2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k
When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s 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.
At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 49,910 public administration and social service graduates with average earnings and debt of $56,398 and $43,194 respectively.
For this year’s “Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, we looked at 450 colleges that offer a degree in public administration and social service. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality public administration and social service programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.
Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the public administration and social service program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. See our ranking methodology to learn more.
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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 Master’s 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. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.
Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k.
Top 25 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Public Administration & Social Service (Income $0-$30k)
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Harvard University. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Harvard University is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It awarded 515 masters’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.
Harvard did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Master’s Degree Schools” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Harvard University are $50,654.
Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at Harvard University
Out of the 450 schools in the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Northwestern University landed the #2 spot on the list. Northwestern is located in Evanston, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 132 masters’s public administration and social service degrees to qualified students.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Northwestern, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Northwestern University are $56,567, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at Northwestern University
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Duke University. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k. This fairly large school is located in Durham, North Carolina, and it awarded 67 masters’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.
Duke did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Master’s Degree Schools” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Duke are $59,140.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Princeton University. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k. Located in Princeton, New Jersey, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 96 degrees to qualified masters’s public administration and social service students in 2019-2020.
Princeton not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Master’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Princeton University are $56,470, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Full Princeton Public Administration & Social Service Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Chicago. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s public administration and social service degrees to 536 students in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our master’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $0-$30k list, UChicago has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at UChicago are $61,548, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at UChicago
University of Pennsylvania landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. UPenn is a large school located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that handed out 255 masters’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.
UPenn also made our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Master’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #15. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Pennsylvania are $41,760, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at University of Pennsylvania
With a ranking of #7, Georgetown University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Georgetown is a fairly large school located in Washington, District of Columbia that handed out 182 masters’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our master’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $0-$30k list, Georgetown has also earned the #18 rank in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Georgetown University are $53,591, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Full Georgetown Public Administration & Social Service Report
Brown University landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Brown is located in Providence, Rhode Island and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 55 masters’s public administration and social service degrees to qualified students.
Brown not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #13 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Master’s Degree Schools” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Brown are $60,363.
Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at Brown
Johns Hopkins University landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This large school is located in Baltimore, Maryland, and it awarded 70 masters’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our master’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $0-$30k list, Johns Hopkins has also earned the #16 rank in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Johns Hopkins are $59,425.
Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at Johns Hopkins
With a ranking of #10, Stanford University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Stanford is a private not-for-profit institution located in Stanford, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 23 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Stanford also made our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Master’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #20. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Stanford University are $55,011.
Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at Stanford University
Washington University in St Louis ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. This fairly large school is located in Saint Louis, Missouri, and it awarded 266 masters’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at WUSTL, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at WUSTL are $56,562, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at Washington University in St Louis
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, this large public school awarded 522 degrees to qualified masters’s public administration and social service students in 2019-2020.
U-M not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #19 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Master’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor are $49,548, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Full University of Michigan - Ann Arbor Public Administration & Social Service Report
Hunter College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #13. New York, New York is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s public administration and social service degrees to 544 students in 2019-2020.
On top of its placing in this ranking, Hunter also did well on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Master’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools in this category. Average graduate tuition and fees at Hunter are $20,828, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at Hunter
With a ranking of #14, Baruch College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in New York, New York, this fairly large public school handed out 195 degrees to qualified masters’s public administration and social service students in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on this list, Baruch is in the top on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Master’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category. Average graduate tuition and fees at Baruch are $20,880, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Cornell University landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Cornell University is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Ithaca, New York. It awarded 79 masters’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.
Cornell also claimed a top spot on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Master’s Degree Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Master’s Degree Schools” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Cornell are $30,042.
Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at Cornell University
Vanderbilt University ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Vanderbilt University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Nashville, Tennessee. It awarded 50 masters’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.
Vanderbilt also claimed a top spot on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Master’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. Average graduate tuition and fees at Vanderbilt are $50,624, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at Vanderbilt University
John Jay College of Criminal Justice came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. John Jay College of Criminal Justice is a fairly large school located in New York, New York that handed out 224 masters’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on this list, John Jay is in the top on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Master’s Degree Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Master’s Degree Schools” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at John Jay are $20,962.
Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at John Jay
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a large school located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina that handed out 222 masters’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on this list, UNC Chapel Hill is in the top on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Master’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools in this category. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill are $30,248, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Full UNC Chapel Hill Public Administration & Social Service Report
University of Wisconsin - Madison did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #19. UW - Madison is a public institution located in Madison, Wisconsin. The school has a large population, and it awarded 210 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
On top of its placing in this ranking, UW - Madison also did well on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Master’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Wisconsin - Madison are $25,523, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Full University of Wisconsin - Madison Public Administration & Social Service Report
University of California - Berkeley came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of California - Berkeley is a public institution located in Berkeley, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 217 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our master’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $0-$30k list, UC Berkeley has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at UC Berkeley are $29,347, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at UC Berkeley
Columbia University in the City of New York landed the #21 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. New York, New York is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s public administration and social service degrees to 960 students in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our master’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $0-$30k list, Columbia has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Columbia University in the City of New York are $51,194, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at Columbia
California State University - Los Angeles did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #22. California State University - Los Angeles is a large public school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 198 masters’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.
Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Cal State LA are $17,723.
Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at Cal State LA
With a ranking of #23, University of Washington - Seattle Campus did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Washington - Seattle Campus is a large public school situated in Seattle, Washington. It awarded 468 masters’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.
UW Seattle did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #22 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Master’s Degree Schools” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at UW Seattle are $30,294.
Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at UW Seattle
Lehman College landed the #24 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Bronx, New York, and it awarded 81 masters’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at Lehman are $21,000, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at Lehman
With a ranking of #25, William & Mary did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. William & Mary is a medium-sized school located in Williamsburg, Virginia that handed out 13 masters’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.
William & Mary excels when it comes to public administration and social service quality. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Master’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at William & Mary are $34,800, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at William & Mary
Rest of the Best 50 in Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k
Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k
While not in the ‘top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 51 | San Diego State University | San Diego, CA |
| 52 | University of Georgia | Athens, GA |
| 53 | University of California - Irvine | Irvine, CA |
| 54 | California State University - San Bernardino | San Bernardino, CA |
| 55 | The City College of New York | New York, NY |
| 56 | University of Virginia - Main Campus | Charlottesville, VA |
| 57 | College of Staten Island CUNY | Staten Island, NY |
| 58 | University of Alaska Southeast | Juneau, AK |
| 59 | Tufts University | Medford, MA |
| 60 | Michigan State University | East Lansing, MI |
| 61 | Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis | Indianapolis, IN |
| 62 | California State University - Bakersfield | Bakersfield, CA |
| 63 | Boston University | Boston, MA |
| 64 | Eastern Washington University | Cheney, WA |
| 65 | Northern Kentucky University | Highland Heights, KY |
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 66 | Fairleigh Dickinson University - Metropolitan Campus | Teaneck, NJ |
| 67 | Texas Woman’s University | Denton, TX |
| 68 | Texas A&M International University | Laredo, TX |
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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.
Credits
- Credit for the banner image above goes to University of the Fraser Valley.
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