by our College Data Analytics TeamIn 2024, College Factual analyzed 46 schools in order to identify the top ones for its Best Public Policy Bachelor's Degree Schools ranking. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 2,603 bachelor's degrees in public policy during the 2020-2021 academic year.
What's on this page: * Our Methodology
Your choice of public policy for getting your bachelor's degree school matters. This section explores some of the factors we include in our ranking and how much they vary depending on the school you select. When choosing a school we recommend considering some of the following factors:
The overall quality of a bachelor's degree school is important to ensure a good education, not just how well they do in a particular major. To account for this we consider a school's overall Best Colleges ranking which itself looks at a collection of different factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.
To determine the overall quality of a graduate school, one factor we look at is the average early-career salary of those receiving their bachelor's degree from the school. This is because one of the main reasons people pursue their bachelor's degree is to enable themselves to find better-paying positions.
The metrics below are just some of the other metrics that we use to determine our rankings.
Our full ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best schools for public policy students working on their bachelor's degree.
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we've developed a number of rankings, including this Best Public Policy Bachelor's Degree Schools 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.
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
BS in Business Administration - Public Administration
Prepare yourself to make the decisions that best serve a community, its constituents and its economic growth with this specialized business degree from Southern New Hampshire University.
Learn about the top ranked colleges and universities for public policy students seeking a a bachelor's degree.
University of Chicago is one of the best schools in the United States for getting a bachelor's degree in public policy. UChicago is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Chicago.
Bachelor's recipients from the public policy major at University of Chicago get $13,067 more than the standard college graduate with the same degree when they enter the workforce.
More information about a bachelor’s in public policy from University of Chicago
Duke University is a good option for students pursuing a bachelor's degree in public policy. Duke is a large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Durham.
Bachelor's recipients from the public policy program at Duke University get $13,337 more than the typical graduate with the same degree when they enter the workforce.
More information about a bachelor’s in public policy from Duke University
It is hard to beat Princeton University if you want to pursue a bachelor's degree in public policy. Located in the small city of Princeton, Princeton is a private not-for-profit university with a medium-sized student population.
Public Policy bachelor's degree recipients from Princeton University receive an earnings boost of approximately $12,412 above the average earnings of public policy graduates.
More information about a bachelor’s in public policy from Princeton University
Cornell University is a great decision for individuals interested in a bachelor's degree in public policy. Located in the city of Ithaca, Cornell is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population.
Those public policy students who get their bachelor's degree from Cornell University make $27,867 more than the average public policy graduate.
More information about a bachelor’s in public policy from Cornell University
UPenn is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Philadelphia.More information about a bachelor’s in public policy from University of Pennsylvania
Located in the city of Los Angeles, USC is a private not-for-profit university with a very large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in public policy from University of Southern California
Located in the small city of Evanston, Northwestern is a private not-for-profit university with a very large student population.
Those public policy students who get their bachelor's degree from Northwestern University earn $2,603 more than the average public policy grad.
More information about a bachelor’s in public policy from Northwestern University
Located in the city of Chapel Hill, UNC Chapel Hill is a public university with a fairly large student population.
Students who graduate with their bachelor's from the public policy program state that they receive average early career wages of $39,751.
More information about a bachelor’s in public policy from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
UCLA is a very large public university located in the large city of Los Angeles.More information about a bachelor’s in public policy from University of California - Los Angeles
Located in the city of Ann Arbor, U-M is a public university with a very large student population.
Those public policy students who get their bachelor's degree from University of Michigan - Ann Arbor make $6,331 more than the standard public policy graduate.
More information about a bachelor’s in public policy from University of Michigan - Ann ArborLearn about other programs related to Public Policy that might interest you.
View the Best Public Policy Bachelor's Degree Schools for a specific region near you.
Public Policy is one of 4 different types of Public Administration & Social Service programs to choose from.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| General Public Policy Analysis | 2,276 |
| Health Policy Analysis | 189 |
| International Policy Analysis | 138 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Human Services | 6,292 |
| Public Administration | 3,076 |
| Community Organization & Advocacy | 1,884 |
| Other Public Administration | 157 |
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