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2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k

35 Ranked Colleges
1,125 Degrees Awarded
$16,100 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor's in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

Public Administration & Social Service is the 14th most popular major in the country with 97,666 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. In 2017-2018, public administration and social service graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $39,142 and had an average of $32,304 in loans still to pay off.

Across Pennsylvania, there were 3,788 public administration and social service graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,131 and $32,926 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,125 public administration and social service graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking analyzed 35 colleges that offered a degree in public administration and social service. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great public administration and social service programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the public administration and social service program at the school. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

One Size Does Not Fit All

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 “Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k” list to help you make the college decision.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Public Administration & Social Service (Income $0-$30k) in Pennsylvania

#1

University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
#1 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Pennsylvania. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k. Located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 23 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s public administration and social service students in 2019-2020.

UPenn also made our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list, coming in at #1. It costs about $3,181 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Pennsylvania.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at UPenn

#2

Dickinson College

Carlisle, Pennsylvania
#3 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Dickinson College. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k list. Dickinson College is located in Carlisle, Pennsylvania and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 18 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our pennsylvania bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $0-$30k list, Dickinson has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Dickinson is $11,046 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full Dickinson College Public Administration & Social Service Report

#3

Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
#2 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Carnegie Mellon University. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k. Carnegie Mellon is a private not-for-profit institution located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 14 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our pennsylvania bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $0-$30k list, Carnegie Mellon has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Carnegie Mellon is $12,542 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 0.6% 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%. The 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. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at Carnegie Mellon

#4

Mansfield University of Pennsylvania

Mansfield, Pennsylvania

Out of the 35 schools in the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Mansfield University of Pennsylvania landed the #4 spot on the list. This small school is located in Mansfield, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 16 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Mansfield University is $15,083 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Mansfield University of Pennsylvania Public Administration & Social Service Report

#5

Gettysburg College

Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
#4 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Gettysburg College. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k list. Gettysburg College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. It awarded 16 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Gettysburg, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Gettysburg College is $11,244 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 1.2% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at Gettysburg College

#6

Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania

Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania
#10 in overall quality

Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #6. Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees to 35 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our pennsylvania bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $0-$30k list, SRU has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania is $14,088 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania

#7

Edinboro University of Pennsylvania

Edinboro, Pennsylvania
#22 in overall quality

Edinboro University of Pennsylvania landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This small school is located in Edinboro, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 34 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our pennsylvania bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $0-$30k list, Edinboro has also earned the #22 rank in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Edinboro is $13,169 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Edinboro University of Pennsylvania Public Administration & Social Service Report

#8

West Chester University of Pennsylvania

West Chester, Pennsylvania
#5 in overall quality

West Chester University of Pennsylvania ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k list. West Chester University of Pennsylvania is located in West Chester, Pennsylvania and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 60 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees to qualified students.

WCUPA also made our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list, coming in at #5. It costs about $16,531 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend West Chester University of Pennsylvania.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 4.4% 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%.

Full WCUPA Public Administration & Social Service Report

#11 in overall quality

With a ranking of #9, University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus is a large school located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania that handed out 55 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Pitt, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus is $20,075 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The student loan default rate at the school is 3.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Pitt Public Administration & Social Service Report

#10

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania

Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania
#8 in overall quality

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania is located in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 53 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees to qualified students.

Bloomsburg not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list. It costs about $15,638 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Bloomsburg.

Full Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Public Administration & Social Service Report

#11

Temple University

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
#7 in overall quality

With a ranking of #11, Temple University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k list. Temple University is a large public school situated in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It awarded 54 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

Temple did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list. It costs about $18,315 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Temple.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Temple Public Administration & Social Service Report

#12

Millersville University of Pennsylvania

Millersville, Pennsylvania
#15 in overall quality

Millersville University of Pennsylvania landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Millersville is a medium-sized school located in Millersville, Pennsylvania that handed out 69 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

Millersville did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #15 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list. It costs about $16,878 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Millersville.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at Millersville

#13

Elizabethtown College

Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania
#9 in overall quality

Elizabethtown College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #13. Located in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 16 degrees to qualified bachelors’s public administration and social service students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our pennsylvania bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $0-$30k list, Etown has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Elizabethtown College is $19,191 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Etown Public Administration & Social Service Report

#14

Lock Haven University

Lock Haven, Pennsylvania
#18 in overall quality

With a ranking of #14, Lock Haven University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k list. Lock Haven, Pennsylvania is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees to 24 students in 2019-2020.

LHU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #18 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list. The estimated yearly cost for Lock Haven University is $16,690 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at Lock Haven University

#15

Geneva College

Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania

Geneva College ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k list. This small school is located in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 17 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $16,158 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Geneva College.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at Geneva College

#16

Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania

Shippensburg, Pennsylvania
#16 in overall quality

Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #16. Located in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, this medium-sized public school awarded 40 degrees to qualified bachelors’s public administration and social service students in 2019-2020.

Ship also made our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list, coming in at #16. The estimated yearly cost for Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania is $16,461 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania

#17

California University of Pennsylvania

California, Pennsylvania

With a ranking of #17, California University of Pennsylvania did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k list. California, Pennsylvania is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees to 23 students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend California University of Pennsylvania is $14,841 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at Cal U

#18

Kutztown University of Pennsylvania

Kutztown, Pennsylvania
#14 in overall quality

Kutztown University of Pennsylvania came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Kutztown University of Pennsylvania is located in Kutztown, Pennsylvania and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 68 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our pennsylvania bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $0-$30k list, Kutztown University has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. It costs about $17,384 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Kutztown University.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania

#19

Carlow University

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Carlow University came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Carlow is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It awarded 12 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Carlow University is $16,666 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full Carlow University Public Administration & Social Service Report

#20

Gannon University

Erie, Pennsylvania
#20 in overall quality

Gannon University landed the #20 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Gannon is located in Erie, Pennsylvania and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 3 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees to qualified students.

Gannon did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #20 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list. The estimated yearly cost for Gannon is $16,984 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at Gannon

#21

East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania

East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania

East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania landed the #21 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees to 23 students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $16,975 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at East Stroudsburg University

#22

Chestnut Hill College

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
#17 in overall quality

With a ranking of #22, Chestnut Hill College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 63 degrees to qualified bachelors’s public administration and social service students in 2019-2020.

CHC also made our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list, coming in at #17. It costs about $24,394 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Chestnut Hill College.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at CHC

#23

Lancaster Bible College

Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Lancaster Bible College ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 34 degrees to qualified bachelors’s public administration and social service students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Lancaster Bible College is $18,669 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at Lancaster Bible College

#24

Cedar Crest College

Allentown, Pennsylvania
#23 in overall quality

Cedar Crest College came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This small school is located in Allentown, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 12 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Cedar Crest, the school also landed the #23 spot in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Cedar Crest is $18,693 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $0-$30k.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at Cedar Crest

#25

Saint Francis University

Loretto, Pennsylvania
#12 in overall quality

Saint Francis University landed the #25 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Saint Francis is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Loretto, Pennsylvania. It awarded 8 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

Saint Francis not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list. It costs about $21,504 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Saint Francis University.

The low student loan default rate of 2.3% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Saint Francis University Public Administration & Social Service Report

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Notes and References

References

  • The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
  • Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

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