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2022 Best Value Colleges for Public Administration & Social Service (Income $48-$75k) in the Southwest Region

56 Ranked Colleges
10,929 Degrees Awarded
Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k

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 in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k” 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 the Southwest region, there were 10,929 public administration and social service graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,068 and $29,286 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking, we looked at 56 colleges that offer a degree in public administration and social service. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent public administration and social service programs, but they also cost less that 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.

More Ways to Rank Public Administration & Social Service Schools

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 in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k”.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to 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 in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Public Administration & Social Service (Income $48-$75k) in the Southwest Region

#1

South Texas College

McAllen, Texas

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend South Texas College. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. McAllen, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s public administration and social service degrees to 125 students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend South Texas College is $2,962 for Southwest Region Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at South Texas College

Out of the 56 schools in the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley landed the #2 spot on the list. The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley is located in Edinburg, Texas and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 279 ’s public administration and social service degrees to qualified students.

UT Rio Grande Valley did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #15 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Schools in the Southwest Region” list. It costs about $6,405 for southwest region public administration & social service students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend UT Rio Grande Valley.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Austin Community College District. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Austin, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s public administration and social service degrees to 36 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southwest region public administration & social service students whose families make $48-$75k list, Austin Community College District has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Austin Community College District is $8,877 for southwest region public administration & social service students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at Austin Community College District

#5

Amarillo College

Amarillo, Texas

Out of the 56 schools in the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, Amarillo College landed the #5 spot on the list. Located in Amarillo, Texas, this medium-sized public school awarded 29 degrees to qualified ’s public administration and social service students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Amarillo College is $6,860 for southwest region public administration & social service students whose families make $48-$75k.

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

#6

San Juan College

Farmington, New Mexico

San Juan College ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. SJC is a public institution located in Farmington, New Mexico. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 27 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for SJC is $7,996 for southwest region public administration & social service students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at SJC

Texas A&M International University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #7. Texas A&M International University is located in Laredo, Texas and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 9 ’s public administration and social service degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for Texas A&M International University is $3,809 for Southwest Region Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at Texas A&M International University

The University of Texas at Austin did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #8. Located in Austin, Texas, this large public school awarded 347 diplomas to qualified ’s public administration and social service students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UT Austin, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for The University of Texas at Austin is $15,757 for Southwest Region Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%.

Full UT Austin Public Administration & Social Service Report

The University of Texas at Tyler did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #9. UT Tyler is located in Tyler, Texas and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 11 ’s public administration and social service degrees to qualified students.

UT Tyler also made our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #6. The yearly cost to attend UT Tyler is $10,037 for Southwest Region Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at The University of Texas at Tyler

#10

Texas Woman's University

Denton, Texas

Texas Woman’s University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #10. TWU is a public institution located in Denton, Texas. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 69 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

TWU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #20 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for TWU is $9,629 for Southwest Region Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full Texas Woman’s University Public Administration & Social Service Report

#11

Western New Mexico University

Silver City, New Mexico

Western New Mexico University ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Silver City, New Mexico, this small public school handed out 241 degrees to qualified ’s public administration and social service students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Western New Mexico University, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. It costs about $15,278 for Southwest Region Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Western New Mexico University.

Full Western New Mexico University Public Administration & Social Service Report

#12

MSU Texas

Wichita Falls, Texas

MSU Texas did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #12. Wichita Falls, Texas is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s public administration and social service degrees to 12 students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $10,068 for Southwest Region Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend MSU Texas.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at MSU Texas

#13

University of Houston

Houston, Texas

University of Houston landed the #13 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. University of Houston is a public institution located in Houston, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 253 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UH, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UH is $12,505 for southwest region public administration & social service students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full University of Houston Public Administration & Social Service Report

#14

Texas State University

San Marcos, Texas

Texas State University ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. San Marcos, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s public administration and social service degrees to 332 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southwest region public administration & social service students whose families make $48-$75k list, Texas State has also earned the #18 rank in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. It costs about $14,250 for Southwest Region Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Texas State.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at Texas State University

#15

Northeastern State University

Tahlequah, Oklahoma

Northeastern State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #15. Located in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, this medium-sized public school awarded 71 diplomas to qualified ’s public administration and social service students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Northeastern State University is $11,683 for Southwest Region Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at NSU

#16

Tyler Junior College

Tyler, Texas

Tyler Junior College came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Tyler Junior College is a public institution located in Tyler, Texas. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 40 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Tyler Junior College also made our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #23. It costs about $11,066 for southwest region public administration & social service students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Tyler Junior College.

Full Tyler Junior College Public Administration & Social Service Report

The University of Texas at San Antonio did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #17. The University of Texas at San Antonio is a public institution located in San Antonio, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 197 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $13,827 for southwest region public administration & social service students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend UTSA.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at UTSA

#18

Angelo State University

San Angelo, Texas

Angelo State University ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. San Angelo, Texas is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s public administration and social service degrees to 39 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Angelo State, the school also landed the #13 spot in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. It costs about $14,876 for southwest region public administration & social service students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Angelo State University.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at Angelo State

The University of Texas at Arlington ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Arlington, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s public administration and social service degrees to 1,043 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UT Arlington, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for The University of Texas at Arlington is $14,622 for southwest region public administration & social service students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full UT Arlington Public Administration & Social Service Report

#20

Texas A&M University - College Station

College Station, Texas

With a ranking of #20, Texas A&M University - College Station did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. This large school is located in College Station, Texas, and it awarded 138 ’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southwest region public administration & social service students whose families make $48-$75k list, Texas A&M College Station has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Texas A&M University - College Station is $18,810 for southwest region public administration & social service students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low student loan default rate of 2.9% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at Texas A&M University - College Station

University of Phoenix - Arizona came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. This large school is located in Tempe, Arizona, and it awarded 982 ’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

UOPX - Arizona also made our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #8. The estimated yearly cost for UOPX - Arizona is $14,939 for Southwest Region Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full UOPX - Arizona Public Administration & Social Service Report

The University of Texas at El Paso landed the #22 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. The University of Texas at El Paso is located in El Paso, Texas and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 104 ’s public administration and social service degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for The University of Texas at El Paso is $10,786 for Southwest Region Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full UTEP Public Administration & Social Service Report

With a ranking of #23, New Mexico State University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. NMSU Main Campus is located in Las Cruces, New Mexico and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 105 ’s public administration and social service degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for New Mexico State University - Main Campus is $10,235 for southwest region public administration & social service students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at New Mexico State University - Main Campus

#24

Northern Arizona University

Flagstaff, Arizona

Northern Arizona University came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Northern Arizona University is located in Flagstaff, Arizona and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 211 ’s public administration and social service degrees to qualified students.

NAU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #22 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for NAU is $12,675 for southwest region public administration & social service students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at Northern Arizona University

#25

Lamar University

Beaumont, Texas

With a ranking of #25, Lamar University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Lamar University is a fairly large school located in Beaumont, Texas that handed out 49 ’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $14,818 for southwest region public administration & social service students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Lamar University.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at Lamar University

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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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