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2022 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Public Administration (Income $30-$48k) in California

22 Ranked Colleges
1,497 Degrees Awarded
$19,400 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees*
Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master's in California For Those Making $30-$48k

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking - to help you make that decision.

In 2019-2020, 17,269 people earned their degree in public administration, making the major the 58th most popular in the United States. In 2017-2018, public administration graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $48,859 and had an average of $42,077 in loans still to pay off.

Across California, there were 1,888 public administration graduates with average earnings and debt of $53,265 and $36,406 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 1,497 public administration graduates with average earnings and debt of $60,281 and $50,119 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking looked at 22 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in public administration. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality public administration programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the public administration program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

More Ways to Rank Public Administration Schools

The public admin school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k”.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k

The colleges and universities below are the best for california master’s degree public admin students whose families make $30-$48k.

Top 22 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Public Administration (Income $30-$48k) in California

#10 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California State University - Fresno. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. Fresno State is located in Fresno, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 20 masters’s public admin degrees to qualified students.

Fresno State also took the #10 spot in our “Best Public Administration Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Fresno State are $17,581, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Public Administration at Fresno State

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Dominguez Hills. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k. Located in Carson, California, this fairly large public school handed out 75 diplomas to qualified masters’s public admin students in 2019-2020.

CSUDH also took the #13 spot in our “Best Public Administration Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at CSUDH are $17,884, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full CSUDH Public Administration Report

Out of the 22 schools in the Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, California State University - Los Angeles landed the #3 spot on the list. Located in Los Angeles, California, this large public school awarded 24 diplomas to qualified masters’s public admin students in 2019-2020.

Cal State LA also made our “Best Public Administration Master’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #22. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Cal State LA are $17,723.

Read full report on Public Administration at California State University - Los Angeles

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California State University - Northridge. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. CSUN is a large school located in Northridge, California that handed out 226 masters’s public admin degrees in 2019-2020.

CSUN not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Public Administration Master’s Degree Schools in California” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at California State University - Northridge are $17,955.

Full CSUN Public Administration Report

Out of the 22 schools in the Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, California State University - Long Beach landed the #5 spot on the list. CSULB is a large public school situated in Long Beach, California. It awarded 125 masters’s public admin degrees in 2019-2020.

CSULB also made our “Best Public Administration Master’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #5. Average graduate tuition and fees at CSULB are $17,784, but some majors have different tuition rates.

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

#11 in overall quality

With a ranking of #6, California State University - Fullerton did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Fullerton, California, this large public school awarded 21 degrees to qualified masters’s public admin students in 2019-2020.

Cal State Fullerton not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best Public Administration Master’s Degree Schools in California” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at California State University - Fullerton are $17,892, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Public Administration at Cal State Fullerton

California State University - Stanislaus ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Turlock, California, this fairly large public school handed out 19 degrees to qualified masters’s public admin students in 2019-2020.

Stan State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #24 on our “Best Public Administration Master’s Degree Schools in California” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at California State University - Stanislaus are $18,540, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Public Administration at Stan State

California State University - San Bernardino landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. California State University - San Bernardino is a fairly large school located in San Bernardino, California that handed out 84 masters’s public admin degrees in 2019-2020.

CSUSB not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #19 on our “Best Public Administration Master’s Degree Schools in California” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at California State University - San Bernardino are $17,936, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Public Administration at CSUSB

#9

University of Southern California

Los Angeles, California

With a ranking of #9, University of Southern California did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Los Angeles, California, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 175 diplomas to qualified masters’s public admin students in 2019-2020.

USC also made our “Best Public Administration Master’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #1. Average graduate tuition and fees at USC are $48,715, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Public Administration at University of Southern California

California State University - Bakersfield landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. CSUB is a public institution located in Bakersfield, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 38 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

CSUB also took the #16 spot in our “Best Public Administration Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at CSUB are $18,437, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full CSUB Public Administration Report

#11

San Diego State University

San Diego, California

San Diego State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #11. San Diego State University is a large public school situated in San Diego, California. It awarded 46 masters’s public admin degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at SDSU, the school also landed the #6 spot in our “Best Public Administration Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at San Diego State University are $18,658, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full San Diego State University Public Administration Report

With a ranking of #12, California State University - Sacramento did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Sacramento, California, this large public school awarded 19 diplomas to qualified masters’s public admin students in 2019-2020.

Sac State also took the #21 spot in our “Best Public Administration Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Sac State are $18,356, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Public Administration at California State University - Sacramento

#13

San Francisco State University

San Francisco, California

With a ranking of #13, San Francisco State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. This large school is located in San Francisco, California, and it awarded 41 masters’s public admin degrees in 2019-2020.

SFSU also made our “Best Public Administration Master’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #15. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at San Francisco State University are $17,944.

Full San Francisco State University Public Administration Report

California State University - East Bay did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #14. Hayward, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s public admin degrees to 84 students in 2019-2020.

Cal State East Bay also made our “Best Public Administration Master’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #17. Average graduate tuition and fees at California State University - East Bay are $17,828, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Public Administration at Cal State East Bay

#15

San Jose State University

San Jose, California

San Jose State University landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. San Jose State is a public institution located in San Jose, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 28 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california master’s degree public admin students whose families make $30-$48k list, San Jose State has also earned the #18 rank in our “Best Public Administration Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at San Jose State University are $18,790.

Read more about Public Administration at San Jose State University

California State Polytechnic University - Pomona landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Cal Poly Pomona is a public institution located in Pomona, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 12 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Cal Poly Pomona did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #25 on our “Best Public Administration Master’s Degree Schools in California” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at California State Polytechnic University - Pomona are $18,377.

Read full report on Public Administration at California State Polytechnic University - Pomona

California State University - Chico did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #17. Chico, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s public admin degrees to 7 students in 2019-2020.

Chico State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #0 on our “Best Public Administration Master’s Degree Schools in California” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Chico State are $18,802, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Public Administration at Chico State

#18

California Baptist University

Riverside, California

With a ranking of #18, California Baptist University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. Cal Baptist is a fairly large school located in Riverside, California that handed out 30 masters’s public admin degrees in 2019-2020.

Cal Baptist also made our “Best Public Administration Master’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #8. Average graduate tuition and fees at Cal Baptist are $14,140, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full Cal Baptist Public Administration Report

#19

Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, California

Notre Dame de Namur University landed the #19 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Belmont, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s public admin degrees to 17 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california master’s degree public admin students whose families make $30-$48k list, NDNU has also earned the #23 rank in our “Best Public Administration Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at NDNU are $17,884, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Public Administration at Notre Dame de Namur University

The University of Arizona Global Campus ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. The University of Arizona Global Campus is located in San Diego, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 58 masters’s public admin degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UAGC, the school also landed the #20 spot in our “Best Public Administration Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at The University of Arizona Global Campus are $14,664, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full The University of Arizona Global Campus Public Administration Report

#21

University of San Francisco

San Francisco, California

University of San Francisco did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #21. USFCA is a private not-for-profit institution located in San Francisco, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 62 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at USFCA, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Public Administration Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of San Francisco are $26,710, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full USFCA Public Administration Report

#22

University of La Verne

La Verne, California

University of La Verne came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of La Verne is a private not-for-profit institution located in La Verne, California. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 26 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california master’s degree public admin students whose families make $30-$48k list, ULV has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best Public Administration Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at ULV are $14,526, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Public Administration at ULV

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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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