2026 Best Public Administration Schools in Iowa

Public Administration programs are offered at a focused set of schools across the country. A focused field like this rewards careful comparison of the schools that offer it.

College Factual analyzed 9 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best public administration schools.

What’s on this page:

• Best Public Administration Schools in Iowa

Best Schools for Public Administration in Iowa

If you are not interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the public administration degrees they offer, see the list below.

Top Schools in Public Administration

1

Drake University
Des Moines, IA

Doctoral Degree Highest Degree Type

28 Public Administration Degrees Awarded

$67,297 Median Starting Salary

No school ranked higher than Drake University this year for public administration. Set in the city of Des Moines, Drake University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. The six-year graduation rate is 73%. Drake University awarded about 28 public administration degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, public administration degree recipients from Drake University generally make around $67,297. Typical student debt for the program is $22,273. More information about a degree in public administration from Drake University

2

Upper Iowa University
Fayette, IA

Associate's Degree Highest Degree Type

36 Public Administration Degrees Awarded

$63,921 Median Starting Salary

Upper Iowa University came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best public administration schools. Located in the rural area of Fayette, Upper Iowa University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. Roughly 33% of students complete a degree within six years here. There were roughly 36 public administration students who graduated with this degree at Upper Iowa University in the most recent data year. Graduates of the public administration program make about $63,921 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $31,000 to complete this degree. Read more about the public administration program at Upper Iowa University

Notes and References

This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and program focus, 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.