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2022 Best Value Associate Degree Colleges for Public Administration & Social Service in the Plains States Region

14 Ranked Colleges
491 Degrees Awarded
$14,000 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. 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 an Associate in the Plains States Region” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

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 Plains States region, there were 8,017 public administration and social service graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,446 and $33,829 respectively. At the associate degree level specifically, there were 491 public administration and social service graduates with average earnings and debt of $34,069 and $19,434 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region” ranking, we looked at 14 colleges that offer 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.

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. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

More Ways to Rank Public Administration & Social Service Schools

The public administration & social service school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region”.

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. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region

The colleges and universities below are the best for plains states region associate degree public administration & social service students.

Top 14 Best Value Associate Degree Colleges for Public Administration & Social Service in the Plains States Region

#1

Century College

White Bear Lake, Minnesota
#1 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Century College. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region list. Located in White Bear Lake, Minnesota, this medium-sized public school handed out 20 diplomas to qualified associates’s public administration and social service students in 2019-2020.

Century College also took the #1 spot in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $10,808 for plains states region associate degree public administration & social service students per year to attend Century College.

Full Century College Public Administration & Social Service Report

#2

Inver Hills Community College

Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota
#3 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Inver Hills Community College. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region list. Located in Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota, this small public school awarded 14 degrees to qualified associates’s public administration and social service students in 2019-2020.

IHCC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Inver Hills Community College is $11,486 for plains states region associate degree public administration & social service students.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at IHCC

#2 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Minneapolis Community and Technical College. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region list. Minneapolis Community and Technical College is a public institution located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 47 associates’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Minneapolis Community and Technical College did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Minneapolis Community and Technical College is $12,376 for plains states region associate degree public administration & social service students.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at Minneapolis Community and Technical College

#4

Lake Area Technical Institute

Watertown, South Dakota
#5 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Lake Area Technical Institute. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region list. Lake Area Technical Institute is a small public school situated in Watertown, South Dakota. It awarded 28 associates’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

LATI not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Lake Area Technical Institute is $12,939 for plains states region associate degree public administration & social service students.

Full Lake Area Technical Institute Public Administration & Social Service Report

#5

Mitchell Technical College

Mitchell, South Dakota
#6 in overall quality

Out of the 14 schools in the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Mitchell Technical College landed the #5 spot on the list. Mitchell Technical College is a small school located in Mitchell, South Dakota that handed out 9 associates’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

Mitchell Tech not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Mitchell Tech is $12,472 for Plains States Region Associate Degree Public Administration & Social Service students.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at Mitchell Technical College

#6

Saint Louis Community College

Saint Louis, Missouri
#7 in overall quality

Saint Louis Community College came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region ranking. Saint Louis, Missouri is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s public administration and social service degrees to 28 students in 2019-2020.

Saint Louis Community College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Saint Louis Community College is $6,796 for plains states region associate degree public administration & social service students.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at Saint Louis Community College

#7

South Central College

North Mankato, Minnesota
#8 in overall quality

South Central College came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region ranking. South Central College is located in North Mankato, Minnesota and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 3 associates’s public administration and social service degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at South Central College, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend South Central College is $10,175 for Plains States Region Associate Degree Public Administration & Social Service students.

Full South Central College Public Administration & Social Service Report

#8

Columbia College

Columbia, Missouri
#4 in overall quality

Columbia College came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region ranking. Located in Columbia, Missouri, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 82 diplomas to qualified associates’s public administration and social service students in 2019-2020.

Columbia College Missouri also took the #4 spot in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $26,730 for Plains States Region Associate Degree Public Administration & Social Service students per year to attend Columbia College Missouri.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at Columbia College Missouri

#9 in overall quality

Des Moines Area Community College came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region ranking. DMACC is a large school located in Ankeny, Iowa that handed out 40 associates’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

DMACC also made our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #9. The estimated yearly cost for Des Moines Area Community College is $10,076 for plains states region associate degree public administration & social service students.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at DMACC

#10

Bismarck State College

Bismarck, North Dakota
#11 in overall quality

Bismarck State College came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region ranking. BSC is a small public school situated in Bismarck, North Dakota. It awarded 3 associates’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region associate degree public administration & social service students list, BSC has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $9,420 for plains states region associate degree public administration & social service students per year to attend BSC.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at BSC

#11

Rasmussen University - Minnesota

St. Cloud, Minnesota
#10 in overall quality

Rasmussen University - Minnesota landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region ranking. Rasmussen University - Minnesota is a small private for-profit school situated in St. Cloud, Minnesota. It awarded 27 associates’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

Rasmussen University - Minnesota did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Rasmussen University - Minnesota is $18,586 for Plains States Region Associate Degree Public Administration & Social Service students.

With a freshman retention rate of 100%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at Rasmussen University - Minnesota

#12

Black Hills State University

Spearfish, South Dakota
#12 in overall quality

Black Hills State University landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region ranking. This small school is located in Spearfish, South Dakota, and it awarded 1 associates’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

BHSU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $16,641 for plains states region associate degree public administration & social service students per year to attend BHSU.

Full BHSU Public Administration & Social Service Report

#13 in overall quality

Rasmussen University - North Dakota came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region ranking. Rasmussen University - North Dakota is a small school located in Fargo, North Dakota that handed out 1 associates’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region associate degree public administration & social service students list, Rasmussen University - North Dakota has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $18,939 for Plains States Region Associate Degree Public Administration & Social Service students per year to attend Rasmussen University - North Dakota.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at Rasmussen University - North Dakota

#14 in overall quality

Rasmussen University - Kansas ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region list. Rasmussen University - Kansas is a small school located in Topeka, Kansas that handed out 1 associates’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region associate degree public administration & social service students list, Rasmussen University - Kansas has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Rasmussen University - Kansas is $18,934 for plains states region associate degree public administration & social service students.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at Rasmussen University - Kansas

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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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