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2023 Best Value Colleges for Public Administration & Social Service (Income $75-$110k)

565 Ranked Colleges
98,583 Degrees Awarded
$13,900 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools For Those Making $75-$110k

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools For Those Making $75-$110k” ranking is part of that endeavor.

In 2020-2021, 98,583 people earned their degree in public administration and social service, making the major the 14th most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, public administration and social service graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $40,520 and had an average of $27,642 in loans still to pay off.

For this year’s “Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools For Those Making $75-$110k” ranking, we looked at 565 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.

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. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank Public Administration & Social Service Schools

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Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools For Those Making $75-$110k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. 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 Those Making $75-$110k

The colleges and universities below are the best for public administration & social service students whose families make $75-$110k.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Public Administration & Social Service (Income $75-$110k)

1
Harvard crest
Harvard University
Cambridge, Massachusetts

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Harvard University. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools For Those Making $75-$110k list. Harvard is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 386 ’s public administration and social service degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Harvard, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Schools” ranking. It costs about $20,059 for Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Harvard.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at Harvard

2
Princeton crest
Princeton University
Princeton, New Jersey

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Princeton University. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools For Those Making $75-$110k list. Princeton University is a medium-sized school located in Princeton, New Jersey that handed out 221 ’s public administration and social service degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our public administration & social service students whose families make $75-$110k list, Princeton has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Princeton is $18,205 for Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $75-$110k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Princeton Public Administration & Social Service Report

3
Duke crest
Duke University
Durham, North Carolina

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Duke University. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools For Those Making $75-$110k list. Durham, North Carolina is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s public administration and social service degrees to 269 students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Duke, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Schools” ranking. It costs about $18,113 for public administration & social service students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Duke.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.3% 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%.

Full Duke Public Administration & Social Service Report

4
UChicago crest
University of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Chicago. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools For Those Making $75-$110k list. UChicago is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 586 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

UChicago not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Chicago is $19,895 for Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $75-$110k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.0% 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 impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 100%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at University of Chicago

5
Northwestern crest
Northwestern University
Evanston, Illinois

Out of the 565 schools in the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools For Those Making $75-$110k that were part of this year’s ranking, Northwestern University landed the #5 spot on the list. Northwestern University is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Evanston, Illinois. It awarded 229 ’s public administration and social service degrees in 2020-2021.

Northwestern also made our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Schools” list, coming in at #7. The yearly cost to attend Northwestern is $15,686 for Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $75-$110k.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at Northwestern

6
Hunter crest
Hunter College
New York, New York

Hunter College landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. This large school is located in New York, New York, and it awarded 677 ’s public administration and social service degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Hunter is also in the top of our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Schools” ranking. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The yearly cost to attend Hunter is $9,436 for Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $75-$110k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.1% 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%.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at Hunter College

7
Post University crest
Post University
Waterbury, Connecticut

Post University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #7. Post University is a fairly large private for-profit school situated in Waterbury, Connecticut. It awarded 155 ’s public administration and social service degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Post University is $13,792 for public administration & social service students whose families make $75-$110k.

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

8
Johns Hopkins crest
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, Maryland

Johns Hopkins University ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools For Those Making $75-$110k list. Johns Hopkins University is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Baltimore, Maryland. It awarded 65 ’s public administration and social service degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Johns Hopkins, the school also landed the #6 spot in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Johns Hopkins is $18,951 for public administration & social service students whose families make $75-$110k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

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

9
Camden County College crest
Camden County College
Blackwood, New Jersey

Camden County College ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools For Those Making $75-$110k list. Camden County College is located in Blackwood, New Jersey and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 38 ’s public administration and social service degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Camden County College is also in the top of our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Schools” ranking. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $10,631 for Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Camden County College.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at Camden County College

10

California State University - Los Angeles came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. California State University - Los Angeles is a large public school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 347 ’s public administration and social service degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Los Angeles is $10,011 for Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $75-$110k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Cal State LA Public Administration & Social Service Report

11

John Jay College of Criminal Justice ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools For Those Making $75-$110k list. John Jay is a fairly large public school situated in New York, New York. It awarded 335 ’s public administration and social service degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for John Jay is $10,998 for public administration & social service students whose families make $75-$110k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full John Jay Public Administration & Social Service Report

12
Bristol crest
Bristol Community College
Fall River, Massachusetts

Bristol Community College ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools For Those Making $75-$110k list. Bristol Community College is located in Fall River, Massachusetts and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 57 ’s public administration and social service degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $10,267 for public administration & social service students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Bristol Community College.

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

13

Borough of Manhattan Community College ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools For Those Making $75-$110k list. Located in New York, New York, this fairly large public school handed out 143 diplomas to qualified ’s public administration and social service students in 2020-2021.

BMCC excels when it comes to public administration and social service quality. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. The estimated yearly cost for BMCC is $10,539 for Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $75-$110k.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at Borough of Manhattan Community College

14
Lehman crest
Lehman College
Bronx, New York

Lehman College came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Bronx, New York is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s public administration and social service degrees to 213 students in 2020-2021.

It costs about $9,585 for Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Lehman.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at Lehman

15

Columbia University in the City of New York landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Columbia is a private not-for-profit institution located in New York, New York. The school has a large population, and it awarded 876 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Columbia not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #13 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Columbia is $16,916 for public administration & social service students whose families make $75-$110k.

With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate 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.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at Columbia University in the City of New York

16

University of California - Berkeley ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools For Those Making $75-$110k list. UC Berkeley is a large school located in Berkeley, California that handed out 311 ’s public administration and social service degrees in 2020-2021.

UC Berkeley also made our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Schools” list, coming in at #5. The estimated yearly cost for UC Berkeley is $21,601 for public administration & social service students whose families make $75-$110k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of California - Berkeley Public Administration & Social Service Report

17
Vanderbilt crest
Vanderbilt University
Nashville, Tennessee

Vanderbilt University came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Vanderbilt University is located in Nashville, Tennessee and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 72 ’s public administration and social service degrees to qualified students.

Vanderbilt also claimed a top spot on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Vanderbilt University is $15,636 for public administration & social service students whose families make $75-$110k.

With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% 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%.

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

18

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, this large public school handed out 674 degrees to qualified ’s public administration and social service students in 2020-2021.

U-M not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #18 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Schools” list. It costs about $17,207 for public administration & social service students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.3% 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%.

Full U-M Public Administration & Social Service Report

19

Delaware Technical Community College - Terry did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #19. Located in Dover, Delaware, this fairly large public school awarded 138 diplomas to qualified ’s public administration and social service students in 2020-2021.

It costs about $10,654 for Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Delaware Tech.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at Delaware Tech

20
Baruch crest
Baruch College
New York, New York

With a ranking of #20, Baruch College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools For Those Making $75-$110k list. Baruch is located in New York, New York and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 208 ’s public administration and social service degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend Baruch College is $9,059 for public administration & social service students whose families make $75-$110k.

With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Baruch Public Administration & Social Service Report

21

California State University - Fresno ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools For Those Making $75-$110k list. This large school is located in Fresno, California, and it awarded 205 ’s public administration and social service degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend California State University - Fresno is $12,789 for Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $75-$110k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at Fresno State

22
York crest
York College
Jamaica, New York

York College came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. York is a public institution located in Jamaica, New York. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 89 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend York College is $11,834 for Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $75-$110k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

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

23

New York City College of Technology landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. City Tech is a fairly large school located in Brooklyn, New York that handed out 184 ’s public administration and social service degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $10,385 for public administration & social service students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend City Tech.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at New York City College of Technology

24
Indian River State College crest
Indian River State College
Fort Pierce, Florida

Indian River State College ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools For Those Making $75-$110k list. Indian River State College is a public institution located in Fort Pierce, Florida. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 170 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Indian River State College is $8,827 for Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $75-$110k.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at Indian River State College

25

University of Washington - Seattle Campus came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. UW Seattle is a large public school situated in Seattle, Washington. It awarded 340 ’s public administration and social service degrees in 2020-2021.

UW Seattle also made our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Schools” list, coming in at #23. The estimated yearly cost for University of Washington - Seattle Campus is $16,894 for public administration & social service students whose families make $75-$110k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at UW Seattle

Rest of the Best 50 in Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools For Those Making $75-$110k

Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

26
27
Brown crest
Brown University
Providence, Rhode Island
27
29
MWCC crest
Mount Wachusett Community College
Gardner, Massachusetts
30
31
32
Fresno City College crest
Fresno City College
Fresno, California
33
SJC crest
San Juan College
Farmington, New Mexico
34
35
UPenn crest
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
36
IU Bloomington crest
Indiana University - Bloomington
Bloomington, Indiana
37
Tacoma Community College crest
Tacoma Community College
Tacoma, Washington
38
38
Quinsigamond Community College crest
Quinsigamond Community College
Worcester, Massachusetts
40
41
Florida State crest
Florida State University
Tallahassee, Florida
42
43
44
45
46
Century College crest
Century College
White Bear Lake, Minnesota
47
SUNY Orange crest
Orange County Community College
Middletown, New York
48
49
U of U crest
University of Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah
50

Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools For Those Making $75-$110k

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

Rank College Location
51 Cornell University Ithaca, NY
52 University of Georgia Athens, GA
53 Florida Atlantic University Boca Raton, FL
54 Austin Community College District Austin, TX
55 California State University - Sacramento Sacramento, CA
56 Community College of Philadelphia Philadelphia, PA
57 Monroe Community College Rochester, NY
58 California State University - Northridge Northridge, CA
59 The University of West Florida Pensacola, FL
60 Minot State University Minot, ND
61 Jackson State University Jackson, MS
62 California State University - Bakersfield Bakersfield, CA
63 Passaic County Community College Paterson, NJ
64 California State University - Dominguez Hills Carson, CA
65 The University of Texas at Brownsville Brownsville, TX
Rank College Location
66 University of California - Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA
67 University of North Dakota Grand Forks, ND
68 Northern Arizona University Flagstaff, AZ
69 Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis Indianapolis, IN
70 San Diego State University San Diego, CA
71 Northern Kentucky University Highland Heights, KY
72 Murray State University Murray, KY
73 SUNY Empire State College Saratoga Springs, NY
74 University of Delaware Newark, DE
75 University of Northern Iowa Cedar Falls, IA
76 University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire Eau Claire, WI
77 University of Missouri - Columbia Columbia, MO
78 Trinity College Hartford, CT
79 Brigham Young University - Provo Provo, UT
80 The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX
81 York County Community College Wells, ME
82 College of Staten Island CUNY Staten Island, NY
83 University of Wyoming Laramie, WY
84 University of Minnesota - Twin Cities Minneapolis, MN
85 University of Maryland - College Park College Park, MD

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References

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