by our College Data Analytics TeamCollege Factual reviewed 250 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for master's degree seekers in the field of public administration. Combined, these schools handed out 12,282 master's degrees in public administration to qualified students.
What's on this page: * Our Methodology
The public admin master's degree program you select can have a big impact on your future. This section explores some of the factors we include in our ranking and how much they vary depending on the school you select. Below we explain some of the most important factors to consider before making your choice:
The overall quality of a master's degree school is important to ensure a quality education, not just how well they do in a particular major. To take this into account we consider a school's overall Best Colleges for a Master's Degree ranking which itself looks at a host of various factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.
The metrics below are just some of the other metrics that we use to determine our rankings.
Our full ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best colleges for public administration students working on their master's degree.
Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we've developed the Best Public Administration Master's Degree Schools ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
Fit new strategic skills into your public service passion and goals when you earn an MBA in Public Administration from Southern New Hampshire University.
Below you'll see a list of the best colleges and universities for pursuing a master's degree in public administration. Only those schools that rank in the top 15% of all the schools we analyze get awarded with a place on this list.
It's difficult to beat Johns Hopkins University if you wish to pursue a master's degree in public administration. Located in the city of Baltimore, Johns Hopkins is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population.More information about a master’s in public administration from Johns Hopkins University
Harvard University is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a master's degree in public administration. Located in the city of Cambridge, Harvard is a private not-for-profit university with a very large student population.More information about a master’s in public administration from Harvard University
New York University is a wonderful decision for students pursuing a master's degree in public administration. NYU is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the city of New York.More information about a master’s in public administration from New York University
Any student who is interested in a master's degree in public administration needs to take a look at Northwestern University. Located in the city of Evanston, Northwestern is a private not-for-profit university with a very large student population.More information about a master’s in public administration from Northwestern University
Located in the city of Washington, The American University is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population.More information about a master’s in public administration from American University
Located in the medium-sized city of Syracuse, Syracuse is a private not-for-profit university with a very large student population.More information about a master’s in public administration from Syracuse University
Located in the large city of Los Angeles, USC is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population.More information about a master’s in public administration from University of Southern California
Columbia is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of New York.More information about a master’s in public administration from Columbia University in the City of New York
UPenn is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Philadelphia.More information about a master’s in public administration from University of Pennsylvania
Located in the city of Washington, GWU is a private not-for-profit university with a very large student population.More information about a master’s in public administration from George Washington University
UW Seattle is a very large public university located in the city of Seattle.More information about a master’s in public administration from University of Washington - Seattle Campus
Villanova is a large private not-for-profit university located in the large suburb of Villanova.More information about a master’s in public administration from Villanova University
Located in the city of Bloomington, IU Bloomington is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a master’s in public administration from Indiana University - Bloomington
Located in the city of Ithaca, Cornell is a private not-for-profit university with a very large student population.More information about a master’s in public administration from Cornell University
UMN Twin Cities is a very large public university located in the large city of Minneapolis.More information about a master’s in public administration from University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Carnegie Mellon is a large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Pittsburgh.More information about a master’s in public administration from Carnegie Mellon University
Pitt is a very large public university located in the large city of Pittsburgh.More information about a master’s in public administration from University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus
Located in the city of Seattle, Seattle U is a private not-for-profit university with a moderately-sized student population.More information about a master’s in public administration from Seattle University
USFCA is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of San Francisco.More information about a master’s in public administration from University of San Francisco
Virginia Tech is a very large public school located in the city of Blacksburg.More information about a master’s in public administration from Virginia Tech
Rutgers Newark is a fairly large public university located in the large city of Newark.More information about a master’s in public administration from Rutgers University - Newark
Located in the medium-sized city of Columbia, Mizzou is a public university with a very large student population.More information about a master’s in public administration from University of Missouri - Columbia
Located in the city of Columbus, Ohio State is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a master’s in public administration from Ohio State University - Main Campus
Located in the suburb of Fairfax, GMU is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a master’s in public administration from George Mason University
Clemson is a fairly large public university located in the suburb of Clemson.More information about a master’s in public administration from Clemson University
These are some additional schools worth mentioning that are also great but just didn't quite make the cut to earn our top Best Public Administration Master's Degree Schools award.
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 38 | Walden University | Minneapolis, MN |
| 39 | James Madison University | Harrisonburg, VA |
| 40 | North Carolina State University | Raleigh, NC |
| 41 | John Jay College of Criminal Justice | New York, NY |
| 42 | Hamline University | Saint Paul, MN |
| 43 | Baruch College | New York, NY |
| 44 | University of Central Florida | Orlando, FL |
| 45 | University at Albany | Albany, NY |
| 46 | University of Connecticut | Storrs, CT |
| 47 | California Baptist University | Riverside, CA |
| 48 | Boston University | Boston, MA |
| 49 | University of North Dakota | Grand Forks, ND |
| 50 | Central Michigan University | Mount Pleasant, MI |
View the Best Public Administration Master's Degree Schools for a specific region near you.
| Region |
|---|
| Southeast |
| New England |
| Rocky Mountains |
| Plains States |
| Middle Atlantic |
| Far Western US |
| Southwest |
| Great Lakes |
Public Administration is one of 1 different types of Public Administration programs to choose from.
