2026 Best Value Public Administration Schools in Ohio
[Public Administration](/majors/social-services-public-administration/public-administration/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 18 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for public administration students.
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2026 Best Value Public Administration Schools in Ohio
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
Ohio State University Main Campus tops our 2026 list of the best value public administration schools in Ohio. Ohio State University Main Campus is a very large public school located in the city of Columbus. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,244, with out-of-state students paying around $40,022. Typical student debt for public administration graduates is $21,887. Early-career public administration graduates make about $50,294. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 61% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #2 makes Wright State University Main Campus one of the best values for public administration. Wright State University Main Campus is a large public school located in the suburb of Dayton. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,991, while out-of-state students pay about $20,691. Typical student debt for public administration graduates is $25,836. Soon after graduation, public administration degree recipients from Wright State University Main Campus generally make around $47,732. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 96% of applicants are accepted.
Cleveland State University came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value public administration schools. Located in the city of Cleveland, Cleveland State University is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,982, while out-of-state students pay about $18,502. Public Administration graduates carry a median of $26,336 in student loans. Soon after graduation, public administration degree recipients from Cleveland State University generally make around $45,470. That is a strong return on a $26,336 median debt. Cleveland State University admits about 91% of applicants.
A rank of #4 makes University Of Toledo one of the best values for public administration. Located in the city of Toledo, University Of Toledo is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,157, with out-of-state students paying around $21,517. Public Administration graduates carry a median of $24,923 in student loans. Public Administration graduates of University Of Toledo earn a median of $52,675 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 92% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #5 makes Kent State University At Kent one of the best values for public administration. Kent State University At Kent is a very large public school located in the suburb of Kent. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,220, with out-of-state students paying around $21,575. Typical student debt for public administration graduates is $25,174. Soon after graduation, public administration degree recipients from Kent State University At Kent generally make around $66,131. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Kent State University At Kent admits about 86% of applicants.
Ohio University Main Campus earned the #6 position for value in public administration this year. Ohio University Main Campus is a very large public school located in the town of Athens. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $14,158, compared with $24,838 for out-of-state students. Public Administration graduates carry a median of $24,546 in student loans. Soon after graduation, public administration degree recipients from Ohio University Main Campus generally make around $55,481. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 85%.
Bowling Green State University Main Campus placed #7 among the best values for public administration. Located in the town of Bowling Green, Bowling Green State University Main Campus is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $13,912 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $21,900. Students borrow a median of $25,449 to complete the public administration program here. Early-career public administration graduates make about $37,119. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 81%.
Franklin University came in at #8 for value in public administration this year. Located in the city of Columbus, Franklin University is a large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,577. Students borrow a median of $35,890 to complete the public administration program here. Public Administration graduates of Franklin University earn a median of $63,922 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $35,890 median debt.
University Of Cincinnati Main Campus landed the #9 spot for public administration value this year. Set in the city of Cincinnati, University Of Cincinnati Main Campus is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $13,363 in tuition and fees, compared with $28,697 for out-of-state students. Public Administration graduates carry a median of $23,530 in student loans. Soon after graduation, public administration degree recipients from University Of Cincinnati Main Campus generally make around $58,659. Set against $23,530 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Cincinnati Main Campus admits about 85% of applicants.
Miami University Oxford placed #10 among the best values for public administration. Miami University Oxford is a large public school located in the town of Oxford. Students from in state pay about $17,519 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $38,965. Public Administration graduates carry a median of $25,731 in student loans. Soon after graduation, public administration degree recipients from Miami University Oxford generally make around $45,278. Set against $25,731 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 75% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 18 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 7 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.
