2026 Best Public Administration Schools in Tennessee
Public Administration programs are offered at a focused set of schools across the country. The schools below stand out for the quality of their public administration programs.
College Factual analyzed 11 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best public administration schools.
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Best Schools for Public Administration in Tennessee
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall public administration education in Tennessee.
Top Schools in Public Administration
Our analysis ranked Lipscomb University the best school in the country for a degree in public administration. Lipscomb University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Nashville. Roughly 72% of students complete a degree within six years here. There were roughly 42 public administration students who graduated with this degree at Lipscomb University in the most recent data year. Graduates of the public administration program make about $48,949 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $23,529 to complete this degree.
See the full public administration program report for Lipscomb University
Lincoln Memorial University is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in public administration, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the town of Harrogate, Lincoln Memorial University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. The six-year graduation rate is 47%. About 15 public administration degrees were awarded at Lincoln Memorial University in the most recent year. Graduates of the public administration program make about $64,307 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $20,693 to complete this degree.
See the full public administration program report for Lincoln Memorial University
Students looking for a strong public administration program will find one at Cumberland University, which ranked #3. Cumberland University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the town of Lebanon. About 42% of students finish within six years. There were roughly 27 public administration students who graduated with this degree at Cumberland University in the most recent data year. Students who receive their public administration degree from Cumberland University earn around $47,696 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $21,902.
Read more about the public administration program at Cumberland University
Tennessee State University is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in public administration, ranking #4. Set in the city of Nashville, Tennessee State University is a moderately-sized public institution. About 35% of students finish within six years. About 36 public administration degrees were awarded at Tennessee State University in the most recent year. Graduates of the public administration program make about $45,060 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $29,489.
Get the full public administration details for Tennessee 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 · 11 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.
