2024 Best Public Policy Master's Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region
Public Policy is above average in terms of popularity with it being the #55 most popular master's degree program in the country. So, you have a fair amount of options to choose from when looking for a school.
College Factual reviewed 7 schools in the Great Lakes Region to determine which ones were the best for master's degree seekers in the field of public policy. Combined, these schools handed out 487 master's degrees in public policy to qualified students.
Jump to one of the following sections: * Our Methodology
Choosing a Great Public Policy School for Your Master's Degree
Your choice of public policy for getting your master's degree school matters. Important measures of a quality public policy program can vary widely even among the top schools. Below we explain some of the most important factors to consider before making your choice:
Overall Quality Is a Must
A school that excels in educating for a particular major and degree level must be a great school overall as well. To make it into this list a school must rank well in our overall Best Colleges for a Master's Degree ranking. This ranking considered factors such as graduation rates, overall graduate earnings and other educational resources to identify great colleges and universities.
Average Early-Career Salaries
Average early-career salary of those graduating with their master's degree is one indicator we use in our analysis to find the schools that offer the highest-quality education. After all, your master's degree won't mean much if it doesn't help you find a job that will help you earn a living.
Other Factors We Consider
In addition to the above, you should consider some of the following factors:
- Major Focus - How many resources a school devotes to public policy students as compared to other majors.
- Major Demand - How many other public policy students want to attend this school to pursue a master's degree.
- Educational Resources - The amount of money and other resources allocated to students while they are pursuing their degree. These resources include such things as number of students per instructor and education expenditures per student.
- Student Debt - How much debt public policy students go into to obtain their master's degree and how well they are able to pay back that debt.
- Accreditation - Whether a school is regionally accredited and/or accredited by a recognized public policy related body.
Our full ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best colleges for public policy students working on their master's degree.
More Ways to Rank Public Policy Schools
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we've developed a number of rankings, including this Best Public Policy Master's Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region list, to help you choose the best school for you.
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Featured Public Policy Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
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Best Schools for Master’s Students to Study Public Policy in the Great Lakes Region
The following list ranks the best colleges and universities for pursuing a master's degree in public policy.
Top Great Lakes Region Schools for a Master's in Public Policy
University of Chicago is one of the finest schools in the United States for getting a master's degree in public policy. Located in the city of Chicago, UChicago is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population.
Public Policy master's degree recipients from University of Chicago get an earnings boost of around $14,623 above the average earnings of public policy graduates.
More information about a master’s in public policy from University of Chicago
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is one of the best schools in the country for getting a master's degree in public policy. U-M is a very large public university located in the city of Ann Arbor.
Master's recipients from the public policy major at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor get $5,889 more than the typical college graduate in this field when they enter the workforce.
More information about a master’s in public policy from University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
It is difficult to beat University of Wisconsin - Madison if you wish to pursue a master's degree in public policy. Located in the city of Madison, UW - Madison is a public university with a fairly large student population.
Soon after graduating, public policy master's recipients usually make an average of $52,867 at the beginning of their careers.
More information about a master’s in public policy from University of Wisconsin - Madison
It's hard to beat Michigan State University if you want to pursue a master's degree in public policy. Located in the small city of East Lansing, Michigan State is a public university with a fairly large student population.
Master's graduates who receive their degree from the public policy program make about $49,236 in their early career salary.
More information about a master’s in public policy from Michigan State University
UIC is a fairly large public university located in the city of Chicago.More information about a master’s in public policy from University of Illinois at Chicago