by our College Data Analytics TeamCollege Factual reviewed 10 schools in the Southeast Region to determine which ones were the best for master's degree seekers in the field of public policy. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 434 master's degrees in public policy during the 2020-2021 academic year.
What's on this page: * Our Methodology
The public policy master's degree program you select can have a big impact on your future. This section explores some of the factors we include in our ranking and how much they vary depending on the school you select. To make it into this list, a school must excel in the following areas.
The overall quality of a master's degree school is important to ensure a quality education, not just how well they do in a particular major. To take this into account we include a college's overall Best Colleges for a Master's Degree ranking which itself looks at a combination of various factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.
One measure we use to determine the quality of a school is to look at the average salary of master's graduates during the early years of their career. That is, everyone wants their master's degree to be worth something, and salaries are one measure of determining that.
The metrics below are just some of the other metrics that we use to determine our rankings.
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.
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 Southeast Region list, to help you choose the best school for you.
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
Fit new strategic skills into your public service passion and goals when you earn an MBA in Public Administration from Southern New Hampshire University.
Below you'll see a list of the best colleges and universities for pursuing a master's degree in public policy.
Any student pursuing a degree in a master's degree in public policy needs to check out Duke University. Duke is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Durham.
Public Policy master's degree recipients from Duke University receive an earnings boost of around $8,954 over the average income of public policy majors.
More information about a master’s in public policy from Duke University
Any student who is interested in a master's degree in public policy has to check out George Mason University. Located in the suburb of Fairfax, GMU is a public university with a fairly large student population.
Those public policy students who get their master's degree from George Mason University receive $8,970 more than the standard public policy graduate.
More information about a master’s in public policy from George Mason University
Vanderbilt University is a great decision for individuals interested in a master's degree in public policy. Located in the large city of Nashville, Vanderbilt is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population.
Master's recipients from the public policy program at Vanderbilt University earn $2,601 more than the standard college graduate with the same degree when they enter the workforce.
More information about a master’s in public policy from Vanderbilt University
Every student pursuing a degree in a master's degree in public policy needs to take a look at University of Virginia - Main Campus. Located in the suburb of Charlottesville, University of Virginia is a public university with a fairly large student population.
Master's graduates who receive their degree from the public policy program earn about $54,807 in their early career salary.
More information about a master’s in public policy from University of Virginia - Main Campus
Located in the city of Lexington, UK is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a master’s in public policy from University of Kentucky
Liberty University is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the small city of Lynchburg.
Master's students who receive their degree from the public policy program make an average of $50,253 for their early career.
More information about a master’s in public policy from Liberty University
UT Knoxville is a very large public university located in the city of Knoxville.
Soon after graduating, public policy master's recipients usually make an average of $45,029 at the beginning of their careers.
More information about a master’s in public policy from The University of Tennessee - Knoxville
Located in the large suburb of Orlando, UCF is a public university with a very large student population.More information about a master’s in public policy from University of Central Florida
Marshall University is a large public university located in the small city of Huntington.More information about a master’s in public policy from Marshall University
American Military University is a fairly large private for-profit university located in the fringe town of Charles Town.More information about a master’s in public policy from American Public University System
Learn about other programs related to Public Policy that might interest you.
Explore the best public policy schools for a specific state in the Southeast Region .
| State | Colleges | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|---|
| Florida | 208 | 13 |
| Georgia | 190 | 18 |
| Virginia | 182 | 247 |
| North Carolina | 178 | 76 |
| Tennessee | 166 | 41 |
| Alabama | 151 | 7 |
| Kentucky | 147 | 9 |
| Louisiana | 147 | 0 |
| West Virginia | 112 | 23 |
One of 4 majors within the Public Administration & Social Service area of study, Public Policy has other similar majors worth exploring.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| General Public Policy Analysis | 400 |
| Education Policy Analysis | 24 |
| Other Public Policy Analysis | 7 |
| Health Policy Analysis | 3 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Public Administration | 2,703 |
| Community Organization & Advocacy | 214 |
| Human Services | 159 |
| Other Public Administration | 81 |
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