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2022 Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid

283 Ranked Colleges
12,512 Degrees Awarded
$22,800 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees*
Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master's For Those Getting Aid

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. 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 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.

At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 12,512 public administration graduates with average earnings and debt of $56,398 and $43,194 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid” ranking analyzed 283 colleges that offered 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. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

More Ways to Rank Public Administration Schools

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 a Master’s For Those Getting Aid” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that 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. 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 Master’s For Those Getting Aid

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

Top 25 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Public Administration (With Aid)

#1

Baruch College

New York, New York

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Baruch College. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid list. New York, New York is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s public admin degrees to 195 students in 2019-2020.

On top of its placing in this ranking, Baruch also did well on our “Best Public Administration Master’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. Average graduate tuition and fees at Baruch College are $20,880, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Public Administration at Baruch

#2

Harvard University

Cambridge, Massachusetts

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Harvard University. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid list. Harvard is a large school located in Cambridge, Massachusetts that handed out 287 masters’s public admin degrees in 2019-2020.

Harvard did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Public Administration Master’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Harvard University are $50,654, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full Harvard University Public Administration Report

Out of the 283 schools in the Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, John Jay College of Criminal Justice landed the #3 spot on the list. This fairly large school is located in New York, New York, and it awarded 210 masters’s public admin degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, John Jay is also in the top of our “Best Public Administration Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at John Jay are $20,962.

Read full report on Public Administration at John Jay College of Criminal Justice

Out of the 283 schools in the Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Washington - Seattle Campus landed the #4 spot on the list. This large school is located in Seattle, Washington, and it awarded 220 masters’s public admin degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UW Seattle, the school also landed the #15 spot in our “Best Public Administration Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at UW Seattle are $30,294.

Read full report on Public Administration at University of Washington - Seattle Campus

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Fresno. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid. California State University - Fresno is a large public school situated in Fresno, California. It awarded 20 masters’s public admin degrees in 2019-2020.

Average graduate tuition and fees at California State University - Fresno are $17,581, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Public Administration at Fresno State

#6

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, North Carolina

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid ranking. 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 79 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UNC Chapel Hill excels when it comes to public admin quality. It’s in the top 15% of all schools in this category. Average graduate tuition and fees at UNC Chapel Hill are $30,248, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Public Administration at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

California State University - Dominguez Hills came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid ranking. California State University - Dominguez Hills is a fairly large school located in Carson, California that handed out 75 masters’s public admin degrees in 2019-2020.

Average graduate tuition and fees at CSUDH are $17,884, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full California State University - Dominguez Hills Public Administration Report

With a ranking of #8, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid list. The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley is a large school located in Edinburg, Texas that handed out 72 masters’s public admin degrees in 2019-2020.

Average graduate tuition and fees at UT Rio Grande Valley are $15,151, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Public Administration Report

California State University - Los Angeles ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Los Angeles, California, this large public school handed out 24 degrees to qualified masters’s public admin students in 2019-2020.

Average graduate tuition and fees at California State University - Los Angeles are $17,723, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full California State University - Los Angeles Public Administration Report

California State University - Northridge ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Northridge, California, this large public school handed out 226 diplomas to qualified masters’s public admin students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, CSUN is also in the top of our “Best Public Administration Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. Average graduate tuition and fees at California State University - Northridge are $17,955, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full CSUN Public Administration Report

California State University - Long Beach did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #11. Located in Long Beach, California, this large public school awarded 125 degrees to qualified masters’s public admin students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, CSULB is also in the top of our “Best Public Administration Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. It’s in the top 15% of all schools in this category. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at California State University - Long Beach are $17,784.

Read more about Public Administration at CSULB

Florida International University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid ranking. Florida International University is a large school located in Miami, Florida that handed out 95 masters’s public admin degrees in 2019-2020.

On top of its placing in this ranking, FIU also did well on our “Best Public Administration Master’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category. Average graduate tuition and fees at FIU are $24,211, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Public Administration at Florida International University

California State University - Fullerton ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid list. Fullerton, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s public admin degrees to 21 students in 2019-2020.

Average graduate tuition and fees at Cal State Fullerton are $17,892, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full Cal State Fullerton Public Administration Report

#14

Indiana University - Bloomington

Bloomington, Indiana

With a ranking of #14, Indiana University - Bloomington did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid list. Bloomington, Indiana is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s public admin degrees to 174 students in 2019-2020.

IU Bloomington not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best Public Administration Master’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Indiana University - Bloomington are $33,338, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Public Administration at IU Bloomington

With a ranking of #15, Indiana University - Northwest did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid list. Indiana University - Northwest is located in Gary, Indiana and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 19 masters’s public admin degrees to qualified students.

Average graduate tuition and fees at Indiana University - Northwest are $18,275, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full IU Northwest Public Administration Report

California State University - Stanislaus ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid list. California State University - Stanislaus is a fairly large school located in Turlock, California that handed out 19 masters’s public admin degrees in 2019-2020.

Average graduate tuition and fees at Stan State are $18,540, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Public Administration at California State University - Stanislaus

With a ranking of #17, Texas A&M International University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid list. Texas A&M International University is a public institution located in Laredo, Texas. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 9 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Average graduate tuition and fees at Texas A&M International University are $15,106, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Public Administration at Texas A&M International University

#18

California State University - San Bernardino

San Bernardino, California

California State University - San Bernardino ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid list. CSUSB is located in San Bernardino, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 84 masters’s public admin degrees to qualified students.

Average graduate tuition and fees at California State University - San Bernardino are $17,936, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full CSUSB Public Administration Report

The University of Texas at Tyler ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid list. UT Tyler is a public institution located in Tyler, Texas. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 11 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Average graduate tuition and fees at UT Tyler are $16,308, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full UT Tyler Public Administration Report

The University of Texas at Dallas landed the #20 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid ranking. UT Dallas is a public institution located in Richardson, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 19 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

On top of its placing in this ranking, UT Dallas also did well on our “Best Public Administration Master’s Degree Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our “Best Public Administration Master’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at The University of Texas at Dallas are $28,610, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Public Administration at UT Dallas

University of Alaska Southeast did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #21. UAS is a public institution located in Juneau, Alaska. The school has a small population, and it awarded 25 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Alaska Southeast are $25,017, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Public Administration at University of Alaska Southeast

Columbia University in the City of New York ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid list. Columbia University in the City of New York is located in New York, New York and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 458 masters’s public admin degrees to qualified students.

Columbia did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Public Administration Master’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Columbia University in the City of New York are $51,194, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full Columbia Public Administration Report

#23

Franklin University

Columbus, Ohio

Franklin University landed the #23 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Columbus, Ohio, and it awarded 28 masters’s public admin degrees in 2019-2020.

Average graduate tuition and fees at Franklin University are $16,080, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full Franklin University Public Administration Report

Brigham Young University - Provo did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #24. Brigham Young University - Provo is a large school located in Provo, Utah that handed out 71 masters’s public admin degrees in 2019-2020.

Average graduate tuition and fees at Brigham Young University - Provo are $7,510, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full Brigham Young University - Provo Public Administration Report

#25

The City College of New York

New York, New York

The City College of New York landed the #25 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid ranking. The City College of New York is located in New York, New York and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 13 masters’s public admin degrees to qualified students.

Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at CCNY are $20,832.

Read more about Public Administration at CCNY

Rest of the Best 43 in Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid

Not only did these schools make the top 43 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

#28

Augusta University

Augusta, Georgia
#29

Florida State University

Tallahassee, Florida
#30

Appalachian State University

Boone, North Carolina
#32

University of Central Florida

Orlando, Florida
#34

Rutgers University - Newark

Newark, New Jersey
#35

University of Illinois at Springfield

Springfield, Illinois
#36

American Public University System

Charles Town, West Virginia
#38

North Carolina State University

Raleigh, North Carolina
#39

San Diego State University

San Diego, California
#40

Florida Gulf Coast University

Fort Myers, Florida
#41

University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Greensboro, North Carolina
#42

San Francisco State University

San Francisco, California

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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