by our College Data Analytics Team
[Public Administration](/majors/social-services-public-administration/public-administration/) programs reward a close look at where graduates go on to earn the most. A top-earning program sends graduates into careers with strong starting pay.
For its 2026 highest-paid-graduates ranking, College Factual looked at 7 schools to find where public administration graduates earn the most.
What’s on this page:
If you want to know which schools send public administration graduates into the highest-paying careers, see the list below.
Calumet College Of Saint Joseph earned the #1 spot for highest-paid public administration graduates in Indiana. Located in the suburb of Whiting, Calumet College Of Saint Joseph is a private not-for-profit institution. Public Administration graduates of Calumet College Of Saint Joseph earn a median of about $109,761 a year early in their careers.
Indiana University Bloomington produces some of the highest-paid graduates in public administration, landing the #2 spot this year. Indiana University Bloomington is a public school located in the city of Bloomington. Early-career public administration graduates from Indiana University Bloomington make a median of around $78,839 per year.
Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis produces some of the highest-paid graduates in public administration, landing the #3 spot this year. Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis is a public school located in the city of Indianapolis. After graduating, public administration degree recipients from Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis typically earn about $67,153 annually.
Indiana State University came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying public administration schools. Indiana State University is a public school located in the city of Terre Haute. After graduating, public administration degree recipients from Indiana State University typically earn about $64,581 annually.
Students chasing top earnings in public administration will find them at Indiana University Northwest, which ranked #5. Indiana University Northwest is a public school located in the suburb of Gary. After graduating, public administration degree recipients from Indiana University Northwest typically earn about $76,228 annually.
Purdue University Global ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying public administration schools. Located in the city of West Lafayette, Purdue University Global is a public institution. After graduating, public administration degree recipients from Purdue University Global typically earn about $64,120 annually.
Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne landed the #7 spot for public administration salaries this year. Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne is a public school located in the city of Fort Wayne. After graduating, public administration degree recipients from Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne typically earn about $52,883 annually.
This ranking is produced by College Factual, 2026 edition. Schools are ranked on the median early-career earnings of their public administration graduates, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 7 schools evaluated.
*Salary figures reflect median early-career earnings (about 5 years after graduation) and may vary by how long a person takes to complete their degree.
More about our data sources and methodologies.