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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Public Administration & Social Service (Income $0-$30k) in the Southeast Region

153 Ranked Colleges
8,298 Degrees Awarded
$5,300 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor's in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking is part of that endeavor.

Public Administration & Social Service is the 14th most popular major in the country with 97,666 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. In 2017-2018, public administration and social service graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $39,142 and had an average of $32,304 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Southeast region, there were 18,917 public administration and social service graduates with average earnings and debt of $36,769 and $33,585 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 8,298 public administration and social service graduates with average earnings and debt of $36,277 and $25,415 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking analyzed 153 colleges that offered a degree in public administration and social service. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality public administration and social service programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the public administration and social service program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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 Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k” list to help you make the college decision.

To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k

The colleges and universities below are the best for southeast region bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $0-$30k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Public Administration & Social Service (Income $0-$30k) in the Southeast Region

#1

Duke University

Durham, North Carolina
#1 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Duke University. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Duke is located in Durham, North Carolina and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 233 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees to qualified students.

Duke did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It costs about $-7,808 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Duke. When an average net price is negative, it usually means that the student will receive more financial aid than it costs to attend the school.

The low 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at Duke

#2

Vanderbilt University

Nashville, Tennessee
#3 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Vanderbilt University. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k. Nashville, Tennessee is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees to 37 students in 2019-2020.

Vanderbilt not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It costs about $3,156 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Vanderbilt University.

With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The impressive 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 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%.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at Vanderbilt University

#3

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, North Carolina
#4 in overall quality

Out of the 153 schools in the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill landed the #3 spot on the list. UNC Chapel Hill is a large school located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina that handed out 168 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

UNC Chapel Hill did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The yearly cost to attend UNC Chapel Hill is $4,026 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.9%, 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 95%.

Full University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Public Administration & Social Service Report

#4

William & Mary

Williamsburg, Virginia
#5 in overall quality

Out of the 153 schools in the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, William & Mary landed the #4 spot on the list. William & Mary is a medium-sized public school situated in Williamsburg, Virginia. It awarded 54 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at William & Mary, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend William & Mary is $4,711 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low 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%.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at William & Mary

#22 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Florida International University. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k. Florida International University is a public institution located in Miami, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 184 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

FIU also made our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #22. It costs about $5,002 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Florida International University.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at FIU

#6

Florida State University

Tallahassee, Florida
#10 in overall quality

Florida State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #6. Florida State is located in Tallahassee, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 104 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees to qualified students.

Florida State also took the #10 spot in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Florida State University is $5,360 for southeast region bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 3.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at Florida State University

#23 in overall quality

University of South Florida - Main Campus ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of South Florida - Main Campus is a public institution located in Tampa, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 139 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at USF Tampa, the school also landed the #23 spot in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of South Florida - Main Campus is $3,950 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 4.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at University of South Florida - Main Campus

#8

The University of West Florida

Pensacola, Florida
Top 20% in overall quality

The University of West Florida ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This fairly large school is located in Pensacola, Florida, and it awarded 73 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on this list, UWF is in the top on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The estimated yearly cost for UWF is $4,140 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at UWF

#9

Indian River State College

Fort Pierce, Florida

Indian River State College ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This fairly large school is located in Fort Pierce, Florida, and it awarded 144 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $1,402 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Indian River State College.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at Indian River State College

#10

University of Central Florida

Orlando, Florida
#25 in overall quality

University of Central Florida came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Orlando, Florida is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees to 188 students in 2019-2020.

UCF also took the #25 spot in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Central Florida is $6,211 for southeast region bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $0-$30k.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at University of Central Florida

#11

Northern Kentucky University

Highland Heights, Kentucky
Top 25% in overall quality

Northern Kentucky University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #11. Northern Kentucky University is a public institution located in Highland Heights, Kentucky. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 69 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Northern Kentucky University is $4,156 for southeast region bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at Northern Kentucky University

#12

North Carolina State University

Raleigh, North Carolina
#9 in overall quality

North Carolina State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #12. NC State is a public institution located in Raleigh, North Carolina. The school has a large population, and it awarded 66 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

NC State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for North Carolina State University is $7,285 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at North Carolina State University

#13

Appalachian State University

Boone, North Carolina
#14 in overall quality

With a ranking of #13, Appalachian State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Appalachian State University is a public institution located in Boone, North Carolina. The school has a large population, and it awarded 89 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Appalachian State also took the #14 spot in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Appalachian State is $7,169 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $0-$30k.

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 student loan default rate at the school is 3.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at Appalachian State

#14

University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Greensboro, North Carolina
#12 in overall quality

University of North Carolina at Greensboro came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Greensboro, North Carolina, and it awarded 94 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

UNC Greensboro not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of North Carolina at Greensboro is $8,853 for southeast region bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at UNC Greensboro

#15

Florida Gulf Coast University

Fort Myers, Florida
#18 in overall quality

Florida Gulf Coast University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #15. Located in Fort Myers, Florida, this fairly large public school handed out 54 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s public administration and social service students in 2019-2020.

FGCU also took the #18 spot in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $7,824 for southeast region bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Florida Gulf Coast University.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at FGCU

#16

University of North Florida

Jacksonville, Florida

University of North Florida landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Jacksonville, Florida, and it awarded 25 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend UNF is $5,097 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $0-$30k.

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

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at UNF

#17

University of Virginia - Main Campus

Charlottesville, Virginia
#2 in overall quality

University of Virginia - Main Campus came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of Virginia - Main Campus is located in Charlottesville, Virginia and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 82 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees to qualified students.

University of Virginia also took the #2 spot in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Virginia - Main Campus is $8,882 for southeast region bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 1.6% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at University of Virginia - Main Campus

#18

St Petersburg College

Clearwater, Florida

St Petersburg College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #18. St Petersburg College is a public institution located in Clearwater, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 45 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for St Petersburg College is $1,454 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full St Petersburg College Public Administration & Social Service Report

#19

Florida Atlantic University

Boca Raton, Florida
Top 25% in overall quality

Florida Atlantic University landed the #19 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Florida Atlantic University is a large public school situated in Boca Raton, Florida. It awarded 248 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $6,085 for southeast region bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend FAU.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at Florida Atlantic University

#20

Dalton State College

Dalton, Georgia

With a ranking of #20, Dalton State College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This small school is located in Dalton, Georgia, and it awarded 19 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Dalton State College is $5,150 for southeast region bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at DSC

#21

University of Georgia

Athens, Georgia
#19 in overall quality

University of Georgia did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #21. Located in Athens, Georgia, this large public school handed out 45 degrees to qualified bachelors’s public administration and social service students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UGA, the school also landed the #19 spot in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Georgia is $7,541 for southeast region bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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%.

Full UGA Public Administration & Social Service Report

#22

Shepherd University

Shepherdstown, West Virginia

Shepherd University ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Shepherd University is located in Shepherdstown, West Virginia and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 22 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend Shepherd University is $8,068 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Shepherd University Public Administration & Social Service Report

#23

Fayetteville State University

Fayetteville, North Carolina

Fayetteville State University came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Fayetteville, North Carolina, and it awarded 66 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Fayetteville State University is $4,330 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at Fayetteville State University

#24

University of Mississippi

University, Mississippi

University of Mississippi came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This large school is located in University, Mississippi, and it awarded 144 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Ole Miss is $9,455 for southeast region bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at University of Mississippi

#25

Virginia Tech

Blacksburg, Virginia
#7 in overall quality

With a ranking of #25, Virginia Tech did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Blacksburg, Virginia, this large public school awarded 28 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s public administration and social service students in 2019-2020.

Virginia Tech also made our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #7. The yearly cost to attend Virginia Tech is $11,138 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The low student loan default rate of 1.6% 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%.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at Virginia Tech

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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.

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