2026 Best Value Public Administration Schools in Washington
[Public Administration](/majors/social-services-public-administration/public-administration/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 6 schools to find the best return on investment for public administration students.
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2026 Best Value Public Administration Schools in Washington
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the public administration degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Public Administration Schools
University Of Washington Seattle Campus earned the #1 spot for value among public administration schools in Washington. Located in the city of Seattle, University Of Washington Seattle Campus is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,973, while out-of-state students pay about $43,209. Public Administration graduates carry a median of $16,481 in student loans. Public Administration graduates of University Of Washington Seattle Campus earn a median of $70,392 early in their careers. Set against $16,481 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 39%.
A rank of #2 makes The Evergreen State College one of the best values for public administration. Located in the suburb of Olympia, The Evergreen State College is a mid-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $9,264, compared with $31,905 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $21,850 to complete the public administration program here. Public Administration graduates of The Evergreen State College earn a median of $26,942 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 96% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Seattle University earned it the #3 place for public administration. Set in the city of Seattle, Seattle University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $56,721. Typical student debt for public administration graduates is $22,289. Early-career public administration graduates make about $68,749. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Seattle University admits about 77% of applicants.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 6 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 ranked schools only.
- 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
