2022 Best Value Public Policy Schools for a Bachelor’s
When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Public Policy Schools for a Bachelor’s” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.
Public Policy is the 116th most popular major in the country with 6,199 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. 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.
At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 2,524 public policy graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,303 and $24,501 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Public Policy Schools for a Bachelor’s” ranking looked at 52 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in public policy. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality public policy programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.
To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the public policy program at the school. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
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One Size Does Not Fit All
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 a Bachelor’s” 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. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.
Best Value Public Policy Schools for a Bachelor’s
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Public Policy Schools for a Bachelor’s.
Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Public Policy
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Arizona State University - Skysong. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Public Policy Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Scottsdale, Arizona is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s public policy degrees to 84 students in 2019-2020.
It costs about $13,971 for Bachelor’s Degree Public Policy students per year to attend Arizona State University - Skysong.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend SUNY Empire State College. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Public Policy Schools for a Bachelor’s. This fairly large school is located in Saratoga Springs, New York, and it awarded 51 bachelors’s public policy degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for SUNY Empire State College is $12,142 for bachelor’s degree public policy students.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Virginia Tech. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Public Policy Schools for a Bachelor’s. Virginia Tech is a large school located in Blacksburg, Virginia that handed out 28 bachelors’s public policy degrees in 2019-2020.
Virginia Tech also made our “Best Public Policy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #19. It costs about $21,198 for bachelor’s degree public policy students per year to attend Virginia Tech.
With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Mississippi. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Public Policy Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Located in University, Mississippi, this large public school handed out 56 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s public policy students in 2019-2020.
It costs about $14,016 for bachelor’s degree public policy students per year to attend Ole Miss.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University at Albany. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Public Policy Schools for a Bachelor’s. Located in Albany, New York, this fairly large public school awarded 54 degrees to qualified bachelors’s public policy students in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend UAlbany is $18,577 for Bachelor’s Degree Public Policy students.
With a ranking of #6, St Catherine University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Policy Schools for a Bachelor’s list. St. Kate’s is a private not-for-profit institution located in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 5 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
St. Kate’s also took the #24 spot in our “Best Public Policy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $19,078 for Bachelor’s Degree Public Policy students per year to attend St. Kate’s.
The student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
With a ranking of #7, Trevecca Nazarene University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Policy Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Located in Nashville, Tennessee, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 2 degrees to qualified bachelors’s public policy students in 2019-2020.
It costs about $17,499 for bachelor’s degree public policy students per year to attend Trevecca Nazarene University.
Read more about Public Policy at Trevecca Nazarene University
Mercer University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Policy Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #8. Mercer University is located in Macon, Georgia and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 9 bachelors’s public policy degrees to qualified students.
The estimated yearly cost for Mercer University is $21,464 for bachelor’s degree public policy students.
With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 4.4% 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 ranking of #9, Central Washington University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Policy Schools for a Bachelor’s list. This fairly large school is located in Ellensburg, Washington, and it awarded 6 bachelors’s public policy degrees in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend Central Washington University is $15,397 for bachelor’s degree public policy students.
Read more about Public Policy at Central Washington University
Rutgers University - New Brunswick came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Policy Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. Rutgers University - New Brunswick is a public institution located in New Brunswick, New Jersey. The school has a large population, and it awarded 25 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Rutgers New Brunswick also made our “Best Public Policy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #23. The yearly cost to attend Rutgers New Brunswick is $21,654 for Bachelor’s Degree Public Policy students.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
With a ranking of #11, University of Illinois at Chicago did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Policy Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s public policy degrees to 25 students in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for University of Illinois at Chicago is $13,312 for bachelor’s degree public policy students.
The low student loan default rate of 3.4% 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%.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Policy Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #12. This large school is located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and it awarded 168 bachelors’s public policy degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UNC Chapel Hill, the school also landed the #16 spot in our “Best Public Policy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UNC Chapel Hill is $12,352 for bachelor’s degree public policy students.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.9%, 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 North Carolina at Chapel Hill Public Policy Report
With a ranking of #13, Regent University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Policy Schools for a Bachelor’s list. This fairly large school is located in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and it awarded 26 bachelors’s public policy degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for Regent is $15,267 for Bachelor’s Degree Public Policy students.
St Mary’s College of Maryland ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Public Policy Schools for a Bachelor’s list. This small school is located in St. Mary’s City, Maryland, and it awarded 10 bachelors’s public policy degrees in 2019-2020.
It costs about $19,369 for bachelor’s degree public policy students per year to attend SMCM.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
University of Maryland - College Park landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Policy Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. This large school is located in College Park, Maryland, and it awarded 68 bachelors’s public policy degrees in 2019-2020.
UMCP not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best Public Policy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $19,045 for Bachelor’s Degree Public Policy students per year to attend UMCP.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, 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%.
Read more about Public Policy at University of Maryland - College Park
Washington State University ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Public Policy Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Wazzu is located in Pullman, Washington and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 20 bachelors’s public policy degrees to qualified students.
It costs about $16,358 for bachelor’s degree public policy students per year to attend Washington State University.
The low student loan default rate of 4.6% 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%.
Ohio State University - Main Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Policy Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #17. This large school is located in Columbus, Ohio, and it awarded 29 bachelors’s public policy degrees in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend Ohio State University - Main Campus is $17,616 for Bachelor’s Degree Public Policy students.
The student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
Full Ohio State University - Main Campus Public Policy Report
Georgia State University came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Policy Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. Georgia State University is located in Atlanta, Georgia and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 39 bachelors’s public policy degrees to qualified students.
The yearly cost to attend Georgia State University is $13,953 for Bachelor’s Degree Public Policy students.
Read full report on Public Policy at Georgia State University
With a ranking of #19, Mills College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Policy Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Mills College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Oakland, California. It awarded 8 bachelors’s public policy degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for Mills College is $22,202 for bachelor’s degree public policy students.
With a student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
University of Delaware ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Public Policy Schools for a Bachelor’s list. UD is a public institution located in Newark, Delaware. The school has a large population, and it awarded 37 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
UD also took the #25 spot in our “Best Public Policy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $17,220 for bachelor’s degree public policy students per year to attend University of Delaware.
With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 2.4% 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%.
University of Rhode Island landed the #21 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Policy Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. University of Rhode Island is a public institution located in Kingston, Rhode Island. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 26 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
It costs about $20,607 for bachelor’s degree public policy students per year to attend URI.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low 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 full report on Public Policy at University of Rhode Island
Olivet Nazarene University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Policy Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #22. Olivet Nazarene University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Bourbonnais, Illinois. It awarded 2 bachelors’s public policy degrees in 2019-2020.
It costs about $20,195 for bachelor’s degree public policy students per year to attend Olivet Nazarene University.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
With a ranking of #23, Michigan State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Policy Schools for a Bachelor’s list. This large school is located in East Lansing, Michigan, and it awarded 27 bachelors’s public policy degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for Michigan State is $19,173 for Bachelor’s Degree Public Policy students.
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 student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Public Policy at Michigan State University
The University of Texas at Dallas did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Policy Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #24. This large school is located in Richardson, Texas, and it awarded 25 bachelors’s public policy degrees in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend UT Dallas is $15,232 for bachelor’s degree public policy students.
The student loan default rate at the school is 4.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%.
Siena College landed the #25 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Policy Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. Siena is located in Loudonville, New York and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 18 bachelors’s public policy degrees to qualified students.
Siena not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #20 on our “Best Public Policy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $27,479 for bachelor’s degree public policy students per year to attend Siena.
The low student loan default rate of 2.5% 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 90%.
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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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