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2023 Most Well Attended Public Admin Major

472 Ranked Colleges
16,897 Degrees Awarded
$32,600 Avg Cost*
Most Well Attended Public Admin Major

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Most Well Attended Public Admin Major” ranking is part of that endeavor.

Public Administration is the 49th most popular major in the country with 16,897 degrees awarded in 2020-2021.

This year’s “Most Well Attended Public Admin Major” ranking analyzed 472 colleges that offered a degree in public administration. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have one of the most popular public administration programs in the United States.

See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Most Well Attended Public Admin Major” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. 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 Admin Major

The following schools top our list of the Best “Most Well Attended Public Admin Major”.

1

Out of the 472 schools in the Most Well Attended Public Admin Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Indiana University - Bloomington landed the #1 spot on the list. Indiana University - Bloomington is a large public school situated in Bloomington, Indiana. It awarded 757 ’s public admin 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Public Administration at Indiana University - Bloomington

2

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Columbia University in the City of New York. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Public Admin Major list. Located in New York, New York, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 374 diplomas to qualified ’s public admin students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%.

Read full report on Public Administration at Columbia University in the City of New York

3
Walden University crest
Walden University
Minneapolis, Minnesota

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Walden University. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Public Admin Major list. Minneapolis, Minnesota is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out ’s public admin degrees to 301 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 at Walden University

4

Out of the 472 schools in the Most Well Attended Public Admin Major that were part of this year’s ranking, California State University - Northridge landed the #4 spot on the list. Located in Northridge, California, this large public school awarded 309 degrees to qualified ’s public admin students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Public Administration at California State University - Northridge

5

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend John Jay College of Criminal Justice. The school came in at #5 for the Most Well Attended Public Admin Major. John Jay is a public institution located in New York, New York. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 280 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Public Administration at John Jay

6
Syracuse crest
Syracuse University
Syracuse, New York

With a ranking of #6, Syracuse University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Public Admin Major list. Located in Syracuse, New York, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 281 degrees to qualified ’s public admin students 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 low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.7% 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 full report on Public Administration at Syracuse

7
Grand Canyon University crest
Grand Canyon University
Phoenix, Arizona

Grand Canyon University ranked #7 on this year’s Most Well Attended Public Admin Major list. Located in Phoenix, Arizona, this large private for-profit school handed out 221 diplomas to qualified ’s public admin students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 5.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Public Administration at Grand Canyon University

8

Florida International University came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Public Admin Major ranking. Located in Miami, Florida, this large public school handed out 262 degrees to qualified ’s public admin students in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Public Administration at Florida International University

9
Baruch crest
Baruch College
New York, New York

Baruch College came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Public Admin Major ranking. Located in New York, New York, this fairly large public school awarded 208 diplomas to qualified ’s public admin students in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Public Administration at Baruch College

10

University of Phoenix - Arizona came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Public Admin Major ranking. University of Phoenix - Arizona is a large school located in Tempe, Arizona that handed out 196 ’s public admin degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Public Administration at UOPX - Arizona

11
Barry University crest
Barry University
Miami, Florida

Barry University ranked #11 on this year’s Most Well Attended Public Admin Major list. This medium-sized school is located in Miami, Florida, and it awarded 195 ’s public admin degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Public Administration at Barry University

12
Harvard crest
Harvard University
Cambridge, Massachusetts

Harvard University ranked #12 on this year’s Most Well Attended Public Admin Major list. Harvard University is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 193 ’s public admin degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read full report on Public Administration at Harvard University

13
NYU crest
New York University
New York, New York

New York University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Public Admin Major ranking, coming in at #13. New York, New York is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s public admin degrees to 191 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 undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Public Administration at New York University

14

With a ranking of #14, Ohio State University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Public Admin Major list. Ohio State is a large public school situated in Columbus, Ohio. It awarded 185 ’s public admin degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Public Administration at Ohio State University - Main Campus

15

With a ranking of #15, Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Public Admin Major list. IUPUI is located in Indianapolis, Indiana and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 190 ’s public admin degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Public Administration at IUPUI

16
Liberty University crest
Liberty University
Lynchburg, Virginia

Liberty University landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Public Admin Major ranking. Liberty University is a large school located in Lynchburg, Virginia that handed out 196 ’s public admin degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Liberty University Public Administration Report

17
SDSU crest
San Diego State University
San Diego, California

San Diego State University landed the #17 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Public Admin Major ranking. San Diego State University is a large school located in San Diego, California that handed out 172 ’s public admin degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full SDSU Public Administration Report

18

University of Central Florida landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Public Admin Major ranking. UCF is a large school located in Orlando, Florida that handed out 222 ’s public admin degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Central Florida Public Administration Report

18
The American University crest
American University
Washington, District of Columbia

With a ranking of #18, American University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Public Admin Major list. The American University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Washington, District of Columbia. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 175 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Public Administration at The American University

20

University of Washington - Seattle Campus landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Public Admin Major ranking. UW Seattle is located in Seattle, Washington and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 170 ’s public admin degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.1%, 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 full report on Public Administration at University of Washington - Seattle Campus

21
USC crest
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California

With a ranking of #21, University of Southern California did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Public Admin Major list. USC is a large school located in Los Angeles, California that handed out 164 ’s public admin degrees in 2020-2021.

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%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Public Administration at USC

22

University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Public Admin Major ranking, coming in at #22. University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus is located in Denver, Colorado and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 160 ’s public admin degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus Public Administration Report

23

University of Hawaii - West Oahu did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Public Admin Major ranking, coming in at #23. UH West Oahu is located in Kapolei, Hawaii and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 139 ’s public admin degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.8% 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 at University of Hawaii - West Oahu

23
Rutgers Newark crest
Rutgers University - Newark
Newark, New Jersey

Rutgers University - Newark did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Public Admin Major ranking, coming in at #23. Rutgers Newark is located in Newark, New Jersey and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 139 ’s public admin degrees to qualified students.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Public Administration at Rutgers Newark

25

With a ranking of #25, California State University - Dominguez Hills did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Public Admin Major list. California State University - Dominguez Hills is a public institution located in Carson, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 129 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.1% 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%.

Full CSUDH Public Administration Report

Rest of the Best 50 in Most Well Attended Public Admin Major

Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

26
Columbia Southern University crest
Columbia Southern University
Orange Beach, Alabama
27
28
29
GMU crest
George Mason University
Fairfax, Virginia
30
National University crest
National University
La Jolla, California
31
31
33
Anna Maria crest
Anna Maria College
Paxton, Massachusetts
34
35
36
36
Central Michigan crest
Central Michigan University
Mount Pleasant, Michigan
38
39
American Military University crest
American Public University System
Charles Town, West Virginia
40
WCU crest
Western Carolina University
Cullowhee, North Carolina
41
University of Arizona crest
University of Arizona
Tucson, Arizona
42
Capella University crest
Capella University
Minneapolis, Minnesota
43
Marist crest
Marist College
Poughkeepsie, New York
44
44
UGA crest
University of Georgia
Athens, Georgia
46
USFCA crest
University of San Francisco
San Francisco, California
47
47
JMU crest
James Madison University
Harrisonburg, Virginia
47
FAU crest
Florida Atlantic University
Boca Raton, Florida
50

Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Most Well Attended Public Admin Major

While not in the ’top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

RankCollegeLocation
51Cornell UniversityIthaca, NY
52Troy UniversityTroy, AL
52University of BaltimoreBaltimore, MD
52Park UniversityParkville, MO
55Missouri State University - SpringfieldSpringfield, MO
55Kean UniversityUnion, NJ
57Texas State UniversitySan Marcos, TX
58Northwestern UniversityEvanston, IL
59University of OregonEugene, OR
60George Washington UniversityWashington, DC
60University of Maryland Global CampusAdelphi, MD
60University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh CampusPittsburgh, PA
63California State University - East BayHayward, CA
63California State University - FullertonFullerton, CA
63University at AlbanyAlbany, NY
RankCollegeLocation
66University of Nevada - Las VegasLas Vegas, NV
67Ohio University - Athens CampusAthens, OH
67Binghamton UniversityVestal, NY
69Villanova UniversityVillanova, PA
70University of Illinois at SpringfieldSpringfield, IL
70University of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel Hill, NC
70Southern Utah UniversityCedar City, UT

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

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