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2026 Best Value Public Administration Schools in Maryland

3 Colleges in the United States
$25,196 Avg Student Debt
$67,178 Avg Median Earnings (10yr)
2026 Best Value Public Administration Badge [Public Administration](/majors/social-services-public-administration/public-administration/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.

College Factual analyzed 9 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value public administration schools.

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2026 Best Value Public Administration Schools in Maryland

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in public administration, balancing cost against outcomes.

Best Value Public Administration Schools

1

For return on investment in public administration, no school beat University Of Maryland University College this year. Located in the suburb of Adelphi, University Of Maryland University College is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $8,136, while out-of-state students pay about $12,336. Public Administration graduates carry a median of $29,202 in student loans. Early-career public administration graduates make about $74,053. That is a strong return on a $29,202 median debt.

2

The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Baltimore earned it the #2 place for public administration. Located in the city of Baltimore, University Of Baltimore is a mid-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $9,992, compared with $23,984 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for public administration graduates is $29,681. Early-career public administration graduates make about $67,870. That is a strong return on a $29,681 median debt. The acceptance rate is 79%.

3

The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Johns Hopkins University earned it the #3 place for public administration. Johns Hopkins University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Baltimore. Students from in state pay about $64,730 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for public administration graduates is $13,426. Soon after graduation, public administration degree recipients from Johns Hopkins University generally make around $78,510. Set against $13,426 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Johns Hopkins University admits about 6% of applicants.

4

Bowie State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in public administration, landing the #4 spot this year. Bowie State University is a moderately-sized public school located in the suburb of Bowie. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,218, while out-of-state students pay about $19,938. Students borrow a median of $28,474 to complete the public administration program here. Soon after graduation, public administration degree recipients from Bowie State University generally make around $73,949. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 72% of applicants are accepted.

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Notes and References

The ranking above is published 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 · 9 schools evaluated.

*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 ranked schools only.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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