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. The schools below stand out for the salaries their public administration graduates go on to command.
College Factual analyzed 6 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the highest-paying public administration schools.
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.
Columbia Southern University tops our 2026 list of the highest-paying public administration schools in Alabama. Located in the town of Orange Beach, Columbia Southern University is a private for-profit institution. Public Administration graduates of Columbia Southern University earn a median of about $80,102 a year early in their careers.
A rank of #2 makes Auburn University At Montgomery one of the highest-paying schools for public administration. Located in the city of Montgomery, Auburn University At Montgomery is a public institution. Early-career public administration graduates from Auburn University At Montgomery make a median of around $69,318 per year.
Strong graduate earnings at Auburn University earned it the #3 place for public administration. Set in the city of Auburn, Auburn University is a public institution. Early-career public administration graduates from Auburn University make a median of around $54,761 per year.
Strong graduate earnings at Troy University earned it the #4 place for public administration. Set in the town of Troy, Troy University is a public institution. Public Administration graduates of Troy University earn a median of about $64,810 a year early in their careers.
A rank of #5 makes University Of Alabama At Birmingham one of the highest-paying schools for public administration. University Of Alabama At Birmingham is a public school located in the city of Birmingham. Public Administration graduates of University Of Alabama At Birmingham earn a median of about $63,734 a year early in their careers.
Strayer University Alabama landed the #6 spot for public administration salaries this year. Strayer University Alabama is a private for-profit school located in the city of Birmingham. After graduating, public administration degree recipients from Strayer University Alabama typically earn about $60,858 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 · 6 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.