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 9 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.
For graduate earnings in public administration, no school beat Colorado State University Global Campus this year. Colorado State University Global Campus is a public school located in the city of Denver. Public Administration graduates of Colorado State University Global Campus earn a median of about $79,182 a year early in their careers.
University Of Utah came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying public administration schools. University Of Utah is a public school located in the city of Salt Lake City. After graduating, public administration degree recipients from University Of Utah typically earn about $83,622 annually.
University Of Colorado Denver came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying public administration schools. University Of Colorado Denver is a public school located in the city of Denver. Public Administration graduates of University Of Colorado Denver earn a median of about $78,420 a year early in their careers.
Strong graduate earnings at Brigham Young University Provo earned it the #4 place for public administration. Brigham Young University Provo is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Provo. Public Administration graduates of Brigham Young University Provo earn a median of about $90,746 a year early in their careers.
University Of Colorado At Colorado Springs produces some of the highest-paid graduates in public administration, landing the #5 spot this year. University Of Colorado At Colorado Springs is a public school located in the city of Colorado Springs. Public Administration graduates of University Of Colorado At Colorado Springs earn a median of about $61,502 a year early in their careers.
University Of Idaho earned the #6 position for public administration graduate earnings this year. Set in the town of Moscow, University Of Idaho is a public institution. Public Administration graduates of University Of Idaho earn a median of about $60,531 a year early in their careers.
Southern Utah University placed #7 among the highest-paying schools for public administration. Southern Utah University is a public school located in the town of Cedar City. After graduating, public administration degree recipients from Southern Utah University typically earn about $67,135 annually.
Boise State University earned the #8 position for public administration graduate earnings this year. Boise State University is a public school located in the city of Boise. Public Administration graduates of Boise State University earn a median of about $61,703 a year early in their careers.
The University Of Montana placed #9 among the highest-paying schools for public administration. Located in the city of Missoula, The University Of Montana is a public institution. After graduating, public administration degree recipients from The University Of Montana typically earn about $60,812 annually.
The ranking above is published by College Factual, 2026 edition. The methodology measures the salaries public administration graduates go on to earn early in their careers, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 9 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.