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2023 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Public Administration in California

32 Ranked Colleges
1,469 Degrees Awarded
$62,496 Avg Salary
Schools for a Master's Highly Focused on Public Admin Major in California

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Admin Major in California” ranking.

In 2020-2021, 16,905 people earned their degree in public administration, making the major the 60th most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, public administration graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $51,352 and had an average of $29,054 in loans still to pay off.

Across California, there were 1,883 public administration graduates with average earnings and debt of $57,932 and $27,676 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 1,469 public administration graduates with average earnings and debt of $62,974 and $0 respectively.

This year’s “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Admin Major in California” ranking looked at 32 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in public administration. This a ranking of the schools where the largest percentage of students has enrolled in public administration.

Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

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Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Admin Major in California” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Admin Major in California

The colleges and universities below are the best for california master’s degree public admin students.

Top 25 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Public Administration in California

1

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey. The school came in at #1 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Admin Major in California. Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey is a private not-for-profit institution located in Monterey, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 17 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 1 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Middlebury Institute Public Administration Report

2
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Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, California

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Notre Dame de Namur University. The school came in at #2 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Admin Major in California. Notre Dame de Namur University is a small school located in Belmont, California that handed out 18 masters’s public admin degrees in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Public Administration at NDNU

3
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Golden Gate University - San Francisco
San Francisco, California

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Golden Gate University - San Francisco. The school came in at #3 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Admin Major in California. San Francisco, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s public admin degrees to 29 students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Public Administration at Golden Gate University - San Francisco

4
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University of San Francisco
San Francisco, California

Out of the 32 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Admin Major in California that were part of this year’s ranking, University of San Francisco landed the #4 spot on the list. University of San Francisco is a private not-for-profit institution located in San Francisco, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 78 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Public Administration at USFCA

5
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Touro University Worldwide
Los Alamitos, California

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Touro University Worldwide. The school came in at #5 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Admin Major in California. TUW is a small school located in Los Alamitos, California that handed out 16 masters’s public admin degrees in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full Touro University Worldwide Public Administration Report

6

California State University - Northridge came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Admin Major in California ranking. This large school is located in Northridge, California, and it awarded 242 masters’s public admin degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Public Administration at CSUN

7

With a ranking of #7, California State University - Dominguez Hills did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Admin Major in California list. California State University - Dominguez Hills is a fairly large public school situated in Carson, California. It awarded 82 masters’s public admin degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Public Administration at California State University - Dominguez Hills

8

With a ranking of #8, California State University - San Bernardino did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Admin Major in California list. California State University - San Bernardino is a fairly large public school situated in San Bernardino, California. It awarded 81 masters’s public admin degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Public Administration at CSUSB

9
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University of the Pacific
Stockton, California

University of the Pacific did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Admin Major in California ranking, coming in at #9. Pacific is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Stockton, California. It awarded 31 masters’s public admin degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Pacific Public Administration Report

10

California State University - Bakersfield ranked #10 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Admin Major in California list. California State University - Bakersfield is a fairly large school located in Bakersfield, California that handed out 42 masters’s public admin degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Public Administration at CSUB

11
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National University
La Jolla, California

National University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Admin Major in California ranking. La Jolla, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s public admin degrees to 94 students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Public Administration at National University

12

California State University - East Bay landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Admin Major in California ranking. This fairly large school is located in Hayward, California, and it awarded 66 masters’s public admin degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Public Administration at California State University - East Bay

13
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University of La Verne
La Verne, California

University of La Verne came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Admin Major in California ranking. Located in La Verne, California, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 23 diplomas to qualified masters’s public admin students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Public Administration at ULV

14

California State University - Long Beach did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Admin Major in California ranking, coming in at #14. This large school is located in Long Beach, California, and it awarded 106 masters’s public admin degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Public Administration at CSULB

15
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University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California

University of Southern California came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Admin Major in California ranking. Located in Los Angeles, California, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 164 degrees to qualified masters’s public admin students in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Public Administration at University of Southern California

16
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Brandman University
Irvine, California

With a ranking of #16, Brandman University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Admin Major in California list. Brandman is a private not-for-profit institution located in Irvine, California. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 28 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Public Administration at Brandman

17
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California Baptist University
Riverside, California

California Baptist University came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Admin Major in California ranking. California Baptist University is located in Riverside, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 27 masters’s public admin degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Cal Baptist Public Administration Report

18

California State University - Stanislaus did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Admin Major in California ranking, coming in at #18. California State University - Stanislaus is a public institution located in Turlock, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 20 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Stan State Public Administration Report

19
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San Diego State University
San Diego, California

San Diego State University ranked #19 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Admin Major in California list. This large school is located in San Diego, California, and it awarded 66 masters’s public admin degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.

Read more about Public Administration at San Diego State University

20

California State University - Los Angeles landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Admin Major in California ranking. This large school is located in Los Angeles, California, and it awarded 39 masters’s public admin degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Public Administration at California State University - Los Angeles

21
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Northcentral University
San Diego, California

Northcentral University came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Admin Major in California ranking. Located in San Diego, California, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 10 diplomas to qualified masters’s public admin students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on Public Administration at Northcentral University

22
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San Francisco State University
San Francisco, California

With a ranking of #22, San Francisco State University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Admin Major in California list. SFSU is a large school located in San Francisco, California that handed out 32 masters’s public admin degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Public Administration at SFSU

23
24

California State University - Fresno did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Admin Major in California ranking, coming in at #24. California State University - Fresno is a large school located in Fresno, California that handed out 21 masters’s public admin degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Public Administration at Fresno State

25

California State University - Sacramento ranked #25 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Admin Major in California list. Located in Sacramento, California, this large public school handed out 26 diplomas to qualified masters’s public admin students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Public Administration at Sac State

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