2027 Best Value Public Administration Schools in Arkansas

[Public Administration](/majors/social-services-public-administration/public-administration/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 3 schools to find the best return on investment for public administration students.
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2027 Best Value Public Administration Schools in Arkansas
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
For return on investment in public administration, no school beat Arkansas State University Main Campus this year. Located in the city of Jonesboro, Arkansas State University Main Campus is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,090, while out-of-state students pay about $14,522. Public Administration graduates carry a median of $23,399 in student loans. Soon after graduation, public administration degree recipients from Arkansas State University Main Campus generally make around $64,900. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Arkansas State University Main Campus admits about 82% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Southern Arkansas University Main Campus earned it the #2 place for public administration. Located in the town of Magnolia, Southern Arkansas University Main Campus is a moderately-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $9,960 in tuition and fees, compared with $15,690 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $20,385 to complete the public administration program here. Soon after graduation, public administration degree recipients from Southern Arkansas University Main Campus generally make around $41,723. Set against $20,385 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Southern Arkansas University Main Campus admits about 75% of applicants.
University Of Arkansas At Little Rock is a great value for students pursuing a degree in public administration, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the city of Little Rock, University Of Arkansas At Little Rock is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $9,911 in tuition and fees, compared with $22,721 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for public administration graduates is $27,093. Soon after graduation, public administration degree recipients from University Of Arkansas At Little Rock generally make around $47,170. Set against $27,093 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 59%.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 3 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.