2027 Best Value Public Administration Schools in Georgia
[Public Administration](/majors/social-services-public-administration/public-administration/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong public administration education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 13 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for public administration students.
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2027 Best Value Public Administration Schools in Georgia
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in public administration, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Public Administration Schools
Clayton State University earned the #1 spot for value among public administration schools in Georgia. Clayton State University is a moderately-sized public school located in the suburb of Morrow. Students from in state pay about $5,180 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $16,532. Typical student debt for public administration graduates is $35,088. Public Administration graduates of Clayton State University earn a median of $42,114 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 68% of applicants are accepted.
University Of North Georgia is a great value for students pursuing a degree in public administration, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the town of Dahlonega, University Of North Georgia is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $5,444 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $16,956. Typical student debt for public administration graduates is $21,439. Soon after graduation, public administration degree recipients from University Of North Georgia generally make around $43,714. Set against $21,439 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 68% of applicants are accepted.
Savannah State University came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best value public administration schools. Set in the city of Savannah, Savannah State University is a mid-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,750, compared with $19,043 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $31,576 to complete the public administration program here. Public Administration graduates of Savannah State University earn a median of $34,489 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Valdosta State University earned it the #4 place for public administration. Valdosta State University is a large public school located in the city of Valdosta. Students from in state pay about $6,124 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $17,836. Students borrow a median of $28,661 to complete the public administration program here. Soon after graduation, public administration degree recipients from Valdosta State University generally make around $43,810. That is a strong return on a $28,661 median debt. Valdosta State University admits about 72% of applicants.
University Of Georgia came in at #5 on our 2027 list of the best value public administration schools. University Of Georgia is a very large public school located in the city of Athens. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,450, compared with $31,688 for out-of-state students. Public Administration graduates carry a median of $21,792 in student loans. Soon after graduation, public administration degree recipients from University Of Georgia generally make around $54,613. Set against $21,792 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 38% of applicants are accepted.
University Of West Georgia landed the #6 spot for public administration value this year. Located in the town of Carrollton, University Of West Georgia is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $6,088, while out-of-state students pay about $17,800. Students borrow a median of $26,789 to complete the public administration program here. Public Administration graduates of University Of West Georgia earn a median of $47,999 early in their careers. Set against $26,789 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 52%.
Albany State University came in at #7 for value in public administration this year. Albany State University is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Albany. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,656, while out-of-state students pay about $17,008. Public Administration graduates carry a median of $28,158 in student loans. Early-career public administration graduates make about $40,384. Set against $28,158 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Augusta University placed #8 among the best values for public administration. Located in the city of Augusta, Augusta University is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,414, with out-of-state students paying around $24,734. Typical student debt for public administration graduates is $25,745. Early-career public administration graduates make about $48,500. That is a strong return on a $25,745 median debt. Augusta University admits about 86% of applicants.
Kennesaw State University placed #9 among the best values for public administration. Set in the suburb of Kennesaw, Kennesaw State University is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $5,808, while out-of-state students pay about $17,736. Public Administration graduates carry a median of $27,004 in student loans. Early-career public administration graduates make about $50,197. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Kennesaw State University admits about 69% of applicants.
Georgia Southern University placed #10 among the best values for public administration. Georgia Southern University is a very large public school located in the town of Statesboro. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $6,022, while out-of-state students pay about $17,734. Students borrow a median of $26,500 to complete the public administration program here. Public Administration graduates of Georgia Southern University earn a median of $43,325 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Georgia Southern University admits about 88% of applicants.
Georgia State University ranked #11 on our 2027 list of the best value public administration schools. Set in the city of Atlanta, Georgia State University is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,664, compared with $24,840 for out-of-state students. Public Administration graduates carry a median of $26,091 in student loans. Soon after graduation, public administration degree recipients from Georgia State University generally make around $56,196. Set against $26,091 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 55% of applicants are accepted.
Strayer University Georgia landed the #12 spot for public administration value this year. Set in the suburb of Chamblee, Strayer University Georgia is a moderately-sized private for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,920. Public Administration graduates carry a median of $47,631 in student loans. Soon after graduation, public administration degree recipients from Strayer University Georgia generally make around $49,512. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Georgia College And State University placed #13 among the best values for public administration. Georgia College And State University is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Milledgeville. In-state tuition and fees average $9,186, while out-of-state students pay about $29,512. Typical student debt for public administration graduates is $24,412. Early-career public administration graduates make about $56,175. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 78%.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 13 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 13 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.
