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 5 schools to find where public administration graduates earn the most.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools whose public administration graduates go on to earn the most.
University Of Missouri St Louis tops our 2026 list of the highest-paying public administration schools in Missouri. University Of Missouri St Louis is a public school located in the suburb of Saint Louis. Students who complete the public administration program here go on to a median salary of roughly $73,320.
Strong graduate earnings at University Of Missouri Columbia earned it the #2 place for public administration. Located in the city of Columbia, University Of Missouri Columbia is a public institution. After graduating, public administration degree recipients from University Of Missouri Columbia typically earn about $75,731 annually.
Park University came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying public administration schools. Located in the suburb of Parkville, Park University is a private not-for-profit institution. Early-career public administration graduates from Park University make a median of around $62,141 per year.
A rank of #4 makes University Of Missouri Kansas City one of the highest-paying schools for public administration. Located in the city of Kansas City, University Of Missouri Kansas City is a public institution. Public Administration graduates of University Of Missouri Kansas City earn a median of about $66,404 a year early in their careers.
Students chasing top earnings in public administration will find them at Missouri State University Springfield, which ranked #5. Set in the city of Springfield, Missouri State University Springfield is a public institution. Public Administration graduates of Missouri State University Springfield earn a median of about $42,399 a year early in their careers.
This ranking is produced 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 · 5 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.