2026 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools in Arkansas
[Public Administration & Social Service](/majors/social-services-public-administration/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong public administration & social service education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 18 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for public administration & social service students.
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2026 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools in Arkansas
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in public administration & social service, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools
Phillips Community College Of The University Of Arkansas earned the #1 spot for value among public administration & social service schools in Arkansas. Set in the town of Helena, Phillips Community College Of The University Of Arkansas is a small public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $3,380, compared with $4,550 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for public administration & social service graduates is $5,500. Early-career public administration & social service graduates make about $45,190. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
A rank of #2 makes University Of Arkansas Fort Smith one of the best values for public administration & social service. Located in the city of Fort Smith, University Of Arkansas Fort Smith is a moderately-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $7,334 in tuition and fees, compared with $12,182 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for public administration & social service graduates is $23,500. Early-career public administration & social service graduates make about $32,532. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Arkansas Fort Smith admits about 80% of applicants.
University Of Arkansas At Pine Bluff came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value public administration & social service schools. Located in the town of Pine Bluff, University Of Arkansas At Pine Bluff is a mid-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,375, while out-of-state students pay about $17,955. Public Administration & Social Service graduates carry a median of $29,145 in student loans. Public Administration & Social Service graduates of University Of Arkansas At Pine Bluff earn a median of $28,094 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $29,145 median debt. The acceptance rate is 41%.
Students looking for strong value in public administration & social service will find it at Arkansas State University Main Campus, which ranked #4. Set in the city of Jonesboro, Arkansas State University Main Campus is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $8,090 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $14,522. Students borrow a median of $29,370 to complete the public administration & social service program here. Early-career public administration & social service graduates make about $54,983. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 82%.
Students looking for strong value in public administration & social service will find it at University Of Arkansas At Monticello, which ranked #5. University Of Arkansas At Monticello is a mid-sized public school located in the town of Monticello. In-state tuition and fees average $9,292, compared with $14,857 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $15,611 to complete the public administration & social service program here. Public Administration & Social Service graduates of University Of Arkansas At Monticello earn a median of $41,278 early in their careers. Set against $15,611 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Southern Arkansas University Main Campus landed the #6 spot for public administration & social service value this year. Located in the town of Magnolia, Southern Arkansas University Main Campus is a moderately-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,960, compared with $15,690 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $20,385 to complete the public administration & social service program here. Early-career public administration & social service graduates make about $41,723. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 75% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Arkansas At Little Rock placed #7 among the best values for public administration & social service. Set in the city of Little Rock, University Of Arkansas At Little Rock is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $9,911 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $22,721. Typical student debt for public administration & social service graduates is $26,980. Soon after graduation, public administration & social service degree recipients from University Of Arkansas At Little Rock generally make around $43,764. That is a strong return on a $26,980 median debt. University Of Arkansas At Little Rock admits about 59% of applicants.
University Of Arkansas ranked #8 on our 2026 list of the best value public administration & social service schools. Set in the city of Fayetteville, University Of Arkansas is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $10,104 in tuition and fees, compared with $29,966 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for public administration & social service graduates is $27,000. Public Administration & Social Service graduates of University Of Arkansas earn a median of $43,962 early in their careers. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 74%.
Harding University placed #9 among the best values for public administration & social service. Set in the town of Searcy, Harding University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $25,962. Typical student debt for public administration & social service graduates is $29,000. Public Administration & Social Service graduates of Harding University earn a median of $41,835 early in their careers. Set against $29,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 70%.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 18 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 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.
