2023 Most Popular Colleges for Public Administration & Social Service

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. College Factual has developed its “Most Well Attended Public Administration & Social Service Major” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.
Public Administration & Social Service is the 14th most popular major in the country with 98,583 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. In 2019-2020, public administration and social service graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $40,520 and had an average of $27,642 in loans still to pay off.
This year’s “Most Well Attended Public Administration & Social Service Major” ranking looked at 1,409 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in public administration and social service. This ranking identifies schools that graduate the most students in public administration and social service.
See our ranking methodology to learn more.
More Ways to Rank Public Administration & Social Service Schools
Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Most Well Attended Public Administration & Social Service Major” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
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.
Most Well Attended Public Administration & Social Service Major
The colleges and universities below are the best for public administration & social service students.
Top 25 Most Popular Colleges for Public Administration & Social Service
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Grand Canyon University. The school came in at #1 for the Most Well Attended Public Administration & Social Service Major. This large school is located in Phoenix, Arizona, and it awarded 1,713 ’s public administration and social service degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad 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 Grand Canyon University
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Walden University. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Public Administration & Social Service Major list. Minneapolis, Minnesota is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out ’s public administration and social service degrees to 1,643 students in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.7% 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%.
Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at Walden University
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Southern California. The school came in at #3 for the Most Well Attended Public Administration & Social Service Major. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s public administration and social service degrees to 1,466 students in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
Full University of Southern California Public Administration & Social Service Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend The University of Texas at Arlington. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Public Administration & Social Service Major list. UT Arlington is a public institution located in Arlington, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 1,121 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at The University of Texas at Arlington
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Fordham University. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Public Administration & Social Service Major list. Fordham University is a fairly large school located in Bronx, New York that handed out 1,058 ’s public administration and social service degrees in 2020-2021.
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 undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at Fordham University
Columbia University in the City of New York landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Public Administration & Social Service Major ranking. Columbia is located in New York, New York and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 876 ’s public administration and social service degrees to qualified students.
With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad 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%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Ultimate Medical Academy - Clearwater came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Public Administration & Social Service Major ranking. Clearwater, Florida is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s public administration and social service degrees to 848 students in 2020-2021.
Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at UMA Clearwater
Rutgers University - New Brunswick did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Public Administration & Social Service Major ranking, coming in at #8. This large school is located in New Brunswick, New Jersey, and it awarded 834 ’s public administration and social service degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.6%, 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 93%.
Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at Rutgers University - New Brunswick
Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Public Administration & Social Service Major ranking, coming in at #9. IUPUI is a large public school situated in Indianapolis, Indiana. It awarded 888 ’s public administration and social service degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at IUPUI
University of Phoenix - Arizona ranked #10 on this year’s Most Well Attended Public Administration & Social Service Major list. Located in Tempe, Arizona, this large private for-profit school awarded 860 diplomas to qualified ’s public administration and social service students in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at UOPX - Arizona
Indiana University - Bloomington landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Public Administration & Social Service Major ranking. This large school is located in Bloomington, Indiana, and it awarded 787 ’s public administration and social service degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, 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 91%.
Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at Indiana University - Bloomington
New York University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Public Administration & Social Service Major ranking. Located in New York, New York, this large private not-for-profit school handed out 777 degrees to qualified ’s public administration and social service students in 2020-2021.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at NYU
With a ranking of #13, Ohio State University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Public Administration & Social Service Major list. Located in Columbus, Ohio, this large public school awarded 733 diplomas to qualified ’s public administration and social service students in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.6% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.
Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at Ohio State University - Main Campus
Aurora University ranked #14 on this year’s Most Well Attended Public Administration & Social Service Major list. Aurora University is a medium-sized school located in Aurora, Illinois that handed out 742 ’s public administration and social service degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at Aurora University
Hunter College landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Public Administration & Social Service Major ranking. Hunter College is a public institution located in New York, New York. The school has a large population, and it awarded 677 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at Hunter College
Arizona State University - Tempe did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Public Administration & Social Service Major ranking, coming in at #16. Arizona State University - Tempe is a large school located in Tempe, Arizona that handed out 691 ’s public administration and social service degrees in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at ASU - Tempe
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Public Administration & Social Service Major ranking, coming in at #17. This large school is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and it awarded 674 ’s public administration and social service degrees in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
SUNY Empire State College did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Public Administration & Social Service Major ranking, coming in at #18. SUNY Empire is a public institution located in Saratoga Springs, New York. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 602 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.3% 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 full report on Public Administration & Social Service at SUNY Empire
Simmons University landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Public Administration & Social Service Major ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Boston, Massachusetts, and it awarded 578 ’s public administration and social service degrees in 2020-2021.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an impressive undergrad 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 Simmons University
University of Central Florida landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Public Administration & Social Service Major ranking. UCF is a large school located in Orlando, Florida that handed out 637 ’s public administration and social service degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
University of Chicago ranked #21 on this year’s Most Well Attended Public Administration & Social Service Major list. UChicago is a fairly large school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 586 ’s public administration and social service degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 100%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at University of Chicago
University of Denver came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Public Administration & Social Service Major ranking. Located in Denver, Colorado, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 571 degrees to qualified ’s public administration and social service students in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.6% 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%.
Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at DU
Wayne State University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Public Administration & Social Service Major ranking, coming in at #23. Wayne State University is a large public school situated in Detroit, Michigan. It awarded 494 ’s public administration and social service degrees in 2020-2021.
Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at Wayne State University
Purdue University Global came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Public Administration & Social Service Major ranking. Purdue University Global is a large public school situated in Indianapolis, Indiana. It awarded 554 ’s public administration and social service degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at Purdue University Global
Southern New Hampshire University ranked #25 on this year’s Most Well Attended Public Administration & Social Service Major list. Southern New Hampshire University is located in Manchester, New Hampshire and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 486 ’s public administration and social service degrees to qualified students.
Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at SNHU
Rest of the Best 52 in Most Well Attended Public Administration & Social Service Major
Not only did these schools make the top 52 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Most Well Attended Public Administration & Social Service Major
While not in the ‘top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
Rank | College | Location |
---|---|---|
53 | John Jay College of Criminal Justice | New York, NY |
54 | University of Illinois at Chicago | Chicago, IL |
55 | Boise State University | Boise, ID |
56 | University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus | Pittsburgh, PA |
57 | Grand Valley State University | Allendale, MI |
58 | Rutgers University - Newark | Newark, NJ |
58 | University of Georgia | Athens, GA |
60 | Salisbury University | Salisbury, MD |
61 | Stony Brook University | Stony Brook, NY |
61 | Loyola University Chicago | Chicago, IL |
63 | Barry University | Miami, FL |
64 | Capella University | Minneapolis, MN |
64 | University of Kentucky | Lexington, KY |
66 | The University of Alabama | Tuscaloosa, AL |
67 | Central Michigan University | Mount Pleasant, MI |
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Most Popular Colleges for Public Administration & Social Service in the Southeast Region
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Most Popular Colleges for Public Administration & Social Service in the Rocky Mountains Region
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Most Popular Colleges for Public Administration & Social Service in the Middle Atlantic Region
Southwest
Most Popular Colleges for Public Administration & Social Service in the Southwest Region
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Most Popular Colleges for Public Administration & Social Service in the New England Region
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Most Popular Colleges for Public Administration & Social Service in the Plains States Region
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Most Popular Colleges for Public Administration & Social Service in the Far Western US Region
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Most Popular Colleges for Public Administration & Social Service in the Great Lakes Region
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Best Value Colleges for Public Administration & Social Service
Public Administration & Social Service students
Best Value Colleges for Public Administration & Social Service (Income $0-$30k)
Public Administration & Social Service students with family income less than $30k
Best Value Colleges for Public Administration & Social Service (Income $48-$75k)
Public Administration & Social Service students with family income $48-$75k
Best Value Colleges for Public Administration & Social Service (Income Over $110k)
Public Administration & Social Service students with family income exceeding $110k
Most Focused Colleges for Public Administration & Social Service
Public Administration & Social Service students
Most Popular Online Public Administration & Social Service Schools
Public Administration & Social Service students
Best Value Colleges for Public Administration & Social Service (With Aid)
Public Administration & Social Service students getting aid
Best Value Colleges for Public Administration & Social Service (Income $30-$48k)
Public Administration & Social Service students with family income $30-$48k
Best Value Colleges for Public Administration & Social Service (Income $75-$110k)
Public Administration & Social Service students with family income $75-$110k
Highest Paid Public Administration & Social Service Graduates
Public Administration & Social Service students
Most Popular Colleges for Public Administration & Social Service
Public Administration & Social Service students
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
- *Avg Salary and Avg 4-Year Grad Rate 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.
Credits
- Credit for the banner image above goes to University of the Fraser Valley.