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2023 Most Focused Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Public Policy

108 Ranked Colleges
2,603 Degrees Awarded
$38,098 Avg Salary
Schools for a Bachelor's Highly Focused on Public Policy Major

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 “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Policy Major” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

Public Policy is the 113th most popular major in the country with 6,430 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. 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.

At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 2,603 public policy graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,682 and $26,217 respectively.

This year’s “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Policy Major” ranking analyzed 108 colleges that offered a degree in public policy. This a ranking of the schools where the largest percentage of students has enrolled in public policy.

See our ranking methodology to learn more.

More Ways to Rank Public Policy Schools

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The public policy school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Policy Major”.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Policy Major

The colleges and universities below are the best for bachelor’s degree public policy students.

Top 25 Most Focused Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Public Policy

1
Mills crest
Mills College
Oakland, California

Out of the 108 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Policy Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Mills College landed the #1 spot on the list. Mills College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Oakland, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 22 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 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 Mills

2
Princeton crest
Princeton University
Princeton, New Jersey

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Princeton University. The school came in at #2 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Policy Major. Located in Princeton, New Jersey, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 123 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s public policy students in 2020-2021.

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. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Public Policy at Princeton University

3
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Trinity College
Hartford, Connecticut

Out of the 108 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Policy Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Trinity College landed the #3 spot on the list. Trinity College is located in Hartford, Connecticut and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 35 bachelors’s public policy degrees to qualified students.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Public Policy at Trinity Bantams

4
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Brandeis University
Waltham, Massachusetts

Out of the 108 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Policy Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Brandeis University landed the #4 spot on the list. Located in Waltham, Massachusetts, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 113 degrees to qualified bachelors’s public policy students in 2020-2021.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read full report on Public Policy at Brandeis University

5
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Bennington College
Bennington, Vermont

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Bennington College. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Policy Major list. Located in Bennington, Vermont, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 13 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s public policy students in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.0% 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 Bennington Public Policy Report

6
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Gettysburg College
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

With a ranking of #6, Gettysburg College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Policy Major list. Located in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 29 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s public policy students in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.1% 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%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about Public Policy at Gettysburg

7
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Siena College
Loudonville, New York

Siena College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Policy Major ranking, coming in at #7. Siena College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Loudonville, New York. It awarded 37 bachelors’s public policy degrees in 2020-2021.

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 3.2% 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 Siena College

8
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Barnard College
New York, New York

Barnard College landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Policy Major ranking. Barnard is a small private not-for-profit school situated in New York, New York. It awarded 21 bachelors’s public policy degrees in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. 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 freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Public Policy at Barnard College

9
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Hamilton College
Clinton, New York

Hamilton College landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Policy Major ranking. This small school is located in Clinton, New York, and it awarded 18 bachelors’s public policy degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Public Policy at Hamilton

10
Duke crest
Duke University
Durham, North Carolina

Duke University ranked #10 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Policy Major list. Located in Durham, North Carolina, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 190 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s public policy students in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.3% 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%.

Read full report on Public Policy at Duke University

11
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SUNY Empire State College
Saratoga Springs, New York

SUNY Empire State College landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Policy Major ranking. SUNY Empire is a public institution located in Saratoga Springs, New York. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 83 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full SUNY Empire Public Policy Report

12
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Dickinson College
Carlisle, Pennsylvania

Dickinson College ranked #12 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Policy Major list. Carlisle, Pennsylvania is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s public policy degrees to 16 students in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Public Policy at Dickinson

13
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Pomona College
Claremont, California

Pomona College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Policy Major ranking, coming in at #13. Claremont, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s public policy degrees to 10 students in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Pomona College Public Policy Report

14
Brown crest
Brown University
Providence, Rhode Island

Brown University landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Policy Major ranking. Providence, Rhode Island is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s public policy degrees to 68 students in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Public Policy at Brown University

15

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Policy Major ranking, coming in at #15. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a large public school situated in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. It awarded 186 bachelors’s public policy degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, 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 95%.

Read more about Public Policy at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

16
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William & Mary
Williamsburg, Virginia

With a ranking of #16, William & Mary did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Policy Major list. William & Mary is a public institution located in Williamsburg, Virginia. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 52 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

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 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Public Policy at William & Mary

17
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St Mary's College of Maryland
St. Mary's City, Maryland

St Mary’s College of Maryland landed the #17 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Policy Major ranking. St Mary’s College of Maryland is located in St. Mary’s City, Maryland and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 7 bachelors’s public policy degrees to qualified students.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full St Mary’s College of Maryland Public Policy Report

18
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Washington & Jefferson College
Washington, Pennsylvania

Washington & Jefferson College landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Policy Major ranking. Washington, Pennsylvania is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s public policy degrees to 5 students in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% 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 Washington & Jefferson College Public Policy Report

19
Regent crest
Regent University
Virginia Beach, Virginia

Regent University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Policy Major ranking, coming in at #19. Regent is located in Virginia Beach, Virginia and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 37 bachelors’s public policy degrees to qualified students.

Full Regent Public Policy Report

20
UChicago crest
University of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

University of Chicago did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Policy Major ranking, coming in at #20. This fairly large school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 105 bachelors’s public policy degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.0% 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 5 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 100%.

Read full report on Public Policy at UChicago

21
Rice crest
Rice University
Houston, Texas

With a ranking of #21, Rice University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Policy Major list. Houston, Texas is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s public policy degrees to 34 students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.2% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read full report on Public Policy at Rice University

22

With a ranking of #22, University of California - Riverside did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Policy Major list. UCR is a public institution located in Riverside, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 91 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Public Policy at UCR

23

With a ranking of #23, Southern Methodist University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Policy Major list. SMU is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Dallas, Texas. It awarded 49 bachelors’s public policy degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, 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 90%.

Read full report on Public Policy at SMU

24
Susquehanna crest
Susquehanna University
Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania

Susquehanna University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Policy Major ranking, coming in at #24. Located in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 6 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s public policy students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Susquehanna University Public Policy Report

25
University of Redlands crest
University of Redlands
Redlands, California

University of Redlands landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Policy Major ranking. Redlands, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s public policy degrees to 18 students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Redlands Public Policy Report

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