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2025 Best Public Policy Bachelor's Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region

9 Colleges in the Middle Atlantic Region
580 Bachelor's Degrees
$55,450 Avg Early-Career Salary
Public Policy is above average in terms of popularity with it being the #121 most popular bachelor's degree program in the country. This means you won't have too much trouble finding schools that offer the degree.

For its 2025 ranking, College Factual looked at 9 schools in the Middle Atlantic Region to determine which ones were the best for public policy students pursuing a bachelor's degree. Combined, these schools handed out 580 bachelor's degrees in public policy to qualified students.

What's on this page: * Our Methodology

Choosing a Great Public Policy School for Your Bachelor's Degree

Best Public Policy Bachelor's Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region Your choice of public policy for getting your bachelor's degree school matters. This section explores some of the factors we include in our ranking and how much they vary depending on the school you select. When choosing a school we recommend considering some of the following factors:

Quality Overall Is Important

The overall quality of a bachelor's degree school is important to ensure a quality education, not just how well they do in a particular major. To account for this we consider a college's overall Best Colleges ranking which itself looks at a collection of various factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.

Average Earnings

To determine the overall quality of a graduate school, one factor we look at is the average early-career salary of those receiving their bachelor's degree from the school. This is because one of the main reasons people pursue their bachelor's degree is to enable themselves to find better-paying positions.

Other Factors We Consider

The metrics below are just some of the other metrics that we use to determine our rankings.

Our complete ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best colleges for public policy students working on their bachelor's degree.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More Public Policy Rankings Other Ranking Categories

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 Bachelor's Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region list, to help you choose the best school for you.

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.

Best Schools for Bachelor’s Students to Study Public Policy in the Middle Atlantic Region

Learn about the top ranked colleges and universities for public policy students seeking a a bachelor's degree.

Top Middle Atlantic Region Schools for a Bachelor's in Public Policy

1

It is hard to beat Cornell University if you want to pursue a bachelor's degree in public policy. Located in the city of Ithaca, Cornell is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population.

Public Policy bachelor's degree recipients from Cornell University receive an earnings boost of about $22,456 over the average income of public policy majors.

More information about a bachelor’s in public policy from Cornell University

2
Princeton crest
Princeton University
Princeton, NJ

Princeton University is a great option for students pursuing a bachelor's degree in public policy. Located in the small city of Princeton, Princeton is a private not-for-profit university with a medium-sized student population.

Bachelor's recipients from the public policy degree program at Princeton University get $18,180 above the average graduate in this field shortly after graduation.

More information about a bachelor’s in public policy from Princeton University

3

Any student pursuing a degree in a bachelor's degree in public policy needs to look into University of Maryland - College Park. Located in the large suburb of College Park, UMCP is a public university with a very large student population.

Students who graduate with their bachelor's from the public policy program report average early career earnings of $45,642.

More information about a bachelor’s in public policy from University of Maryland - College Park

4
Hamilton crest
Hamilton College
Clinton, NY

Hamilton College is one of the finest schools in the United States for getting a bachelor's degree in public policy. Located in the suburb of Clinton, Hamilton is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.

Students who graduate with their bachelor's from the public policy program state that they receive average early career earnings of $56,158.

More information about a bachelor’s in public policy from Hamilton College

5
35 Annual Graduates

UAlbany is a fairly large public university located in the medium-sized city of Albany.More information about a bachelor’s in public policy from University at Albany

6

Located in the suburb of Newark, UD is a public university with a fairly large student population.

Bachelor's graduates who receive their degree from the public policy program earn about $36,796 in their early career salary.

More information about a bachelor’s in public policy from University of Delaware

7

Located in the city of New Brunswick, Rutgers New Brunswick is a public university with a fairly large student population.

After graduating, public policy bachelor's recipients typically make around $51,082 at the beginning of their careers.

More information about a bachelor’s in public policy from Rutgers University - New Brunswick

8
SUNY Empire crest
SUNY Empire State College
Saratoga Springs, NY

SUNY Empire is a moderately-sized public college located in the suburb of Saratoga Springs.

Students who graduate with their bachelor's from the public policy program report average early career income of $52,614.

More information about a bachelor’s in public policy from SUNY Empire State College

9
SMCM crest
St Mary's College of Maryland
St. Mary's City, MD

Located in the rural area of St. Mary's City, SMCM is a public college with a small student population.

Students who graduate with their bachelor's from the public policy program report average early career wages of $43,629.

More information about a bachelor’s in public policy from St Mary’s College of Maryland

Best Public Policy Colleges by State

Explore the best public policy colleges for a specific state in the Middle Atlantic Region .

State Colleges Degrees Awarded
New York 275 278
Pennsylvania 274 125
Maryland 207 96
New Jersey 193 150
Delaware 130 44

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Public Policy is one of 4 different types of Public Administration & Social Service programs to choose from.

Public Policy Concentrations

Major Annual Graduates
General Public Policy Analysis 520
International Policy Analysis 46
Health Policy Analysis 14

Related Major Annual Graduates
Human Services 862
Community Organization & Advocacy 337
Public Administration 268
Other Public Administration 77

Notes and References

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