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 4 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the highest-paying public administration schools.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools whose public administration graduates go on to earn the most.
Our analysis ranked Tennessee State University the top school for public administration graduate earnings in Tennessee. Located in the city of Nashville, Tennessee State University is a public institution. Students who complete the public administration program here go on to a median salary of roughly $67,505.
A rank of #2 makes University Of Memphis one of the highest-paying schools for public administration. Set in the city of Memphis, University Of Memphis is a public institution. After graduating, public administration degree recipients from University Of Memphis typically earn about $59,574 annually.
A rank of #3 makes Cumberland University one of the highest-paying schools for public administration. Located in the town of Lebanon, Cumberland University is a private not-for-profit institution. After graduating, public administration degree recipients from Cumberland University typically earn about $59,235 annually.
A rank of #4 makes Strayer University Tennessee one of the highest-paying schools for public administration. Strayer University Tennessee is a private for-profit school located in the city of Memphis. Early-career public administration graduates from Strayer University Tennessee make a median of around $60,858 per year.
The ranking above is published 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 · 4 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.