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2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in California

35 Ranked Colleges
2,671 Degrees Awarded
$12,500 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor's in California

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in California” 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 California, there were 9,336 public administration and social service graduates with average earnings and debt of $48,497 and $34,561 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 2,671 public administration and social service graduates with average earnings and debt of $37,907 and $21,546 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in California” ranking, we looked at 35 colleges that offer 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.

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.

One Size Does Not Fit All

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 a Bachelor’s in California”.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in California

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in California.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Public Administration & Social Service in California

#10 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Fresno. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in California. This large school is located in Fresno, California, and it awarded 119 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Fresno State, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Fresno State is $5,464 for california bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.7%, 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 87%.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at California State University - Fresno

#13 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Monterey Bay. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in California. Seaside, California 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 143 students in 2019-2020.

CSUMB also made our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #13. The yearly cost to attend California State University - Monterey Bay is $12,212 for California Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students.

The low student loan default rate of 5.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at CSUMB

#8 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Long Beach. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in California. Located in Long Beach, California, this large public school handed out 69 degrees to qualified bachelors’s public administration and social service students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students list, CSULB has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $9,622 for California Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students per year to attend CSULB.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.6%, 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 89%.

Full CSULB Public Administration & Social Service Report

#16 in overall quality

Out of the 35 schools in the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in California that were part of this year’s ranking, California State University - Northridge landed the #4 spot on the list. CSUN is a large school located in Northridge, California that handed out 41 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

CSUN did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #16 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $8,414 for california bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students per year to attend CSUN.

The low student loan default rate of 2.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full California State University - Northridge Public Administration & Social Service Report

#15 in overall quality

Out of the 35 schools in the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in California that were part of this year’s ranking, California State University - San Bernardino landed the #5 spot on the list. California State University - San Bernardino is a fairly large public school situated in San Bernardino, California. It awarded 52 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

CSUSB also made our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #15. The yearly cost to attend CSUSB is $7,342 for California Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at CSUSB

#6

San Francisco State University

San Francisco, California
#6 in overall quality

With a ranking of #6, San Francisco State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in California list. SFSU is a large school located in San Francisco, California that handed out 23 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

SFSU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $15,113 for california bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students per year to attend San Francisco State University.

Full SFSU Public Administration & Social Service Report

#7 in overall quality

California State University - Los Angeles ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in California list. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees to 224 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students list, Cal State LA has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Cal State LA is $2,768 for California Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at Cal State LA

#8

San Jose State University

San Jose, California
#5 in overall quality

San Jose State University landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking. This large school is located in San Jose, California, and it awarded 77 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at San Jose State, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $14,928 for California Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students per year to attend San Jose State University.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, 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 86%.

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

#9

Brandman University

Irvine, California
#4 in overall quality

With a ranking of #9, Brandman University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in California list. Located in Irvine, California, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 123 degrees to qualified bachelors’s public administration and social service students in 2019-2020.

Brandman did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend Brandman is $21,604 for california bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at Brandman

#10

University of Phoenix - California

Costa Mesa, California

University of Phoenix - California came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking. UOPX - California is a small private for-profit school situated in Costa Mesa, California. It awarded 58 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend University of Phoenix - California is $12,664 for California Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at University of Phoenix - California

#9 in overall quality

With a ranking of #11, California State University - Sacramento did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in California list. Sac State is a public institution located in Sacramento, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 244 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Sac State also took the #9 spot in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend California State University - Sacramento is $9,979 for california bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at Sac State

#12

University of California - Berkeley

Berkeley, California
#1 in overall quality

University of California - Berkeley came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking. UC Berkeley is a public institution located in Berkeley, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 90 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students list, UC Berkeley has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $15,329 for california bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students per year to attend University of California - Berkeley.

The low student loan default rate of 1.7% 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 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full UC Berkeley Public Administration & Social Service Report

#20 in overall quality

California State University - Chico came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking. Located in Chico, California, this fairly large public school awarded 87 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s public administration and social service students in 2019-2020.

Chico State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #20 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend Chico State is $15,017 for California Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students.

The low student loan default rate of 3.3% 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 California State University - Chico

#18 in overall quality

California State University - Fullerton came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking. California State University - Fullerton is located in Fullerton, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 304 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees to qualified students.

Cal State Fullerton also made our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #18. The estimated yearly cost for Cal State Fullerton is $7,991 for california bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at Cal State Fullerton

#15

San Diego State University

San Diego, California
#12 in overall quality

San Diego State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking, coming in at #15. San Diego, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees to 204 students in 2019-2020.

SDSU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $14,788 for california bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students per year to attend SDSU.

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 2.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full SDSU Public Administration & Social Service Report

#24 in overall quality

With a ranking of #16, California State University - East Bay did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in California list. Located in Hayward, California, this fairly large public school awarded 1 degrees to qualified bachelors’s public administration and social service students in 2019-2020.

Cal State East Bay also took the #24 spot in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend California State University - East Bay is $11,116 for california bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students.

Full California State University - East Bay Public Administration & Social Service Report

With a ranking of #17, California State University - Dominguez Hills did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in California list. California State University - Dominguez Hills is located in Carson, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 163 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend California State University - Dominguez Hills is $4,215 for California Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students.

The low student loan default rate of 2.6% 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%.

Full CSUDH Public Administration & Social Service Report

#18

Humboldt State University

Arcata, California

With a ranking of #18, Humboldt State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in California list. Humboldt State University is a medium-sized public school situated in Arcata, California. It awarded 52 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Humboldt State University is $14,692 for California Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students.

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

#19

National University

La Jolla, California
#21 in overall quality

National University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking, coming in at #19. This fairly large school is located in La Jolla, California, and it awarded 15 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

National University also made our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #21.

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 full report on Public Administration & Social Service at National University

#20

University of California - Riverside

Riverside, California

With a ranking of #20, University of California - Riverside did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in California list. UCR is a large public school situated in Riverside, California. It awarded 96 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend University of California - Riverside is $12,871 for california bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at University of California - Riverside

#22

University of California - Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz, California

University of California - Santa Cruz did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking, coming in at #22. University of California - Santa Cruz is located in Santa Cruz, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 57 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $18,186 for California Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students per year to attend University of California - Santa Cruz.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 2.9% 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%.

Full University of California - Santa Cruz Public Administration & Social Service Report

California State University - Bakersfield did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking, coming in at #23. CSUB is located in Bakersfield, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 8 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Bakersfield is $5,318 for california bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students.

Full CSUB Public Administration & Social Service Report

#24

Fresno Pacific University

Fresno, California
#22 in overall quality

Fresno Pacific University ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in California list. Fresno Pacific University is a small school located in Fresno, California that handed out 79 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

Fresno Pacific also took the #22 spot in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $16,356 for California Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students per year to attend Fresno Pacific University.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at Fresno Pacific University

#25

La Sierra University

Riverside, California
#17 in overall quality

La Sierra University came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking. This small school is located in Riverside, California, and it awarded 17 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

La Sierra also made our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #17. It costs about $24,046 for California Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students per year to attend La Sierra University.

The low student loan default rate of 4.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at La Sierra University

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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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