by our College Data Analytics TeamCollege Factual reviewed 7 schools in the Southeast Region to determine which ones were the best for master's degree seekers in the field of public policy. Combined, these schools handed out 492 master's degrees in public policy to qualified students.
What's on this page: * Our Methodology
The public policy 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. To make it into this list, a school must excel in the following areas.
The overall quality of a master's degree school is important to ensure a good education, not just how well they do in a particular major. To take this into account we include 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.
One measure we use to determine the quality of a school is to look at the average salary of master's graduates during the early years of their career. That is, everyone wants their master's degree to be worth something, and salaries are one measure of determining that.
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 schools for public policy students working on their master's degree.
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we've developed a number of rankings, including this Best Public Policy Master's Degree Schools in the Southeast Region list, to help you choose the best school for you.
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 policy.
Any student who is interested in a master's degree in public policy needs to take a look at Duke University. Duke is a large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Durham.
Public Policy master's degree recipients from Duke University earn a boost of approximately $14,626 over the average earnings of public policy majors.
More information about a master’s in public policy from Duke University
Any student who is interested in a master's degree in public policy needs to check out George Mason University. Located in the large suburb of Fairfax, GMU is a public university with a fairly large student population.
Public Policy master's degree recipients from George Mason University receive an earnings boost of about $4,117 above the typical income of public policy graduates.
More information about a master’s in public policy from George Mason University
Vanderbilt University is a good choice for students interested in a master's degree in public policy. Located in the city of Nashville, Vanderbilt is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population.
Master's graduates who receive their degree from the public policy program make around $63,324 in their early career salary.
More information about a master’s in public policy from Vanderbilt University
William & Mary is a great decision for individuals interested in a master's degree in public policy. William & Mary is a moderately-sized public school located in the suburb of Williamsburg.More information about a master’s in public policy from William & Mary
Located in the city of Lexington, UK is a public university with a very large student population.More information about a master’s in public policy from University of Kentucky
Liberty University is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Lynchburg.
Master's graduates who receive their degree from the public policy program earn an average of $58,353 in the first couple years of their career.
More information about a master’s in public policy from Liberty University
UT Knoxville is a very large public university located in the medium-sized city of Knoxville.More information about a master’s in public policy from The University of Tennessee - Knoxville
Explore the best public policy colleges for a specific state in the Southeast Region .
| State | Colleges | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|---|
| Florida | 208 | 13 |
| Georgia | 190 | 18 |
| Virginia | 182 | 247 |
| North Carolina | 178 | 76 |
| Tennessee | 166 | 41 |
| Alabama | 151 | 7 |
| Kentucky | 147 | 9 |
| Louisiana | 147 | 0 |
| West Virginia | 112 | 23 |
One of 4 majors within the Public Administration & Social Service area of study, Public Policy has other similar majors worth exploring.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| General Public Policy Analysis | 457 |
| Education Policy Analysis | 35 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Public Administration | 2,722 |
| Community Organization & Advocacy | 129 |
| Human Services | 103 |
| Other Public Administration | 93 |
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