2022 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Public Administration in the Southeast Region
When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s in the Southeast Region” ranking is part of that endeavor.
Public Administration is the 58th most popular major in the country with 17,269 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. 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 master’s degree level specifically, there were 2,601 public administration graduates with average earnings and debt of $53,950 and $43,286 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s in the Southeast Region” ranking analyzed 78 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. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
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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 the Southeast Region”.
We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.
Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s in the Southeast Region
The colleges and universities below are the best for southeast region master’s degree public admin students.
Top 25 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Public Administration in the Southeast Region
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Liberty University. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s in the Southeast Region list. Lynchburg, Virginia is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s public admin degrees to 97 students in 2019-2020.
Liberty University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #17 on our “Best Public Administration Master’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Liberty University are $8,349, but some majors have different tuition rates.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend American Public University System. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s in the Southeast Region list. American Public University System is a large school located in Charles Town, West Virginia that handed out 89 masters’s public admin degrees in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at American Public University System are $7,050, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Read full report on Public Administration at American Public University System
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Barry University. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s in the Southeast Region. Barry University is located in Miami, Florida and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 147 masters’s public admin degrees to qualified students.
Barry University also made our “Best Public Administration Master’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #12. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Barry University are $17,910.
Read full report on Public Administration at Barry University
Out of the 78 schools in the Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s in the Southeast Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Clemson University landed the #4 spot on the list. Clemson University is a large public school situated in Clemson, South Carolina. It awarded 43 masters’s public admin degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our southeast region master’s degree public admin students list, Clemson has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Public Administration Master’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Clemson University are $23,246, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Read full report on Public Administration at Clemson University
Out of the 78 schools in the Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s in the Southeast Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Virginia Tech landed the #5 spot on the list. Virginia Tech is a public institution located in Blacksburg, Virginia. The school has a large population, and it awarded 37 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Virginia Tech also made our “Best Public Administration Master’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #1. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Virginia Tech are $30,547.
Troy University landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s in the Southeast Region ranking. TROY is located in Troy, Alabama and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 65 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 Troy University are $16,156.
Read full report on Public Administration at Troy University
Florida International University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s in the Southeast Region ranking. Located in Miami, Florida, this large public school handed out 95 diplomas to qualified masters’s public admin students in 2019-2020.
FIU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Public Administration Master’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at FIU are $24,211, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Read full report on Public Administration at Florida International University
Arkansas State University - Main Campus came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s in the Southeast Region ranking. Arkansas State University - Main Campus is a fairly large public school situated in Jonesboro, Arkansas. It awarded 115 masters’s public admin degrees in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at Arkansas State University - Main Campus are $11,586, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Belhaven University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #9. Located in Jackson, Mississippi, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 47 diplomas to qualified masters’s public admin students in 2019-2020.
Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Belhaven University are $10,800.
Read full report on Public Administration at Belhaven University
Appalachian State University came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s in the Southeast Region ranking. Boone, North Carolina is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s public admin degrees to 35 students in 2019-2020.
Appalachian State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #16 on our “Best Public Administration Master’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Appalachian State are $21,439, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
East Carolina University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s in the Southeast Region ranking. ECU is a large public school situated in Greenville, North Carolina. It awarded 11 masters’s public admin degrees in 2019-2020.
ECU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #18 on our “Best Public Administration Master’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at East Carolina University are $20,685.
Florida Atlantic University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s in the Southeast Region ranking. Florida Atlantic University is located in Boca Raton, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 13 masters’s public admin degrees to qualified students.
FAU also took the #19 spot in our “Best Public Administration Master’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Florida Atlantic University are $18,482, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Read full report on Public Administration at Florida Atlantic University
University of Georgia did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #13. This large school is located in Athens, Georgia, and it awarded 66 masters’s public admin degrees in 2019-2020.
UGA not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Public Administration Master’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at UGA are $27,476.
University of Arkansas at Little Rock did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #14. Located in Little Rock, Arkansas, this medium-sized public school awarded 19 diplomas to qualified masters’s public admin students in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Arkansas at Little Rock are $14,884, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Full University of Arkansas at Little Rock Public Administration Report
With a ranking of #15, Valdosta State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s in the Southeast Region list. Valdosta State University is located in Valdosta, Georgia and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 57 masters’s public admin degrees to qualified students.
Average graduate tuition and fees at Valdosta State University are $18,682, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Read full report on Public Administration at Valdosta State University
Tennessee State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #16. Located in Nashville, Tennessee, this medium-sized public school awarded 11 diplomas to qualified masters’s public admin students in 2019-2020.
Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Tennessee State University are $20,860.
Full Tennessee State University Public Administration Report
Western Carolina University came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s in the Southeast Region ranking. WCU is located in Cullowhee, North Carolina and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 19 masters’s public admin degrees to qualified students.
Average graduate tuition and fees at WCU are $17,821, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Florida State University landed the #18 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s in the Southeast Region ranking. Located in Tallahassee, Florida, this large public school handed out 35 diplomas to qualified masters’s public admin students in 2019-2020.
Florida State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best Public Administration Master’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Florida State University are $26,707, but some majors have different tuition rates.
University of Alabama at Birmingham came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s in the Southeast Region ranking. UAB is a large public school situated in Birmingham, Alabama. It awarded 36 masters’s public admin degrees in 2019-2020.
UAB also took the #21 spot in our “Best Public Administration Master’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Alabama at Birmingham are $19,188, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Murray State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #20. Murray State is located in Murray, Kentucky and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 24 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 Murray State University are $14,400.
Savannah State University ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s in the Southeast Region list. Savannah State University is a small public school situated in Savannah, Georgia. It awarded 13 masters’s public admin degrees in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at Savannah State University are $14,906, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Read more about Public Administration at Savannah State University
With a ranking of #22, Southern Arkansas University Main Campus did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s in the Southeast Region list. Southern Arkansas University Main Campus is a small school located in Magnolia, Arkansas that handed out 9 masters’s public admin degrees in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at Southern Arkansas University Main Campus are $9,810, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Read full report on Public Administration at Southern Arkansas University Main Campus
North Carolina State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #23. NC State is a large school located in Raleigh, North Carolina that handed out 29 masters’s public admin degrees in 2019-2020.
NC State also took the #8 spot in our “Best Public Administration Master’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at North Carolina State University are $28,999, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
University of Central Florida came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s in the Southeast Region ranking. This large school is located in Orlando, Florida, and it awarded 85 masters’s public admin degrees in 2019-2020.
UCF not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #10 on our “Best Public Administration Master’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Central Florida are $28,657, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Columbia Southern University came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Master’s in the Southeast Region ranking. Columbia Southern University is a fairly large private for-profit school situated in Orange Beach, Alabama. It awarded 126 masters’s public admin degrees in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at Columbia Southern University are $4,035, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Read more about Public Administration at Columbia Southern University
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Best Public Administration Master's Degree Schools in the Southeast Region
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Most Popular Master's Degree Online Public Administration Schools
Public Administration students in the Southeast Region
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Public Administration students with family income less than $30k in the Southeast Region
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Public Administration (Income $48-$75k) in the Southeast Region
Public Administration students with family income $48-$75k in the Southeast Region
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Public Administration students with family income exceeding $110k in the Southeast Region
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Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Public Administration (Income $75-$110k) in the Southeast Region
Public Administration students with family income $75-$110k in the Southeast Region
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Public Administration in the Southeast Region
Public Administration students in the Southeast Region
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.
Credits
- Credit for the banner image above goes to The Official CTBTO Photostream.
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