2026 Best Value Public Administration Schools in Colorado
[Public Administration](/majors/social-services-public-administration/public-administration/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
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 Colorado
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in public administration, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Public Administration Schools
Leading the list is University Of Colorado At Colorado Springs, our #1 best value for public administration in Colorado. Set in the city of Colorado Springs, University Of Colorado At Colorado Springs is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $10,906, compared with $25,039 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for public administration graduates is $23,559. Public Administration graduates of University Of Colorado At Colorado Springs earn a median of $70,497 early in their careers. Set against $23,559 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Colorado At Colorado Springs admits about 97% of applicants.
A rank of #2 makes University Of Colorado Denver one of the best values for public administration. University Of Colorado Denver is a very large public school located in the city of Denver. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,383, with out-of-state students paying around $29,391. Public Administration graduates carry a median of $26,582 in student loans. Soon after graduation, public administration degree recipients from University Of Colorado Denver generally make around $66,943. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 75%.
Students looking for strong value in public administration will find it at Colorado State University Fort Collins, which ranked #3. Colorado State University Fort Collins is a very large public school located in the city of Fort Collins. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $13,373, compared with $35,061 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for public administration graduates is $22,843. Early-career public administration graduates make about $51,693. That is a strong return on a $22,843 median debt. Roughly 88% 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 · 9 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 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.
