2027 Best Value Public Administration Schools in Missouri
[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 5 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value public administration schools.
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2027 Best Value Public Administration Schools in Missouri
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 Missouri Kansas City, our #1 best value for public administration in Missouri. University Of Missouri Kansas City is a large public school located in the city of Kansas City. Students from in state pay about $13,371 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $32,271. Students borrow a median of $23,741 to complete the public administration program here. Soon after graduation, public administration degree recipients from University Of Missouri Kansas City generally make around $49,846. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Missouri Kansas City admits about 72% of applicants.
University Of Missouri St Louis came in at #2 on our 2027 list of the best value public administration schools. Set in the suburb of Saint Louis, University Of Missouri St Louis is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,120, compared with $37,620 for out-of-state students. Public Administration graduates carry a median of $25,943 in student loans. Early-career public administration graduates make about $53,079. Set against $25,943 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 63% of applicants are accepted.
Missouri State University Springfield came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best value public administration schools. Set in the city of Springfield, Missouri State University Springfield is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $9,502, while out-of-state students pay about $18,770. Students borrow a median of $24,408 to complete the public administration program here. Early-career public administration graduates make about $42,399. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 90% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Missouri Columbia is a great value for students pursuing a degree in public administration, landing the #4 spot this year. University Of Missouri Columbia is a very large public school located in the city of Columbia. In-state tuition and fees average $14,837, with out-of-state students paying around $36,056. Students borrow a median of $21,818 to complete the public administration program here. Early-career public administration graduates make about $68,911. That is a strong return on a $21,818 median debt. University Of Missouri Columbia admits about 78% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in public administration will find it at Park University, which ranked #5. Located in the suburb of Parkville, Park University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,116. Public Administration graduates carry a median of $22,112 in student loans. Early-career public administration graduates make about $62,141. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 5 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 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.
