2023 Best Value Public Policy Schools For Those Getting Aid
95
Ranked Colleges
6,430
Degrees Awarded
$16,600
Avg Net Price*
When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Public Policy Schools For Those Getting Aid” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.
In 2020-2021, 6,430 people earned their degree in public policy, making the major the 113th most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, public policy graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $49,451 and had an average of $21,866 in loans still to pay off.
For this year’s “Best Value Public Policy Schools For Those Getting Aid” ranking, we looked at 95 colleges that offer a degree in public policy. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality public policy programs that also have a lower cost than 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.
More Ways to Rank Public Policy Schools
When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value Public Policy Schools For Those Getting Aid” list to help you make the college decision.
You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. 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 Those Getting Aid
The colleges and universities below are the best for public policy students with aid.
Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Public Policy (With Aid)
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Best Value Public Policy Schools For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, this large public school handed out 190 degrees to qualified ’s public policy students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our public policy students with aid list, UNC Chapel Hill has also earned the #15 rank in our “Best Public Policy Schools” ranking. It costs about $12,469 for public policy students with aid per year to attend UNC Chapel Hill.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Full UNC Chapel Hill Public Policy Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Harvard University. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value Public Policy Schools For Those Getting Aid list. This large school is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and it awarded 193 ’s public policy degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our public policy students with aid list, Harvard has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Public Policy Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Harvard University is $13,872 for Public Policy students with aid.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
Read more about Public Policy at Harvard
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Princeton University. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Public Policy Schools For Those Getting Aid. Princeton, New Jersey is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s public policy degrees to 221 students in 2020-2021.
Princeton not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best Public Policy Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Princeton University is $9,836 for public policy students with aid.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Full Princeton Public Policy Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Berkeley. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Public Policy Schools For Those Getting Aid list. UC Berkeley is a large public school situated in Berkeley, California. It awarded 114 ’s public policy degrees in 2020-2021.
UC Berkeley did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Public Policy Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - Berkeley is $16,032 for public policy students with aid.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read full report on Public Policy at UC Berkeley
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Public Policy Schools For Those Getting Aid. This large school is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and it awarded 225 ’s public policy degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at U-M, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best Public Policy Schools” ranking. It costs about $14,878 for public policy students with aid per year to attend U-M.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%.
Read full report on Public Policy at U-M
The University of Texas at Dallas ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Public Policy Schools For Those Getting Aid list. The University of Texas at Dallas is a public institution located in Richardson, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 52 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The yearly cost to attend UT Dallas is $15,526 for Public Policy students with aid.
With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Public Policy at The University of Texas at Dallas
Duke University landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Best Value Public Policy Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Durham, North Carolina, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 269 degrees to qualified ’s public policy students in 2020-2021.
Duke did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Public Policy Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Duke is $32,459 for Public Policy students with aid.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Public Policy at Duke University
University of Maryland - College Park did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Public Policy Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #8. UMCP is located in College Park, Maryland and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 235 ’s public policy degrees to qualified students.
UMCP did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #16 on our “Best Public Policy Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Maryland - College Park is $18,048 for Public Policy students with aid.
With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Full University of Maryland - College Park Public Policy Report
The University of Texas at Austin did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Public Policy Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #9. UT Austin is located in Austin, Texas and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 115 ’s public policy degrees to qualified students.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UT Austin, the school also landed the #23 spot in our “Best Public Policy Schools” ranking. It costs about $18,350 for Public Policy students with aid per year to attend The University of Texas at Austin.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read more about Public Policy at UT Austin
With a ranking of #10, University of Nevada - Las Vegas did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Public Policy Schools For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Las Vegas, Nevada, this large public school handed out 12 degrees to qualified ’s public policy students in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for UNLV is $10,993 for public policy students with aid.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Public Policy at UNLV
Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Best Value Public Policy Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. Indianapolis, Indiana is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s public policy degrees to 5 students in 2020-2021.
It costs about $12,416 for public policy students with aid per year to attend IUPUI.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read more about Public Policy at IUPUI
University of California - Los Angeles did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Public Policy Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #12. University of California - Los Angeles is a large school located in Los Angeles, California that handed out 131 ’s public policy degrees in 2020-2021.
The yearly cost to attend UCLA is $15,023 for Public Policy students with aid.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%.
Full UCLA Public Policy Report
University of Virginia - Main Campus ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Public Policy Schools For Those Getting Aid list. This large school is located in Charlottesville, Virginia, and it awarded 165 ’s public policy degrees in 2020-2021.
University of Virginia also made our “Best Public Policy Schools” list, coming in at #22. The yearly cost to attend University of Virginia - Main Campus is $22,006 for Public Policy students with aid.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%.
Read full report on Public Policy at University of Virginia
University of California - Riverside did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Public Policy Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #14. Riverside, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s public policy degrees to 109 students in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for University of California - Riverside is $11,822 for Public Policy students with aid.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full UCR Public Policy Report
University of Illinois at Chicago came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Policy Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this large public school handed out 27 diplomas to qualified ’s public policy students in 2020-2021.
The yearly cost to attend University of Illinois at Chicago is $13,214 for Public Policy students with aid.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Public Policy at UIC
University of Minnesota - Twin Cities landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Best Value Public Policy Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, this large public school awarded 71 diplomas to qualified ’s public policy students in 2020-2021.
It costs about $17,878 for public policy students with aid per year to attend UMN Twin Cities.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Public Policy at University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Virginia Tech did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Public Policy Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #17. Located in Blacksburg, Virginia, this large public school awarded 27 diplomas to qualified ’s public policy students in 2020-2021.
Virginia Tech also took the #21 spot in our “Best Public Policy Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Virginia Tech is $21,301 for public policy students with aid.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Public Policy at Virginia Tech
University of Wisconsin - Madison did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Public Policy Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #18. This large school is located in Madison, Wisconsin, and it awarded 96 ’s public policy degrees in 2020-2021.
It costs about $17,234 for Public Policy students with aid per year to attend UW - Madison.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%.
Full University of Wisconsin - Madison Public Policy Report
University of Delaware came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Policy Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. UD is a large school located in Newark, Delaware that handed out 46 ’s public policy degrees in 2020-2021.
It costs about $18,967 for Public Policy students with aid per year to attend University of Delaware.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read full report on Public Policy at UD
Portland State University came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Policy Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. Portland State University is a large school located in Portland, Oregon that handed out 25 ’s public policy degrees in 2020-2021.
The yearly cost to attend Portland State University is $12,498 for Public Policy students with aid.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Full Portland State University Public Policy Report
William & Mary landed the #21 spot on the 2023 Best Value Public Policy Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. William & Mary is a public institution located in Williamsburg, Virginia. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 55 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at William & Mary, the school also landed the #24 spot in our “Best Public Policy Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for William & Mary is $19,593 for Public Policy students with aid.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Full William & Mary Public Policy Report
Brigham Young University - Provo ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Public Policy Schools For Those Getting Aid list. BYU is located in Provo, Utah and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 6 ’s public policy degrees to qualified students.
It costs about $13,474 for Public Policy students with aid per year to attend BYU.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Brigham Young University - Provo Public Policy Report
George Mason University came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Policy Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. George Mason University is located in Fairfax, Virginia and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 88 ’s public policy degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on our public policy students with aid list, GMU has also earned the #20 rank in our “Best Public Policy Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for GMU is $19,551 for Public Policy students with aid.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Full GMU Public Policy Report
University of Pennsylvania came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Policy Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. UPenn is a large school located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that handed out 31 ’s public policy degrees in 2020-2021.
UPenn not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best Public Policy Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Pennsylvania is $25,046 for public policy students with aid.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Full University of Pennsylvania Public Policy Report
Augusta University ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Public Policy Schools For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Augusta, Georgia, this medium-sized public school handed out 6 degrees to qualified ’s public policy students in 2020-2021.
The yearly cost to attend Augusta University is $12,239 for public policy students with aid.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Public Policy at Augusta University
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