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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Public Administration & Social Service (Income $30-$48k) in the Southeast Region

153 Ranked Colleges
8,298 Degrees Awarded
$6,900 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor's in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. 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 $30-$48k” ranking is part of that endeavor.

In 2019-2020, 97,666 people earned their degree in public administration and social service, making the major the 14th most popular in the United States. 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 $30-$48k” ranking looked at 153 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.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the public administration and social service program at the school. 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 for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k” list to help you make the college decision.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. 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 for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Public Administration & Social Service (Income $30-$48k) in the Southeast Region

#1

Duke University

Durham, North Carolina
#1 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 $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Duke University landed the #1 spot on the list. Duke is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Durham, North Carolina. It awarded 233 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

Duke not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It costs about $-1,314 for southeast region bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Duke University. The negative number means the student will receive more financial aid on average than it costs to attend the school.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The 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 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 $30-$48k. Vanderbilt is a private not-for-profit institution located in Nashville, Tennessee. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 37 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Vanderbilt also made our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #3. It costs about $6,017 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Vanderbilt University.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

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 $30-$48k 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 located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 168 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees to qualified students.

UNC Chapel Hill also made our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #4. It costs about $6,063 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

#4

The University of West Florida

Pensacola, Florida
Top 20% 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 $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, The University of West Florida landed the #4 spot on the 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.

UWF also claimed a top spot 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 The University of West Florida is $3,912 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $30-$48k.

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

#5

University of Virginia - Main Campus

Charlottesville, Virginia
#2 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Virginia - Main Campus. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of Virginia is a public institution located in Charlottesville, Virginia. The school has a large population, and it awarded 82 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

University of Virginia did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It costs about $11,696 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Virginia.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

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

#6

William & Mary

Williamsburg, Virginia
#5 in overall quality

William & Mary landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Williamsburg, Virginia is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees to 54 students in 2019-2020.

William & Mary also made our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #5. The yearly cost to attend William & Mary is $4,963 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, 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 more about Public Administration & Social Service at William & Mary

#22 in overall quality

Florida International 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 $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #7. Florida International University is located in Miami, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 184 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees to qualified students.

FIU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #22 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It costs about $6,683 for southeast region bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Florida International University.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.

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

#8

Indian River State College

Fort Pierce, Florida

Indian River State College landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. 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.

The yearly cost to attend Indian River State College is $1,475 for southeast region bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $30-$48k.

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

#23 in overall quality

With a ranking of #9, University of South Florida - Main Campus did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of South Florida - Main Campus is a large school located in Tampa, Florida that handed out 139 bachelors’s public administration and social service 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 $5,616 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 4.5% 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 University of South Florida - Main Campus Public Administration & Social Service Report

#10

Florida State University

Tallahassee, Florida
#10 in overall quality

Florida State University landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Tallahassee, Florida, this large public school handed out 104 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s public administration and social service students in 2019-2020.

Florida State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #10 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It costs about $6,816 for southeast region bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Florida State.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. The low student loan default rate of 3.5% 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 Administration & Social Service at Florida State

#11

University of Central Florida

Orlando, Florida
#25 in overall quality

University of Central Florida came in at #11 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 $30-$48k ranking. This large school is located in Orlando, Florida, and it awarded 188 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees 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. It costs about $7,847 for southeast region bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UCF.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.2%, 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 92%.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at UCF

#12

Northern Kentucky University

Highland Heights, Kentucky
Top 25% in overall quality

With a ranking of #12, Northern Kentucky 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 $30-$48k list. NKU 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 yearly cost to attend NKU is $6,295 for southeast region bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at NKU

#13

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 $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #13. FGCU is a fairly large school located in Fort Myers, Florida that handed out 54 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at FGCU, the school also landed the #18 spot in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $8,748 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Florida Gulf Coast University.

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

#14

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 $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #14. Raleigh, North Carolina is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees to 66 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at NC State, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for NC State is $9,887 for southeast region bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, 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 94%.

Full North Carolina State University Public Administration & Social Service Report

#15

University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Greensboro, North Carolina
#12 in overall quality

University of North Carolina at Greensboro did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #15. UNC Greensboro is a public institution located in Greensboro, North Carolina. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 94 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UNC Greensboro also took the #12 spot in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UNC Greensboro is $10,808 for southeast region bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $30-$48k.

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

#16

Dalton State College

Dalton, Georgia

Dalton State College ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Dalton, Georgia, this small public school awarded 19 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s public administration and social service students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Dalton State College is $5,799 for southeast region bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at Dalton State College

#17

University of North Florida

Jacksonville, Florida

University of North Florida did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #17. Located in Jacksonville, Florida, this fairly large public school handed out 25 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s public administration and social service students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for University of North Florida is $5,942 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at UNF

#18

Appalachian State University

Boone, North Carolina
#14 in overall quality

Appalachian 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 $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #18. Appalachian State University is located in Boone, North Carolina and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 89 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Appalachian State, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Appalachian State University is $9,884 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.9% 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 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

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

#19

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 $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #19. This large school is located in Clearwater, Florida, and it awarded 45 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $3,182 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend St Petersburg College.

Full SPC Public Administration & Social Service Report

#20

Florida Atlantic University

Boca Raton, Florida
Top 25% in overall quality

Florida Atlantic 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 $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #20. Located in Boca Raton, Florida, this large public school handed out 248 degrees to qualified bachelors’s public administration and social service students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $7,331 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Florida Atlantic University.

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

#21

Shepherd University

Shepherdstown, West Virginia

Shepherd University came in at #21 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 $30-$48k ranking. Shepherd University is a public institution located in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. The school has a small population, and it awarded 22 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Shepherd University is $8,377 for southeast region bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $30-$48k.

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

#22

University of Georgia

Athens, Georgia
#19 in overall quality

University of Georgia ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. UGA is a public institution located in Athens, Georgia. The school has a large population, and it awarded 45 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UGA did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #19 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Georgia is $10,241 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at UGA

#23

Fayetteville State University

Fayetteville, North Carolina

Fayetteville 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 $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #23. Fayetteville State University is a medium-sized school located in Fayetteville, North Carolina that handed out 66 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $5,703 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Fayetteville State University.

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

#24

West Virginia University

Morgantown, West Virginia
Top 20% in overall quality

West Virginia University 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 $30-$48k ranking. This large school is located in Morgantown, West Virginia, and it awarded 57 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

WVU excels when it comes to public administration and social service quality. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for WVU is $10,486 for southeast region bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full WVU Public Administration & Social Service Report

#25

Augusta University

Augusta, Georgia
Top 25% in overall quality

Augusta 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 $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #25. Augusta, Georgia is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees to 18 students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Augusta University is $9,816 for southeast region bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full Augusta University Public Administration & Social Service Report

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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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