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2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Getting Aid

18 Ranked Colleges
917 Degrees Awarded
$20,800 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor's in Virginia For Those Getting Aid

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 for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Getting Aid” 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 Virginia, there were 2,005 public administration and social service graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 917 public administration and social service graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Getting Aid” ranking analyzed 18 colleges that offered a degree 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

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Getting Aid” 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. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Getting Aid

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Getting Aid.

Top 18 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Public Administration & Social Service in Virginia (With Aid)

#1

University of Virginia - Main Campus

Charlottesville, Virginia
#1 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Virginia - Main Campus. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Getting Aid. 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 #1 spot in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Virginia - Main Campus is $20,397 for virginia bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students with aid.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. 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 University of Virginia - Main Campus

#2

William & Mary

Williamsburg, Virginia
#2 in overall quality

Out of the 18 schools in the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, William & Mary landed the #2 spot on the list. This medium-sized school is located in Williamsburg, Virginia, and 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 #2 spot in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for William & Mary is $19,800 for Virginia Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students with aid.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full William & Mary Public Administration & Social Service Report

#3

James Madison University

Harrisonburg, Virginia
#4 in overall quality

Out of the 18 schools in the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, James Madison University landed the #3 spot on the list. James Madison University is located in Harrisonburg, Virginia and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 100 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our virginia bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students with aid list, JMU has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” ranking. The yearly cost to attend James Madison University is $22,169 for virginia bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students with aid.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, 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 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at James Madison University

#4

Radford University

Radford, Virginia
#9 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Radford University. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Getting Aid. Radford University is a public institution located in Radford, Virginia. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 38 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Radford did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” list. The estimated yearly cost for Radford is $16,447 for virginia bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students with aid.

Full Radford Public Administration & Social Service Report

#5

Virginia Tech

Blacksburg, Virginia
#3 in overall quality

Out of the 18 schools in the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Virginia Tech landed the #5 spot on the list. Blacksburg, Virginia is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees to 28 students in 2019-2020.

Virginia Tech not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” list. The estimated yearly cost for Virginia Tech is $21,198 for virginia bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students with aid.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%.

Full Virginia Tech Public Administration & Social Service Report

#6

George Mason University

Fairfax, Virginia
#6 in overall quality

George Mason University landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Getting Aid ranking. George Mason University is a large public school situated in Fairfax, Virginia. It awarded 81 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

GMU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” list. It costs about $21,048 for Virginia Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students with aid per year to attend George Mason University.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, 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 86%.

Full George Mason University Public Administration & Social Service Report

#5 in overall quality

Virginia Commonwealth University landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Getting Aid ranking. Virginia Commonwealth University is a large public school situated in Richmond, Virginia. It awarded 114 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

VCU also made our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” list, coming in at #5. The yearly cost to attend VCU is $22,021 for Virginia Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students with aid.

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 VCU

#8

Norfolk State University

Norfolk, Virginia
#11 in overall quality

Norfolk State University landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Getting Aid ranking. Norfolk, 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 56 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Norfolk State, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Norfolk State University is $12,645 for virginia bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students with aid.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at Norfolk State

#9

Mary Baldwin University

Staunton, Virginia
#10 in overall quality

With a ranking of #9, Mary Baldwin University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Staunton, Virginia, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 22 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s public administration and social service students in 2019-2020.

Mary Baldwin did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” list. The estimated yearly cost for Mary Baldwin is $16,982 for virginia bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students with aid.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at Mary Baldwin

#10

Regent University

Virginia Beach, Virginia
#18 in overall quality

Regent University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #10. Regent is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Virginia Beach, Virginia. It awarded 26 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

Regent did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #18 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” list. The estimated yearly cost for Regent University is $15,267 for Virginia Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students with aid.

Full Regent Public Administration & Social Service Report

#11

Eastern Mennonite University

Harrisonburg, Virginia
#8 in overall quality

Eastern Mennonite University ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Getting Aid list. Eastern Mennonite University is a small school located in Harrisonburg, Virginia that handed out 15 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

Eastern Mennonite also made our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” list, coming in at #8. The yearly cost to attend Eastern Mennonite University is $23,763 for Virginia Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students with aid.

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 Eastern Mennonite University

#12

Virginia State University

Petersburg, Virginia
#13 in overall quality

Virginia State University ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Getting Aid list. Virginia State is a small school located in Petersburg, Virginia that handed out 28 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

Virginia State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #13 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” list. The yearly cost to attend Virginia State is $16,970 for Virginia Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students with aid.

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

#13

Christopher Newport University

Newport News, Virginia
#7 in overall quality

Christopher Newport University landed the #13 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Getting Aid ranking. CNU is a public institution located in Newport News, Virginia. The school has a small population, and it awarded 17 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

CNU also took the #7 spot in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for CNU is $25,596 for Virginia Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students with aid.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 1.3% 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%.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at Christopher Newport University

#14

Virginia Union University

Richmond, Virginia
#17 in overall quality

Virginia Union University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #14. Virginia Union University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Richmond, Virginia. The school has a small population, and it awarded 11 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

VUU also made our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” list, coming in at #17. The estimated yearly cost for Virginia Union University is $21,813 for virginia bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students with aid.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at VUU

#15

Bluefield College

Bluefield, Virginia
#12 in overall quality

Bluefield College ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Getting Aid list. Bluefield College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Bluefield, Virginia. It awarded 23 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

Bluefield College also made our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” list, coming in at #12. The estimated yearly cost for Bluefield College is $23,158 for Virginia Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students with aid.

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

#16

Ferrum College

Ferrum, Virginia
#14 in overall quality

Ferrum College ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Getting Aid list. Ferrum College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Ferrum, Virginia. It awarded 10 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Ferrum College, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Ferrum College is $22,159 for Virginia Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students with aid.

Full Ferrum College Public Administration & Social Service Report

#17

Virginia Wesleyan University

Virginia Beach, Virginia
#16 in overall quality

Virginia Wesleyan University landed the #17 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Getting Aid ranking. VWU is a private not-for-profit institution located in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The school has a small population, and it awarded 8 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

VWU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #16 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” list. It costs about $23,425 for virginia bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students with aid per year to attend VWU.

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

#18

Liberty University

Lynchburg, Virginia
#15 in overall quality

Liberty University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #18. Liberty University is located in Lynchburg, Virginia and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 165 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees to qualified students.

Liberty University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #15 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” list. The estimated yearly cost for Liberty University is $28,903 for virginia bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students with aid.

Full Liberty 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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