2026 Best Value Public Administration Schools in Minnesota
[Public Administration](/majors/social-services-public-administration/public-administration/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 10 schools to find the best return on investment for public administration students.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Public Administration Schools in Minnesota
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in public administration, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Public Administration Schools
University Of Minnesota Twin Cities tops our 2026 list of the best value public administration schools in Minnesota. University Of Minnesota Twin Cities is a very large public school located in the city of Minneapolis. Students from in state pay about $17,214 in tuition and fees, compared with $38,362 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for public administration graduates is $21,577. Early-career public administration graduates make about $92,069. Set against $21,577 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Minnesota Twin Cities admits about 80% of applicants.
Capella University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in public administration, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the city of Minneapolis, Capella University is a very large private for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $14,400. Typical student debt for public administration graduates is $35,998. Public Administration graduates of Capella University earn a median of $91,474 early in their careers. Set against $35,998 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Hamline University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in public administration, landing the #3 spot this year. Hamline University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Saint Paul. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $50,004. Public Administration graduates carry a median of $25,530 in student loans. Early-career public administration graduates make about $76,773. Set against $25,530 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Hamline University admits about 88% of applicants.
More Public Administration Rankings
View All Public Administration Rankings >
Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 10 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 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.
