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2023 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Public Policy in the Southeast Region

17 Ranked Colleges
434 Degrees Awarded
$58,647 Avg Salary
Schools for a Master's Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southeast Region

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. 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 Master’s Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southeast Region” 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.

Across the Southeast region, there were 1,260 public policy graduates with average earnings and debt of $50,417 and $21,515 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 434 public policy graduates with average earnings and debt of $55,213 and $0 respectively.

For this year’s “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southeast Region” ranking, we looked at 17 colleges that offer a degree in public policy. The colleges and universities that top this list are recognized because their public policy program is one of the largest majors offered at the school.

See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southeast Region” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

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. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southeast Region

The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southeast Region”.

Top 17 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Public Policy in the Southeast Region

1
Duke crest
Duke University
Durham, North Carolina

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Duke University. The school came in at #1 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southeast Region. Located in Durham, North Carolina, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 76 degrees to qualified masters’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. 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. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Public Policy at Duke

2
JU crest
Jacksonville University
Jacksonville, Florida

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Jacksonville University. The school came in at #2 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southeast Region. JU is a small school located in Jacksonville, Florida that handed out 13 masters’s public policy degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Public Policy at Jacksonville University

3
University of Virginia crest
University of Virginia - Main Campus
Charlottesville, Virginia

Out of the 17 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southeast Region that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Virginia - Main Campus landed the #3 spot on the list. Charlottesville, Virginia is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s public policy degrees to 89 students in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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%.

Full University of Virginia Public Policy Report

4
Tuskegee crest
Tuskegee University
Tuskegee, Alabama

Out of the 17 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southeast Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Tuskegee University landed the #4 spot on the list. Tuskegee is located in Tuskegee, Alabama and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 7 masters’s public policy degrees to qualified students.

Full Tuskegee University Public Policy Report

5
GMU crest
George Mason University
Fairfax, Virginia

Out of the 17 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southeast Region that were part of this year’s ranking, George Mason University landed the #5 spot on the list. George Mason University is located in Fairfax, Virginia and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 74 masters’s public policy degrees to qualified students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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%.

Full George Mason University Public Policy Report

6
Vanderbilt crest
Vanderbilt University
Nashville, Tennessee

Vanderbilt University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southeast Region ranking. Vanderbilt University is located in Nashville, Tennessee and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 24 masters’s public policy degrees to qualified students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. 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 undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Public Policy at Vanderbilt

7
Liberty University crest
Liberty University
Lynchburg, Virginia

Liberty University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southeast Region ranking. Lynchburg, Virginia is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s public policy degrees to 81 students in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Public Policy at Liberty University

8

The University of Tennessee - Knoxville ranked #8 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southeast Region list. UT Knoxville is a large school located in Knoxville, Tennessee that handed out 17 masters’s public policy degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full UT Knoxville Public Policy Report

9
Marshall University crest
Marshall University
Huntington, West Virginia

Marshall University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #9. Located in Huntington, West Virginia, this fairly large public school handed out 6 degrees to qualified masters’s public policy students in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Public Policy at Marshall University

10

Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #10. Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus is a large public school situated in Atlanta, Georgia. It awarded 18 masters’s public policy degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Public Policy at Georgia Tech

11
American Military University crest
American Public University System
Charles Town, West Virginia

American Public University System landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southeast Region ranking. This large school is located in Charles Town, West Virginia, and it awarded 17 masters’s public policy degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 98%.

Full American Military University Public Policy Report

12
UK crest
University of Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky

University of Kentucky did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #12. UK is located in Lexington, Kentucky and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 9 masters’s public policy degrees to qualified students.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Public Policy at University of Kentucky

13
William & Mary crest
William & Mary
Williamsburg, Virginia

With a ranking of #13, William & Mary did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southeast Region list. This medium-sized school is located in Williamsburg, Virginia, and it awarded 3 masters’s public policy degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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%.

Full William & Mary Public Policy Report

14

University of Central Florida came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southeast Region ranking. UCF is a large school located in Orlando, Florida that handed out 0 masters’s public policy degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.7% 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 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Public Policy at University of Central Florida

14
Regent crest
Regent University
Virginia Beach, Virginia

Regent University landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southeast Region ranking. Located in Virginia Beach, Virginia, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 37 diplomas to qualified masters’s public policy students in 2020-2021.

Full Regent Public Policy Report

14

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southeast Region ranking. UNC Chapel Hill is a large public school situated in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. It awarded 190 masters’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%. With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

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

14
UNO crest
University of New Orleans
New Orleans, Louisiana

With a ranking of #14, University of New Orleans did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southeast Region list. UNO is a medium-sized school located in New Orleans, Louisiana that handed out 0 masters’s public policy degrees in 2020-2021.

Full University of New Orleans Public Policy Report

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