by our College Data Analytics Team
[Public Administration & Social Service](/majors/social-services-public-administration/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong public administration & social service education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 4 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for public administration & social service students.
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If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the public administration & social service degrees they offer, see the list below.
For return on investment in public administration & social service, no school beat Cankdeska Cikana Community College this year. Located in the rural area of Fort Totten, Cankdeska Cikana Community College is a small public university. In-state tuition and fees average $3,950. Graduates go on to earn a median of $17,008 ten years after entry.
Students looking for strong value in public administration & social service will find it at Minot State University, which ranked #2. Minot State University is a mid-sized public school located in the city of Minot. Students from in state pay about $8,702 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the public administration & social service program here. Soon after graduation, public administration & social service degree recipients from Minot State University generally make around $44,731. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Minot State University admits about 65% of applicants.
University Of Mary is a great value for students pursuing a degree in public administration & social service, landing the #3 spot this year. University Of Mary is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the rural area of Bismarck. In-state tuition and fees average $22,356. Students borrow a median of $26,983 to complete the public administration & social service program here. Public Administration & Social Service graduates of University Of Mary earn a median of $65,565 early in their careers. Set against $26,983 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 75% of applicants are accepted.
University Of North Dakota is a great value for students pursuing a degree in public administration & social service, landing the #4 spot this year. Set in the city of Grand Forks, University Of North Dakota is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $10,951 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $15,570. Students borrow a median of $26,000 to complete the public administration & social service program here. Soon after graduation, public administration & social service degree recipients from University Of North Dakota generally make around $57,254. That is a strong return on a $26,000 median debt. University Of North Dakota admits about 77% of applicants.
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 4 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.