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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Public Administration & Social Service (Income $75-$110k)

579 Ranked Colleges
35,792 Degrees Awarded
$13,300 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor's For Those Making $75-$110k

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k” ranking - to help you make that 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 bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 35,792 public administration and social service graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,303 and $24,501 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k” ranking, we looked at 579 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. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

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 for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k”.

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. 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 Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k.

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

#1

Stanford University

Stanford, California
#7 in overall quality

Out of the 579 schools in the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k that were part of this year’s ranking, Stanford University landed the #1 spot on the list. Stanford is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Stanford, California. It awarded 20 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

Stanford not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $10,631 for Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Stanford University.

The student loan default rate at the school is 0.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 4 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 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at Stanford

#2

Duke University

Durham, North Carolina
#2 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Duke University. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k list. Duke University is a fairly large school located in Durham, North Carolina that handed out 233 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

Duke also made our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #2. The yearly cost to attend Duke is $18,375 for Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $75-$110k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Duke Public Administration & Social Service Report

#3

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois
#5 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Northwestern University. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k. Northwestern is located in Evanston, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 139 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees to qualified students.

Northwestern also made our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #5. The yearly cost to attend Northwestern is $16,784 for Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $75-$110k.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The low student loan default rate of 0.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at Northwestern University

#4

Princeton University

Princeton, New Jersey
#4 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Princeton University. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k list. Princeton is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Princeton, New Jersey. It awarded 108 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Princeton, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Princeton University is $16,989 for bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $75-$110k.

The low 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%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at Princeton University

Top 15% in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend New York City College of Technology. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k. This fairly large school is located in Brooklyn, New York, and it awarded 146 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, City Tech is also in the top of our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $11,106 for Bachelor’s Degree 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

#6

Lehman College

Bronx, New York
Top 20% in overall quality

Lehman College ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k list. Located in Bronx, New York, this fairly large public school awarded 136 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s public administration and social service students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on this list, Lehman is in the top on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Lehman College is $8,818 for bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $75-$110k.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at Lehman College

Top 15% in overall quality

California State University - Los Angeles landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Cal State LA is a large school located in Los Angeles, California that handed out 224 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

Cal State LA excels when it comes to public administration and social service quality. It’s in the top 15% of all schools in this category. The estimated yearly cost for Cal State LA is $9,576 for Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $75-$110k.

The low student loan default rate of 1.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full Cal State LA Public Administration & Social Service Report

#8

University of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois
#3 in overall quality

University of Chicago ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s 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 129 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UChicago, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $17,929 for Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend University of Chicago.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 100%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Chicago Public Administration & Social Service Report

#9

Cornell University

Ithaca, New York
#1 in overall quality

Cornell University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Cornell University is a large school located in Ithaca, New York that handed out 58 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

Cornell also made our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #1. The estimated yearly cost for Cornell is $23,128 for Bachelor’s Degree 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 school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full Cornell University Public Administration & Social Service Report

#10

Hunter College

New York, New York

Hunter College came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Hunter College is located in New York, New York and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 49 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for Hunter College is $9,385 for Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $75-$110k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at Hunter

#11

Thomas University

Thomasville, Georgia

With a ranking of #11, Thomas University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k list. This small school is located in Thomasville, Georgia, and it awarded 20 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $18,004 for Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend TU.

Full TU Public Administration & Social Service Report

#12

Minot State University

Minot, North Dakota
#22 in overall quality

Minot State University ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k list. Located in Minot, North Dakota, this small public school awarded 60 degrees to qualified bachelors’s public administration and social service students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at MSU, the school also landed the #22 spot in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for MSU is $13,960 for Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $75-$110k.

Full Minot State University Public Administration & Social Service Report

University of Puerto Rico - Rio Piedras landed the #13 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. University of Puerto Rico - Rio Piedras is a fairly large school located in San Juan, that handed out 74 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend UPR Rio Piedras is $13,083 for Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $75-$110k.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at UPR Rio Piedras

#14

Vanderbilt University

Nashville, Tennessee
#15 in overall quality

Vanderbilt University came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Nashville, Tennessee is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees to 37 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $75-$110k list, Vanderbilt has also earned the #15 rank in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $14,890 for Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Vanderbilt University.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The low 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at Vanderbilt

Top 25% in overall quality

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. UT Rio Grande Valley is a large school located in Edinburg, Texas that handed out 121 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $11,400 for bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.

The low student loan default rate of 4.8% 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 The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

#16

Baruch College

New York, New York

Baruch College landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Baruch College is a fairly large public school situated in New York, New York. It awarded 40 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Baruch College is $11,501 for bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $75-$110k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full Baruch College Public Administration & Social Service Report

#17

Indian River State College

Fort Pierce, Florida

Indian River State College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #17. Located in Fort Pierce, Florida, this fairly large public school handed out 144 degrees to qualified bachelors’s public administration and social service students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Indian River State College is $6,342 for Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $75-$110k.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at Indian River State College

#18

York College

Jamaica, New York

York College ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k list. Located in Jamaica, New York, this medium-sized public school awarded 79 degrees to qualified bachelors’s public administration and social service students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend York is $10,458 for Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $75-$110k.

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

#19

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, Michigan
#13 in overall quality

With a ranking of #19, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k list. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 77 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at U-M, the school also landed the #13 spot in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is $18,039 for Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $75-$110k.

The low student loan default rate of 1.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Top 25% in overall quality

California State University - Fresno came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. This large school is located in Fresno, California, and it awarded 119 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Fresno State is $11,819 for bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $75-$110k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at California State University - Fresno

#21

The University of West Florida

Pensacola, Florida

The University of West Florida landed the #21 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Pensacola, Florida is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees to 73 students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend UWF is $12,116 for bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $75-$110k.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at The University of West Florida

John Jay College of Criminal Justice came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Located in New York, New York, this fairly large public school awarded 76 degrees to qualified bachelors’s public administration and social service students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend John Jay College of Criminal Justice is $9,285 for bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $75-$110k.

Full John Jay Public Administration & Social Service Report

#23

Dalton State College

Dalton, Georgia

Dalton State College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #23. Dalton State College is a public institution located in Dalton, Georgia. The school has a small population, and it awarded 19 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend DSC is $10,632 for bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $75-$110k.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at DSC

#24

University of Alaska Fairbanks

Fairbanks, Alaska

University of Alaska Fairbanks did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #24. Located in Fairbanks, Alaska, this medium-sized public school awarded 24 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s public administration and social service students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend UAF is $14,970 for bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $75-$110k.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at University of Alaska Fairbanks

With a ranking of #25, Florida International University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k list. Located in Miami, Florida, this large public school handed out 184 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s public administration and social service students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Florida International University is $13,821 for bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $75-$110k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at Florida International University

Rest of the Best 50 in Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s 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:

#27

University of California - Berkeley

Berkeley, California
#29

Northern Kentucky University

Highland Heights, Kentucky
#30

University of Wisconsin - River Falls

River Falls, Wisconsin
#31

College of Staten Island CUNY

Staten Island, New York
#32

Florida State University

Tallahassee, Florida
#35

University of Utah

Salt Lake City, Utah
#38

University of Wyoming

Laramie, Wyoming
#39

Winona State University

Winona, Minnesota
#40

University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
#40

University of North Dakota

Grand Forks, North Dakota
#43

California State University - San Bernardino

San Bernardino, California
#44

University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point

Stevens Point, Wisconsin
#45

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Eau Claire, Wisconsin
#46

Heritage University

Toppenish, Washington
#47

Western New Mexico University

Silver City, New Mexico
#49

University of Central Florida

Orlando, Florida
#50

SUNY Empire State College

Saratoga Springs, New York

Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s 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 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC
52 Indiana University - Northwest Gary, IN
53 Alcorn State University Alcorn State, MS
54 Rhode Island College Providence, RI
55 The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX
56 Shepherd University Shepherdstown, WV
57 California State University - Northridge Northridge, CA
58 Minnesota State University - Mankato Mankato, MN
59 University of North Georgia Dahlonega, GA
60 Florida Gulf Coast University Fort Myers, FL
61 Bemidji State University Bemidji, MN
62 University of Virginia - Main Campus Charlottesville, VA
63 Northeastern State University Tahlequah, OK
64 University of Northern Iowa Cedar Falls, IA
65 University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh Oshkosh, WI
Rank College Location
66 Texas Woman’s University Denton, TX
67 Augusta University Augusta, GA
68 Saint Cloud State University Saint Cloud, MN
68 Universidad del Este Carolina, PR
70 Viterbo University La Crosse, WI
71 University of Wisconsin - Superior Superior, WI
72 California State University - Sacramento Sacramento, CA
73 University of Minnesota - Duluth Duluth, MN
74 Brown University Providence, RI
74 William & Mary Williamsburg, VA
76 Fort Hays State University Hays, KS
77 Saint Augustine College Chicago, IL
78 University of Phoenix - Arizona Tempe, AZ
79 Indiana University - Bloomington Bloomington, IN
80 Oakland University Rochester Hills, MI
81 Utah Valley University Orem, UT
82 Saginaw Valley State University University Center, MI
83 University of North Carolina at Greensboro Greensboro, NC
84 Minnesota State University - Moorhead Moorhead, MN
85 University of Wisconsin - Green Bay Green Bay, WI
86 Weber State University Ogden, UT
87 Trinity College Hartford, CT

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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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