, the school also landed the #15 spot in our “Best Public Administration Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $3,226 for southeast region bachelor’s degree public admin students per year to attend SPC.

Read more about Public Administration at St Petersburg College

#9 in overall quality

University of Central Florida came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region ranking. Located in Orlando, Florida, this large public school awarded 65 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s public admin students in 2019-2020.

UCF also took the #9 spot in our “Best Public Administration Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Central Florida is $10,274 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Admin students.

The low 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Public Administration at University of Central Florida

#8

Henderson State University

Arkadelphia, Arkansas
#16 in overall quality

With a ranking of #8, Henderson State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region list. Henderson State University is a public institution located in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. The school has a small population, and it awarded 3 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Henderson State University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #16 on our “Best Public Administration Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Henderson State University is $10,270 for southeast region bachelor’s degree public admin students.

Read more about Public Administration at Henderson State University

#9

Flagler College - St Augustine

Saint Augustine, Florida
#10 in overall quality

Flagler College - St Augustine landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region ranking. Flagler St. Augustine is a small school located in Saint Augustine, Florida that handed out 41 bachelors’s public admin degrees in 2019-2020.

Flagler St. Augustine did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best Public Administration Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It costs about $23,237 for southeast region bachelor’s degree public admin students per year to attend Flagler St. Augustine.

Read full report on Public Administration at Flagler College - St Augustine

#10

Fayetteville State University

Fayetteville, North Carolina
#12 in overall quality

Fayetteville State University came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region ranking. Fayetteville State University is a public institution located in Fayetteville, North Carolina. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 12 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Fayetteville State University, the school also landed the #12 spot in our “Best Public Administration Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Fayetteville State University is $5,899 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Admin students.

Full Fayetteville State University Public Administration Report

#11

Southern University at New Orleans

New Orleans, Louisiana
#13 in overall quality

Southern University at New Orleans did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #11. SUNO is located in New Orleans, Louisiana and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 6 bachelors’s public admin degrees to qualified students.

SUNO also took the #13 spot in our “Best Public Administration Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend SUNO is $7,632 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Admin students.

Full SUNO Public Administration Report

#12

James Madison University

Harrisonburg, Virginia
#1 in overall quality

James Madison University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region ranking. JMU is a large public school situated in Harrisonburg, Virginia. It awarded 59 bachelors’s public admin degrees in 2019-2020.

JMU also took the #1 spot in our “Best Public Administration Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $22,169 for southeast region bachelor’s degree public admin students per year to attend JMU.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 2.3% 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 full report on Public Administration at JMU

#13

Kentucky State University

Frankfort, Kentucky
#17 in overall quality

Kentucky State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #13. Kentucky State University is a public institution located in Frankfort, Kentucky. The school has a small population, and it awarded 4 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southeast region bachelor’s degree public admin students list, KY State has also earned the #17 rank in our “Best Public Administration Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Kentucky State University is $7,076 for southeast region bachelor’s degree public admin students.

Read full report on Public Administration at Kentucky State University

#14

Rust College

Holly Springs, Mississippi
#20 in overall quality

Rust College came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region ranking. Rust College is located in Holly Springs, Mississippi and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 1 bachelors’s public admin degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Rust College, the school also landed the #20 spot in our “Best Public Administration Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Rust College is $11,317 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Admin students.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read more about Public Administration at Rust College

#15

Shaw University

Raleigh, North Carolina
#19 in overall quality

Shaw University landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region ranking. Shaw University is located in Raleigh, North Carolina and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 2 bachelors’s public admin degrees to qualified students.

Shaw University also made our “Best Public Administration Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #19. The estimated yearly cost for Shaw University is $19,244 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Admin students.

Read more about Public Administration at Shaw University

#16

Liberty University

Lynchburg, Virginia
#18 in overall quality

Liberty University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #16. Lynchburg, Virginia is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s public admin degrees to 7 students in 2019-2020.

Liberty University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #18 on our “Best Public Administration Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Liberty University is $28,903 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Admin students.

Read more about Public Administration at Liberty University

#17

Barry University

Miami, Florida
#7 in overall quality

With a ranking of #17, Barry University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region list. Barry University is located in Miami, Florida and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 48 bachelors’s public admin degrees to qualified students.

Barry University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Public Administration Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It costs about $17,994 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Admin students per year to attend Barry University.

Read full report on Public Administration at Barry University

#8 in overall quality

The University of Tennessee - Knoxville ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region list. UT Knoxville is located in Knoxville, Tennessee and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 9 bachelors’s public admin degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our southeast region bachelor’s degree public admin students list, UT Knoxville has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Public Administration Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UT Knoxville is $18,825 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Admin students.

The low student loan default rate of 4.3% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Public Administration at UT Knoxville

#19

Auburn University

Auburn, Alabama
#6 in overall quality

Auburn University ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region list. Auburn, Alabama is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s public admin degrees to 10 students in 2019-2020.

Auburn not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Public Administration Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Auburn University is $24,104 for southeast region bachelor’s degree public admin students.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, 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 92%.

Full Auburn University Public Administration Report

#20

George Mason University

Fairfax, Virginia
#5 in overall quality

With a ranking of #20, George Mason University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region list. Fairfax, Virginia is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s public admin degrees to 23 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southeast region bachelor’s degree public admin students list, GMU has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best Public Administration Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $21,048 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Admin students per year to attend George Mason University.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Public Administration at GMU

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Notes and References

References

  • The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
  • Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

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