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2022 Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid

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

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. 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 Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid” 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 the Southeast region, there were 3,557 public administration graduates with average earnings and debt of $45,345 and $43,969 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 For Those Getting Aid” 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.

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

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 for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our 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 a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid

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

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

Out of the 20 schools in the Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Florida International University landed the #1 spot on the list. Miami, Florida is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s public admin degrees to 113 students in 2019-2020.

FIU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Public Administration Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Florida International University is $7,296 for southeast region bachelor’s degree public admin students with aid.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Public Administration at FIU

#2

St Petersburg College

Clearwater, Florida

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend St Petersburg College. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid list. St Petersburg College is located in Clearwater, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 45 bachelors’s public admin degrees to qualified students.

SPC also made our “Best Public Administration Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #15. The yearly cost to attend St Petersburg College is $3,226 for southeast region bachelor’s degree public admin students with aid.

Full SPC Public Administration Report

#3

Indian River State College

Fort Pierce, Florida

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Indian River State College. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid. Indian River State College is a public institution located in Fort Pierce, Florida. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 23 bachelors’s 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 estimated yearly cost for Indian River State College is $2,003 for southeast region bachelor’s degree public admin students with aid.

Read full report on Public Administration at Indian River State College

#4

Fayetteville State University

Fayetteville, North Carolina
#12 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Fayetteville State University. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid. Fayetteville State University is a medium-sized public school situated in Fayetteville, North Carolina. It awarded 12 bachelors’s public admin degrees in 2019-2020.

Fayetteville State University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Public Administration Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Fayetteville State University is $5,899 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Admin students with aid.

Read more about Public Administration at Fayetteville State University

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Central Florida. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Orlando, Florida, this large public school handed out 65 degrees to qualified bachelors’s public admin students in 2019-2020.

UCF did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best Public Administration Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It costs about $10,274 for southeast region bachelor’s degree public admin students with aid per year to attend University of Central Florida.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Public Administration at UCF

#6

Western Carolina University

Cullowhee, North Carolina

Western Carolina University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #6. Located in Cullowhee, North Carolina, this fairly large public school handed out 45 degrees to qualified bachelors’s public admin students in 2019-2020.

WCU also made our “Best Public Administration Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #3. The yearly cost to attend WCU is $13,722 for southeast region bachelor’s degree public admin students with aid.

Read full report on Public Administration at Western Carolina University

#7

Florida Atlantic University

Boca Raton, Florida

Florida Atlantic University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. FAU 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. It costs about $10,186 for southeast region bachelor’s degree public admin students with aid per year to attend Florida Atlantic University.

Full Florida Atlantic University Public Administration Report

#8

Kentucky State University

Frankfort, Kentucky
#17 in overall quality

Kentucky State University landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Kentucky State University is a small public school situated in Frankfort, Kentucky. It awarded 4 bachelors’s public admin degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at KY State, the school also landed the #17 spot 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 with aid.

Full Kentucky State University Public Administration Report

#9

James Madison University

Harrisonburg, Virginia

James Madison University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #9. James Madison University is a public institution located in Harrisonburg, Virginia. The school has a large population, and it awarded 59 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

JMU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best Public Administration Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for James Madison University is $22,169 for southeast region bachelor’s degree public admin students with aid.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.

Full JMU Public Administration Report

#10

Southern University at New Orleans

New Orleans, Louisiana
#13 in overall quality

Southern University at New Orleans landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. New Orleans, Louisiana is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s public admin degrees to 6 students in 2019-2020.

SUNO not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #13 on our “Best Public Administration Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It costs about $7,632 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Admin students with aid per year to attend SUNO.

Full SUNO Public Administration Report

#11

Harding University

Searcy, Arkansas
#2 in overall quality

Harding University landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. This small school is located in Searcy, Arkansas, and it awarded 6 bachelors’s public admin degrees in 2019-2020.

Harding not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Public Administration Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Harding is $19,375 for southeast region bachelor’s degree public admin students with aid.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Harding Public Administration Report

#12

George Mason University

Fairfax, Virginia

George Mason 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 For Those Getting Aid ranking. GMU is a large public school situated in Fairfax, Virginia. It awarded 23 bachelors’s public admin degrees in 2019-2020.

GMU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Public Administration Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for George Mason University is $21,048 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Admin students with aid.

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

#13

Rust College

Holly Springs, Mississippi
#20 in overall quality

Rust College came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Rust College is a small school located in Holly Springs, Mississippi that handed out 1 bachelors’s public admin degrees in 2019-2020.

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. It costs about $11,317 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Admin students with aid per year to attend Rust College.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read full report on Public Administration at Rust College

#14

Henderson State University

Arkadelphia, Arkansas
#16 in overall quality

Henderson State University landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Arkadelphia, Arkansas is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s public admin degrees to 3 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southeast region bachelor’s degree public admin students with aid list, Henderson State University has also earned the #16 rank in our “Best Public Administration Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $10,270 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Admin students with aid per year to attend Henderson State University.

Full Henderson State University Public Administration Report

#15

Barry University

Miami, Florida

Barry University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #15. Barry University is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Miami, Florida. It awarded 48 bachelors’s public admin degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Barry University, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best Public Administration Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $17,994 for southeast region bachelor’s degree public admin students with aid per year to attend Barry University.

Full Barry University Public Administration Report

#8 in overall quality

The University of Tennessee - Knoxville came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Knoxville, Tennessee is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s public admin degrees to 9 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southeast region bachelor’s degree public admin students with aid 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 The University of Tennessee - Knoxville is $18,825 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Admin students with aid.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, 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 89%.

Full UT Knoxville Public Administration Report

#17

Auburn University

Auburn, Alabama

Auburn University came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Auburn is a large public school situated in Auburn, Alabama. It awarded 10 bachelors’s public admin degrees in 2019-2020.

Auburn did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #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 with aid.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, 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 92%.

Full Auburn Public Administration Report

#18

Shaw University

Raleigh, North Carolina
#19 in overall quality

Shaw University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #18. Shaw University is a small school located in Raleigh, North Carolina that handed out 2 bachelors’s public admin degrees in 2019-2020.

Shaw University also took the #19 spot in our “Best Public Administration Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Shaw University is $19,244 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Admin students with aid.

Read more about Public Administration at Shaw University

#18

Flagler College - St Augustine

Saint Augustine, Florida

Flagler College - St Augustine did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #18. 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 not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #10 on our “Best Public Administration Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Flagler College - St Augustine is $23,237 for southeast region bachelor’s degree public admin students with aid.

Read more about Public Administration at Flagler St. Augustine

#20

Liberty University

Lynchburg, Virginia
#18 in overall quality

With a ranking of #20, Liberty University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid list. Liberty University is a large school located in Lynchburg, Virginia that handed out 7 bachelors’s public admin degrees in 2019-2020.

Liberty University also made our “Best Public Administration Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #18. It costs about $28,903 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Admin students with aid per year to attend Liberty University.

Read full report on Public Administration at Liberty University

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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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