2022 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Public Policy (Income $30-$48k) in Virginia

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Public Policy Schools for a Master’s in Virginia For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking.

In 2019-2020, 6,199 people earned their degree in public policy, making the major the 116th most popular in the United States. In 2017-2018, public policy graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $52,077 and had an average of $35,743 in loans still to pay off.

Across Virginia, there were 477 public policy graduates with average earnings and debt of $53,725 and $29,647 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 249 public policy graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Public Policy Schools for a Master’s in Virginia For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking analyzed 4 colleges that offered a degree in public policy. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent public policy programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the public policy program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Public Policy Schools for a Master’s in Virginia For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Best Value Public Policy Schools for a Master’s in Virginia For Those Making $30-$48k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Public Policy Schools for a Master’s in Virginia For Those Making $30-$48k.

Top 4 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Public Policy (Income $30-$48k) in Virginia

#1

William & Mary

Williamsburg, Virginia

#3 in overall quality

$34,800 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

$74,576 Average Early-Career Earnings

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend William & Mary. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Public Policy Schools for a Master’s in Virginia For Those Making $30-$48k. William & Mary is a medium-sized public school situated in Williamsburg, Virginia. It awarded 13 masters’s public policy degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at William & Mary, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best Public Policy Master’s Degree Schools in Virginia” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at William & Mary are $34,800, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full William & Mary Public Policy Report

#2

University of Virginia - Main Campus

Charlottesville, Virginia

#1 in overall quality

$32,394 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

$63,997 Average Early-Career Earnings

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Virginia - Main Campus. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Public Policy Schools for a Master’s in Virginia For Those Making $30-$48k. Charlottesville, Virginia is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s public policy degrees to 75 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at University of Virginia, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best Public Policy Master’s Degree Schools in Virginia” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Virginia are $32,394, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full University of Virginia Public Policy Report

#3

George Mason University

Fairfax, Virginia

#2 in overall quality

$37,410 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

$73,949 Average Early-Career Earnings

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend George Mason University. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Public Policy Schools for a Master’s in Virginia For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Fairfax, Virginia, this large public school handed out 69 diplomas to qualified masters’s public policy students in 2019-2020.

GMU also made our “Best Public Policy Master’s Degree Schools in Virginia” list, coming in at #2. Average graduate tuition and fees at GMU are $37,410, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full George Mason University Public Policy Report

#4

Liberty University

Lynchburg, Virginia

#4 in overall quality

$8,349 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

$50,356 Average Early-Career Earnings

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Liberty University. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Public Policy Schools for a Master’s in Virginia For Those Making $30-$48k. Liberty University is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Lynchburg, Virginia. It awarded 92 masters’s public policy degrees in 2019-2020.

Liberty University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best Public Policy Master’s Degree Schools in Virginia” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Liberty University are $8,349, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Public Policy at Liberty University

• Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Public Policy (Income $30-$48k) in the Southeast Region
• Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Public Policy (Income $30-$48k)

Notes and References

References

• 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).
• Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

• *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
• Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

Credits

• Credit for the banner image above goes to The Official CTBTO Photostream.

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