2027 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools in Maryland

[Public Administration & Social Service](/majors/social-services-public-administration/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 13 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for public administration & social service students.
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2027 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools in Maryland
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the public administration & social service degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools
Our analysis ranked Prince Georges Community College the best value for a degree in public administration & social service in Maryland. Located in the suburb of Largo, Prince Georges Community College is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $4,034 in tuition and fees, compared with $8,762 for out-of-state students. Public Administration & Social Service graduates carry a median of $13,949 in student loans. Soon after graduation, public administration & social service degree recipients from Prince Georges Community College generally make around $56,960. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
A rank of #2 makes University Of Baltimore one of the best values for public administration & social service. Set in the city of Baltimore, University Of Baltimore is a mid-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $9,992, compared with $23,984 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $37,809 to complete the public administration & social service program here. Public Administration & Social Service graduates of University Of Baltimore earn a median of $66,769 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $37,809 median debt. University Of Baltimore admits about 79% of applicants.
University Of Maryland College Park came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best value public administration & social service schools. University Of Maryland College Park is a very large public school located in the suburb of College Park. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,809, with out-of-state students paying around $41,186. Students borrow a median of $21,500 to complete the public administration & social service program here. Public Administration & Social Service graduates of University Of Maryland College Park earn a median of $55,767 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $21,500 median debt. University Of Maryland College Park admits about 45% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in public administration & social service will find it at Coppin State University, which ranked #4. Set in the city of Baltimore, Coppin State University is a mid-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,100, compared with $14,024 for out-of-state students. Public Administration & Social Service graduates carry a median of $28,750 in student loans. Public Administration & Social Service graduates of Coppin State University earn a median of $37,612 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 46%.
A rank of #5 makes Morgan State University one of the best values for public administration & social service. Morgan State University is a large public school located in the city of Baltimore. Students from in state pay about $8,229 in tuition and fees, compared with $19,124 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for public administration & social service graduates is $35,000. Public Administration & Social Service graduates of Morgan State University earn a median of $46,748 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $35,000 median debt. Morgan State University admits about 82% of applicants.
University Of Maryland Baltimore County placed #6 among the best values for public administration & social service. Located in the suburb of Baltimore, University Of Maryland Baltimore County is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,256, with out-of-state students paying around $31,225. Public Administration & Social Service graduates carry a median of $22,500 in student loans. Soon after graduation, public administration & social service degree recipients from University Of Maryland Baltimore County generally make around $40,316. That is a strong return on a $22,500 median debt. University Of Maryland Baltimore County admits about 72% of applicants.
Towson University ranked #7 on our 2027 list of the best value public administration & social service schools. Located in the city of Towson, Towson University is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,728, while out-of-state students pay about $29,820. Public Administration & Social Service graduates carry a median of $21,250 in student loans. Soon after graduation, public administration & social service degree recipients from Towson University generally make around $36,616. That is a strong return on a $21,250 median debt. The acceptance rate is 82%.
Frostburg State University landed the #8 spot for public administration & social service value this year. Set in the town of Frostburg, Frostburg State University is a mid-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $10,220 in tuition and fees, compared with $25,814 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for public administration & social service graduates is $26,000. Soon after graduation, public administration & social service degree recipients from Frostburg State University generally make around $37,836. Set against $26,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 89% of applicants are accepted.
Salisbury University ranked #9 on our 2027 list of the best value public administration & social service schools. Salisbury University is a moderately-sized public school located in the suburb of Salisbury. Students from in state pay about $11,084 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $22,174. Typical student debt for public administration & social service graduates is $23,552. Public Administration & Social Service graduates of Salisbury University earn a median of $43,425 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $23,552 median debt. Salisbury University admits about 88% of applicants.
Johns Hopkins University came in at #10 for value in public administration & social service this year. Located in the city of Baltimore, Johns Hopkins University is a very large private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $64,730 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $13,426 to complete the public administration & social service program here. Soon after graduation, public administration & social service degree recipients from Johns Hopkins University generally make around $91,610. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 6%.
Bowie State University came in at #11 for value in public administration & social service this year. Set in the suburb of Bowie, Bowie State University is a moderately-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $9,218, while out-of-state students pay about $19,938. Public Administration & Social Service graduates carry a median of $31,000 in student loans. Public Administration & Social Service graduates of Bowie State University earn a median of $47,002 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $31,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 72%.
Mcdaniel College landed the #12 spot for public administration & social service value this year. Mcdaniel College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the town of Westminster. Students from in state pay about $52,081 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for public administration & social service graduates is $25,000. Early-career public administration & social service graduates make about $54,904. That is a strong return on a $25,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 78%.
University Of Maryland University College earned the #13 position for value in public administration & social service this year. Located in the suburb of Adelphi, University Of Maryland University College is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,136, while out-of-state students pay about $12,336. Students borrow a median of $29,202 to complete the public administration & social service program here. Public Administration & Social Service graduates of University Of Maryland University College earn a median of $74,053 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 13 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 13 ranked schools only.
- 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.