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2023 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Public Administration in the Plains States Region

30 Ranked Colleges
738 Degrees Awarded
$52,933 Avg Salary
Schools for a Master's Highly Focused on Public Admin Major in the Plains States Region

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Admin Major in the Plains States Region” ranking.

Public Administration is the 60th most popular major in the country with 16,043 degrees awarded in 2021-2022. In , public administration graduates who were awarded their degree in , earned an average of $51,600 and had an average of $39,769 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Plains States region, there were 1,167 public administration graduates with average earnings and debt of $54,684 and $45,259 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 738 public administration graduates with average earnings and debt of $56,858 and $37,352 respectively.

This year’s “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Admin Major in the Plains States Region” ranking analyzed 30 colleges that offered a degree in public administration. This a ranking of the schools where the largest percentage of students has enrolled in public administration.

For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

More Ways to Rank Public Administration Schools

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When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Admin Major in the Plains States Region” list to help you make the college decision.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Admin Major in the Plains States Region

The colleges and universities below are the best for plains states region master’s degree public admin students.

Top 25 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Public Administration in the Plains States Region

1
Hamline crest
Hamline University
Saint Paul, Minnesota

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Hamline University. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Admin Major in the Plains States Region list. Hamline University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 24 masters’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Public Administration at Hamline

2
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Drake University
Des Moines, Iowa

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Drake University. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Admin Major in the Plains States Region list. Des Moines, Iowa is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s public admin degrees to 39 students in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.8% 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 Drake

3
Park University crest
Park University
Parkville, Missouri

Out of the 30 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Admin Major in the Plains States Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Park University landed the #3 spot on the list. Parkville, Missouri is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s public admin degrees to 44 students in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Public Administration at Park University

4

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Nebraska at Omaha. The school came in at #4 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Admin Major in the Plains States Region. University of Nebraska at Omaha is a public institution located in Omaha, Nebraska. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 36 masters’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Public Administration at UNOMAHA

5

Out of the 30 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Admin Major in the Plains States Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Upper Iowa University landed the #5 spot on the list. Located in Fayette, Iowa, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 24 degrees to qualified masters’s public admin students in 2021-2022.

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%.

Full UIU Public Administration Report

6

Missouri State University - Springfield did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Admin Major in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #6. Springfield, Missouri is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s public admin degrees to 37 students in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.8% 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%.

Full Missouri State Public Administration Report

7
8

University of Missouri - Columbia did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Admin Major in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #8. University of Missouri - Columbia is located in Columbia, Missouri and, has a large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 87 masters’s public admin degrees to qualified students.

With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.7% 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 University of Missouri - Columbia

9
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University of South Dakota
Vermillion, South Dakota

With a ranking of #9, University of South Dakota did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Admin Major in the Plains States Region list. This medium-sized school is located in Vermillion, South Dakota, and it awarded 16 masters’s public admin degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.7% 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 University of South Dakota

10

University of Missouri - Kansas City did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Admin Major in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #10. University of Missouri - Kansas City is a public institution located in Kansas City, Missouri. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 25 masters’s degrees in 2021-2022.

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%.

Full UMKC Public Administration Report

11
Bellevue University crest
Bellevue University
Bellevue, Nebraska

Bellevue University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Admin Major in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #11. Bellevue University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Bellevue, Nebraska. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 21 masters’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% 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 Bellevue University

12

Wichita State University ranked #12 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Admin Major in the Plains States Region list. WSU is a fairly large public school situated in Wichita, Kansas. It awarded 22 masters’s public admin degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Public Administration at Wichita State University

13
Lindenwood University crest
Lindenwood University
Saint Charles, Missouri

Lindenwood University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Admin Major in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #13. Lindenwood University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Saint Charles, Missouri. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 10 masters’s degrees in 2021-2022.

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%.

Read more about Public Administration at Lindenwood University

14

University of Missouri - St Louis landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Admin Major in the Plains States Region ranking. Located in Saint Louis, Missouri, this fairly large public school handed out 13 degrees to qualified masters’s public admin students in 2021-2022.

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 at University of Missouri - St Louis

15

With a ranking of #15, Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Admin Major in the Plains States Region list. Located in Winona, Minnesota, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 16 degrees to qualified masters’s public admin students in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Public Administration at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota

16
St. Cloud State University crest
Saint Cloud State University
Saint Cloud, Minnesota

With a ranking of #16, Saint Cloud State University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Admin Major in the Plains States Region list. Saint Cloud, Minnesota is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s public admin degrees to 15 students in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Public Administration at Saint Cloud State University

17
KU crest
University of Kansas
Lawrence, Kansas

University of Kansas landed the #17 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Admin Major in the Plains States Region ranking. This large school is located in Lawrence, Kansas, and it awarded 30 masters’s public admin degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Public Administration at University of Kansas

18
Southeast Missouri State University crest
Southeast Missouri State University
Cape Girardeau, Missouri

With a ranking of #18, Southeast Missouri State University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Admin Major in the Plains States Region list. Cape Girardeau, Missouri is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s public admin degrees to 7 students in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Public Administration at Southeast Missouri State University

19
20
Metro State crest
Metropolitan State University
Saint Paul, Minnesota

Metropolitan State University landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Admin Major in the Plains States Region ranking. Saint Paul, Minnesota is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s public admin degrees to 6 students in 2021-2022.

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%.

Full Metropolitan State University Public Administration Report

21
UND crest
University of North Dakota
Grand Forks, North Dakota

University of North Dakota ranked #21 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Admin Major in the Plains States Region list. UND is a fairly large public school situated in Grand Forks, North Dakota. It awarded 7 masters’s public admin degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of North Dakota Public Administration Report

22
Webster crest
Webster University
Saint Louis, Missouri

With a ranking of #22, Webster University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Admin Major in the Plains States Region list. Webster University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Saint Louis, Missouri. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 14 masters’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Webster Public Administration Report

23
Creighton crest
Creighton University
Omaha, Nebraska

Creighton University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Admin Major in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #23. Creighton is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Omaha, Nebraska. It awarded 4 masters’s public admin degrees in 2021-2022.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.4% 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 Creighton University

24

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Admin Major in the Plains States Region ranking. This large school is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and it awarded 26 masters’s public admin degrees in 2021-2022.

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 school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Public Administration at UMN Twin Cities

25
UMary crest
University of Mary
Bismarck, North Dakota

With a ranking of #25, University of Mary did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Public Admin Major in the Plains States Region list. Bismarck, North Dakota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s public admin degrees to 2 students in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.5% 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 UMary

Notes and References

References

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