2023 Most Focused Colleges for Public Policy in the Southeast Region
32
Ranked Colleges
1,260
Degrees Awarded
$31,100
Avg Cost*
When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southeast Region” ranking is part of that endeavor.
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.
This year’s “Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southeast Region” ranking looked at 32 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s 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.
For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
One Size Does Not Fit All
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 Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southeast Region”.
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.
Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southeast Region
The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southeast Region”.
Top 25 Most Focused Colleges for Public Policy in the Southeast Region
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 Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southeast Region. Duke University is located in Durham, North Carolina and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 269 ’s public policy degrees to qualified students.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. 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%. 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.
Read more about Public Policy at Duke University
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southeast Region list. UNC Chapel Hill is a large school located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina that handed out 190 ’s public policy degrees in 2020-2021.
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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%.
Read full report on Public Policy at UNC Chapel Hill
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Virginia - Main Campus. The school came in at #3 for the Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southeast Region. Charlottesville, Virginia is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s public policy degrees to 165 students in 2020-2021.
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%. 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 University of Virginia
Out of the 32 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southeast Region that were part of this year’s ranking, William & Mary landed the #4 spot on the list. Williamsburg, Virginia is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s public policy degrees to 55 students in 2020-2021.
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 93%.
Read full report on Public Policy at William & Mary
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Regent University. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southeast Region list. Virginia Beach, Virginia is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s public policy degrees to 37 students in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Public Policy at Regent
Vanderbilt University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southeast Region ranking. This fairly large school is located in Nashville, Tennessee, and it awarded 59 ’s public policy degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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 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 Vanderbilt
With a ranking of #7, Jacksonville University did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southeast Region list. Located in Jacksonville, Florida, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 13 degrees to qualified ’s public policy students in 2020-2021.
Full JU Public Policy Report
With a ranking of #8, Tuskegee University did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southeast Region list. Tuskegee is a small school located in Tuskegee, Alabama that handed out 7 ’s public policy degrees in 2020-2021.
Full Tuskegee University Public Policy Report
Young Harris College ranked #9 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southeast Region list. Young Harris, Georgia is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s public policy degrees to 2 students in 2020-2021.
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%.
Full Young Harris College Public Policy Report
University of Mississippi landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southeast Region ranking. Located in University, Mississippi, this large public school handed out 51 diplomas to qualified ’s public policy students in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read more about Public Policy at Ole Miss
George Mason University did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #11. 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.
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 low undergrad 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%.
Read more about Public Policy at GMU
Oakwood University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southeast Region ranking. Oakwood University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Huntsville, Alabama. The school has a small population, and it awarded 2 ’s degrees 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.
Full Oakwood Public Policy Report
Southern University and A & M College landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southeast Region ranking. Southern University and A & M College is a public institution located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 8 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Public Policy at Southern University and A & M College
Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southeast Region ranking. Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus is a large school located in Atlanta, Georgia that handed out 36 ’s public policy degrees in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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%.
Read full report on Public Policy at Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus
Georgia State University ranked #15 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southeast Region list. Located in Atlanta, Georgia, this large public school awarded 30 degrees to qualified ’s public policy students in 2020-2021.
Full Georgia State Public Policy Report
Mercer University ranked #16 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southeast Region list. Mercer University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Macon, Georgia. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 10 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
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%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read more about Public Policy at Mercer University
Liberty University came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southeast Region ranking. Located in Lynchburg, Virginia, this large private not-for-profit school handed out 98 diplomas to qualified ’s public policy students in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Public Policy at Liberty University
Virginia Tech ranked #18 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southeast Region list. Virginia Tech is a large public school situated in Blacksburg, Virginia. It awarded 27 ’s public policy degrees in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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
Augusta University landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southeast Region ranking. Augusta University is a medium-sized school located in Augusta, Georgia that handed out 6 ’s public policy 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%.
Read more about Public Policy at Augusta University
With a ranking of #20, Trevecca Nazarene University did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southeast Region list. TNU is a private not-for-profit institution located in Nashville, Tennessee. The school has a small population, and it awarded 3 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Full TNU Public Policy Report
The University of Tennessee - Knoxville did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #21. Located in Knoxville, Tennessee, this large public school awarded 28 diplomas to qualified ’s public policy students in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on Public Policy at The University of Tennessee - Knoxville
Marshall University ranked #22 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southeast Region list. Located in Huntington, West Virginia, this fairly large public school awarded 6 degrees to qualified ’s public policy students in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Public Policy at Marshall University
American Public University System ranked #23 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southeast Region list. American Military University is a large private for-profit school situated in Charles Town, West Virginia. It awarded 17 ’s public policy degrees in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 98%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read more about Public Policy at American Military University
University of Kentucky came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southeast Region ranking. UK is a public institution located in Lexington, Kentucky. The school has a large population, and it awarded 22 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.3% 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%. 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
University of Arkansas came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Southeast Region ranking. University of Arkansas is a large public school situated in Fayetteville, Arkansas. It awarded 8 ’s public policy degrees in 2020-2021.
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 undergrad student loan default rate of 4.1% 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 UARK
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