Find Schools

Study Area & Zipcode

Public Administration & Social Service

Find Schools Near

2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k

443 Ranked Colleges
49,910 Degrees Awarded
$42,200 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees*
Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master's For Those Making $30-$48k

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking.

In 2019-2020, 97,666 people earned their degree in public administration and social service, making the major the 14th most popular in the United States. 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.

This year’s “Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking analyzed 443 colleges that offered 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. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

One Size Does Not Fit All

The public administration & social service school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k”.

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 Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k

The colleges and universities below are the best for master’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $30-$48k.

Top 25 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Public Administration & Social Service (Income $30-$48k)

#1

Harvard University

Cambridge, Massachusetts
#1 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Harvard University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k. Harvard University is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 515 masters’s public administration and social service degrees to qualified students.

Harvard also took the #1 spot 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 Harvard are $50,654.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at Harvard University

#2

Duke University

Durham, North Carolina
#3 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Duke University. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k. Duke is a private not-for-profit institution located in Durham, North Carolina. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 67 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our master’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $30-$48k list, Duke has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Duke University are $59,140, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full Duke Public Administration & Social Service Report

#3

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois
#5 in overall quality

Out of the 443 schools in the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Northwestern University landed the #3 spot on the list. Northwestern University is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Evanston, Illinois. It awarded 132 masters’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

Northwestern also took the #5 spot in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Northwestern are $56,567, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full Northwestern University Public Administration & Social Service Report

#4

Princeton University

Princeton, New Jersey
#4 in overall quality

Out of the 443 schools in the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Princeton University landed the #4 spot on the list. Princeton is located in Princeton, New Jersey and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 96 masters’s public administration and social service degrees to qualified students.

Princeton also took the #4 spot 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 Princeton University are $56,470.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at Princeton University

#5

Stanford University

Stanford, California
#20 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Stanford University. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k. Stanford University is located in Stanford, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 23 masters’s public administration and social service degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our master’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $30-$48k list, Stanford has also earned the #20 rank in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Stanford are $55,011, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full Stanford Public Administration & Social Service Report

#6

University of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois
#2 in overall quality

With a ranking of #6, University of Chicago did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 536 diplomas to qualified masters’s public administration and social service students in 2019-2020.

UChicago not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 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 University of Chicago are $61,548.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at UChicago

#7

University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
#15 in overall quality

University of Pennsylvania landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 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 255 students 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 UPenn are $41,760, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at UPenn

#8

Brown University

Providence, Rhode Island
#13 in overall quality

With a ranking of #8, Brown University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Brown is a medium-sized school located in Providence, Rhode Island that handed out 55 masters’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

Brown did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #13 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Master’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Brown are $60,363, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at Brown University

#9 in overall quality

Columbia University in the City of New York landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Columbia is a large private not-for-profit school situated in New York, New York. It awarded 960 masters’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Columbia, the school also landed the #9 spot 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 Columbia University in the City of New York are $51,194.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at Columbia University in the City of New York

#10

Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, Missouri
#14 in overall quality

Washington University in St Louis landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Washington University in St Louis is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Saint Louis, Missouri. It awarded 266 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 $30-$48k list, WUSTL has also earned the #14 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 WUSTL are $56,562.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at Washington University in St Louis

#11

Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, Maryland
#16 in overall quality

Johns Hopkins University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Johns Hopkins is a large school located in Baltimore, Maryland that handed out 70 masters’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Johns Hopkins, the school also landed the #16 spot 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 University are $59,425.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at Johns Hopkins University

#12

Cornell University

Ithaca, New York
Top 10% in overall quality

With a ranking of #12, Cornell University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Cornell University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Ithaca, New York. The school has a large population, and it awarded 79 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on this list, Cornell is in the top 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

#13

Hunter College

New York, New York
Top 15% in overall quality

With a ranking of #13, Hunter College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. 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.

Hunter 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 in this category. Average graduate tuition and fees at Hunter College are $20,828, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at Hunter

#14

Baruch College

New York, New York
Top 20% in overall quality

Baruch College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #14. This fairly large school is located in New York, New York, and it awarded 195 masters’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

Baruch also claimed a top spot on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Master’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. Average graduate tuition and fees at Baruch College are $20,880, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full Baruch College Public Administration & Social Service Report

#15

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, Michigan
#19 in overall quality

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. U-M is a large public school situated in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It awarded 522 masters’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at U-M, the school also landed the #19 spot 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 University of Michigan - Ann Arbor are $49,548.

Full U-M Public Administration & Social Service Report

#16

Georgetown University

Washington, District of Columbia
#18 in overall quality

Georgetown University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #16. Washington, District of Columbia 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 182 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our master’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $30-$48k list, Georgetown has also earned the #18 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 Georgetown University are $53,591.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at Georgetown

#17

Vanderbilt University

Nashville, Tennessee
Top 15% in overall quality

Vanderbilt University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #17. Nashville, Tennessee 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 50 students in 2019-2020.

On top of its placing in this ranking, Vanderbilt 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. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Vanderbilt are $50,624.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at Vanderbilt University

Top 10% in overall quality

With a ranking of #18, University of Wisconsin - Madison did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Madison, Wisconsin is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s public administration and social service degrees to 210 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on this list, UW - Madison is in the top 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. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Wisconsin - Madison are $25,523, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at UW - Madison

#19

Boston College

Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts
Top 10% in overall quality

Boston College landed the #19 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Boston College is a fairly large school located in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts that handed out 217 masters’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on this list, Boston College is in the top on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Master’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools in this category. Average graduate tuition and fees at Boston College are $31,930, but some majors have different tuition rates.

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

Top 20% in overall quality

John Jay College of Criminal Justice ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. New York, New York is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s public administration and social service degrees to 224 students 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 in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. Average graduate tuition and fees at John Jay are $20,962, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at John Jay College of Criminal Justice

California State University - Los Angeles landed the #21 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This large school is located in Los Angeles, California, and 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 California State University - Los Angeles are $17,723.

Full Cal State LA Public Administration & Social Service Report

#22

University of California - Berkeley

Berkeley, California
#10 in overall quality

University of California - Berkeley landed the #22 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. UC Berkeley is a large school located in Berkeley, California that handed out 217 masters’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

UC Berkeley also made our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Master’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #10. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at UC Berkeley are $29,347.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at University of California - Berkeley

#23

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Top 15% in overall quality

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k 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. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at UNC Chapel Hill are $30,248.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

#22 in overall quality

University of Washington - Seattle Campus came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Seattle, Washington, this large public school awarded 468 degrees to qualified masters’s public administration and social service students in 2019-2020.

UW Seattle also made our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Master’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #22. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at UW Seattle are $30,294.

Full University of Washington - Seattle Campus Public Administration & Social Service Report

#25

William & Mary

Williamsburg, Virginia
Top 15% in overall quality

William & Mary landed the #25 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Williamsburg, Virginia, and it awarded 13 masters’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

William & Mary 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 William & Mary are $34,800, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at William & Mary

Rest of the Best 51 in Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k

Not only did these schools make the top 51 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

#27

University of California - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, California
#30

Lehman College

Bronx, New York
#31

University of Virginia - Main Campus

Charlottesville, Virginia
#32

Indiana University - Bloomington

Bloomington, Indiana
#35

Trinity College

Hartford, Connecticut
#37

Franklin University

Columbus, Ohio
#41

Smith College

Northampton, Massachusetts
#42

Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
#43

Boston University

Boston, Massachusetts
#44

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, Minnesota
#48

Florida State University

Tallahassee, Florida
#49

University of Central Florida

Orlando, Florida
#50

Tufts University

Medford, Massachusetts
#50

Northeastern University

Boston, Massachusetts

Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k

While not in the ‘top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

Rank College Location
52 The University of Texas at Tyler Tyler, TX
53 University of Maryland - College Park College Park, MD
54 Indiana University - Northwest Gary, IN
55 Bryn Mawr College Bryn Mawr, PA
56 California State University - San Bernardino San Bernardino, CA
57 York College Jamaica, NY
58 California State University - Bakersfield Bakersfield, CA
59 North Carolina State University Raleigh, NC
60 Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis Indianapolis, IN
61 Eastern Washington University Cheney, WA
62 Texas A&M International University Laredo, TX
63 College of Staten Island CUNY Staten Island, NY
64 San Diego State University San Diego, CA
65 University of California - Irvine Irvine, CA
66 University of Wyoming Laramie, WY
Rank College Location
67 The City College of New York New York, NY

Switch to a Different Ranking Method

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

Featured Public Administration Schools

Find Schools Near You