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2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k

29 Ranked Colleges
4,029 Degrees Awarded
$12,400 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

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 Massachusetts, there were 4,029 public administration and social service graduates with average earnings and debt of $44,551 and $32,142 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking looked at 29 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in public administration and social service. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great public administration and social service programs and cost less that 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. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank Public Administration & Social Service Schools

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 in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k” list to help you make the college decision.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Public Administration & Social Service (Income $0-$30k) in Massachusetts

#1

Harvard University

Cambridge, Massachusetts

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Harvard University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k. Harvard is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It awarded 539 ’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

Harvard also took the #1 spot in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. It costs about $2,973 for massachusetts public administration & social service students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Harvard.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The low 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%.

Full Harvard Public Administration & Social Service Report

#2

Bristol Community College

Fall River, Massachusetts

Out of the 29 schools in the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Bristol Community College landed the #2 spot on the list. Bristol Community College is located in Fall River, Massachusetts and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 66 ’s public administration and social service degrees to qualified students.

Bristol also took the #10 spot in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. It costs about $5,539 for Massachusetts Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Bristol.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at Bristol Community College

#3

Holyoke Community College

Holyoke, Massachusetts

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Holyoke Community College. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k list. Holyoke Community College is located in Holyoke, Massachusetts and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 49 ’s public administration and social service degrees to qualified students.

Holyoke Community College also took the #6 spot in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Holyoke Community College is $6,366 for Massachusetts Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Holyoke Community College Public Administration & Social Service Report

#4

Quinsigamond Community College

Worcester, Massachusetts

Out of the 29 schools in the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Quinsigamond Community College landed the #4 spot on the list. Quinsigamond Community College is a medium-sized public school situated in Worcester, Massachusetts. It awarded 85 ’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

Quinsigamond Community College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #16 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Schools in Massachusetts” list. The yearly cost to attend Quinsigamond Community College is $5,604 for massachusetts public administration & social service students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at Quinsigamond Community College

#5

Boston College

Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Boston College. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k list. Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s public administration and social service degrees to 221 students in 2019-2020.

Boston College did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Schools in Massachusetts” list. The estimated yearly cost for Boston College is $6,353 for Massachusetts Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $0-$30k.

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 school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Boston College Public Administration & Social Service Report

#6

Smith College

Northampton, Massachusetts

Smith College landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This small school is located in Northampton, Massachusetts, and it awarded 126 ’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our massachusetts public administration & social service students whose families make $0-$30k list, Smith has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Smith is $6,075 for Massachusetts Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at Smith College

#7

Bunker Hill Community College

Boston, Massachusetts

Bunker Hill Community College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #7. Boston, Massachusetts is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s public administration and social service degrees to 22 students in 2019-2020.

BHCC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #17 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Schools in Massachusetts” list. The yearly cost to attend BHCC is $7,337 for Massachusetts Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at Bunker Hill Community College

#8

Mount Wachusett Community College

Gardner, Massachusetts

With a ranking of #8, Mount Wachusett Community College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k list. Gardner, Massachusetts is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s public administration and social service degrees to 51 students in 2019-2020.

MWCC also made our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Schools in Massachusetts” list, coming in at #22. The estimated yearly cost for Mount Wachusett Community College is $6,271 for massachusetts public administration & social service students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full MWCC Public Administration & Social Service Report

#9

Tufts University

Medford, Massachusetts

Tufts University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Tufts University is located in Medford, Massachusetts and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 19 ’s public administration and social service degrees to qualified students.

Tufts not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Schools in Massachusetts” list. The yearly cost to attend Tufts is $5,267 for Massachusetts Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 1.2% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. With a 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 Administration & Social Service at Tufts University

#10

Boston University

Boston, Massachusetts

With a ranking of #10, Boston University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k list. Boston University is located in Boston, Massachusetts and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 376 ’s public administration and social service degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Boston U, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Boston U is $12,903 for massachusetts public administration & social service students whose families make $0-$30k.

The 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 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at Boston U

#11

Northeastern University

Boston, Massachusetts

With a ranking of #11, Northeastern University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k list. Northeastern is a private not-for-profit institution located in Boston, Massachusetts. The school has a large population, and it awarded 28 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Northeastern also made our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Schools in Massachusetts” list, coming in at #7. It costs about $10,239 for Massachusetts Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Northeastern University.

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 low student loan default rate of 2.2% 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 full report on Public Administration & Social Service at Northeastern

#12

Westfield State University

Westfield, Massachusetts

With a ranking of #12, Westfield State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Westfield, Massachusetts, this medium-sized public school handed out 155 degrees to qualified ’s public administration and social service students in 2019-2020.

Westfield did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Schools in Massachusetts” list. It costs about $12,672 for Massachusetts Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Westfield State University.

The low 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%.

Full Westfield State University Public Administration & Social Service Report

#13

Fitchburg State University

Fitchburg, Massachusetts

Fitchburg State University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, and it awarded 38 ’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

Fitchburg State also took the #12 spot in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. It costs about $11,770 for Massachusetts Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Fitchburg State.

Full Fitchburg State Public Administration & Social Service Report

#14

Brandeis University

Waltham, Massachusetts

Brandeis University came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Waltham, Massachusetts, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 163 diplomas to qualified ’s public administration and social service students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our massachusetts public administration & social service students whose families make $0-$30k list, Brandeis has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Brandeis is $13,567 for Massachusetts Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%.

Full Brandeis Public Administration & Social Service Report

#15

Bridgewater State University

Bridgewater, Massachusetts

Bridgewater State University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Bridgewater, Massachusetts, this fairly large public school awarded 141 diplomas to qualified ’s public administration and social service students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our massachusetts public administration & social service students whose families make $0-$30k list, Bridgewater State has also earned the #18 rank in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. It costs about $13,332 for massachusetts public administration & social service students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Bridgewater State University.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at Bridgewater State University

#16

University of Massachusetts Amherst

Amherst, Massachusetts

University of Massachusetts Amherst landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Amherst, Massachusetts is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s public administration and social service degrees to 95 students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend University of Massachusetts Amherst is $13,137 for massachusetts public administration & social service students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, 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 more about Public Administration & Social Service at UMass Amherst

#17

Salem State University

Salem, Massachusetts

Salem State University ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k list. Salem State University is a public institution located in Salem, Massachusetts. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 193 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our massachusetts public administration & social service students whose families make $0-$30k list, Salem State has also earned the #20 rank in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Salem State University is $14,593 for Massachusetts Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at Salem State

#18

University of Massachusetts - Boston

Boston, Massachusetts

University of Massachusetts - Boston did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #18. UMass Boston is located in Boston, Massachusetts and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 90 ’s public administration and social service degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $13,859 for massachusetts public administration & social service students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UMass Boston.

Full UMass Boston Public Administration & Social Service Report

#19

Quincy College

Quincy, Massachusetts

Quincy College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #19. Quincy College is a small school located in Quincy, Massachusetts that handed out 37 ’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $14,386 for massachusetts public administration & social service students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Quincy College.

Full Quincy College Public Administration & Social Service Report

#20

Simmons University

Boston, Massachusetts

Simmons University ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Boston, Massachusetts, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 597 degrees to qualified ’s public administration and social service students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our massachusetts public administration & social service students whose families make $0-$30k list, Simmons has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Simmons is $22,999 for massachusetts public administration & social service students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a 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 student loan default rate. It’s only 2.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at Simmons University

#21

Springfield College

Springfield, Massachusetts

Springfield College ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k list. Springfield College is a small school located in Springfield, Massachusetts that handed out 118 ’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

Springfield College also made our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Schools in Massachusetts” list, coming in at #14. The yearly cost to attend Springfield College is $19,586 for massachusetts 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 85%.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at Springfield College

#22

Clark University

Worcester, Massachusetts

Clark University came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Clark University is located in Worcester, Massachusetts and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 69 ’s public administration and social service degrees to qualified students.

Clark also took the #24 spot in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Clark is $22,734 for Massachusetts Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at Clark University

#23

Elms College

Chicopee, Massachusetts

Elms College came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This small school is located in Chicopee, Massachusetts, and it awarded 46 ’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Elms College, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. It costs about $18,504 for massachusetts public administration & social service students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Elms College.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at Elms College

#24

Gordon College

Wenham, Massachusetts

Gordon College ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k list. This small school is located in Wenham, Massachusetts, and it awarded 18 ’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

Gordon College also took the #19 spot in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Gordon College is $22,732 for massachusetts public administration & social service students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 2.4% 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%. The impressive 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 Administration & Social Service at Gordon College

#25

Anna Maria College

Paxton, Massachusetts

Anna Maria College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #25. This small school is located in Paxton, Massachusetts, and it awarded 153 ’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

Anna Maria did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Schools in Massachusetts” list. The yearly cost to attend Anna Maria is $21,602 for massachusetts public administration & social service students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at Anna Maria College

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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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