2026 Best Public Administration Schools in Maryland
Public Administration degree programs prepare students for a range of careers in the field. A focused field like this rewards careful comparison of the schools that offer it.
For its 2026 ranking, College Factual looked at 9 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for public administration students pursuing a degree.
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Best Schools for Public Administration in Maryland
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall public administration education in Maryland.
Top Schools in Public Administration
Johns Hopkins University is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a degree in public administration. Located in the city of Baltimore, Johns Hopkins University is a very large private not-for-profit university. About 94% of students finish within six years. About 84 public administration degrees were awarded at Johns Hopkins University in the most recent year. Graduates of the public administration program make about $78,510 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $13,426 to complete this degree.
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University Of Maryland University College is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in public administration, ranking #2. This very large public university is located in the suburb of Adelphi. The six-year graduation rate is 20%. About 68 public administration degrees were awarded at University Of Maryland University College in the most recent year. Graduates of the public administration program make about $74,053 in their early career. University Of Maryland University College graduates carry a median of $29,202 in student loans.
More information about a degree in public administration from University Of Maryland University College
Students looking for a strong public administration program will find one at University Of Baltimore, which ranked #3. University Of Baltimore is a mid-sized public school located in the city of Baltimore. University Of Baltimore graduates 38% of students within six years. University Of Baltimore awarded about 38 public administration degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the public administration program make about $67,870 in their early career. University Of Baltimore graduates carry a median of $29,681 in student loans.
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A rank of #4 makes Bowie State University one of the top schools for public administration. Bowie State University is a moderately-sized public school located in the suburb of Bowie. Roughly 38% of students complete a degree within six years here. There were roughly 21 public administration students who graduated with this degree at Bowie State University in the most recent data year. Students who receive their public administration degree from Bowie State University earn around $73,949 in the first couple years of their career. Bowie State University graduates carry a median of $28,474 in student loans.
More information about a degree in public administration from Bowie State University
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 9 schools evaluated.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.