2026 Best Value Public Administration Schools in Maryland

[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
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.
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%.
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.
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.
- 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.