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2022 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Public Administration & Social Service in California (With Aid)

36 Ranked Colleges
5,351 Degrees Awarded
$21,300 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees*
Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master's in California For Those Getting Aid

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. 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 in California For Those Getting Aid” ranking.

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 California, there were 9,336 public administration and social service graduates with average earnings and debt of $48,497 and $34,561 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 5,351 public administration and social service graduates with average earnings and debt of $60,281 and $50,119 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Getting Aid” ranking analyzed 36 colleges that offered 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.

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.

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 in California For Those Getting Aid”.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Getting Aid

The colleges and universities below are the best for california master’s degree public administration & social service students with aid.

Top 25 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Public Administration & Social Service in California (With Aid)

#13 in overall quality

Out of the 36 schools in the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, California State University - Los Angeles landed the #1 spot on the list. This large school is located in Los Angeles, California, and it awarded 198 masters’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

Cal State LA also made our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Master’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #13. Average graduate tuition and fees at California State University - Los Angeles are $17,723, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full California State University - Los Angeles Public Administration & Social Service Report

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California State University - Dominguez Hills. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Getting Aid list. Carson, California 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 174 students in 2019-2020.

Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at CSUDH are $17,884.

Full California State University - Dominguez Hills Public Administration & Social Service Report

#14 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Fresno. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Getting Aid. This large school is located in Fresno, California, and it awarded 69 masters’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

Fresno State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #14 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Master’s Degree Schools in California” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at California State University - Fresno are $17,581.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at Fresno State

#11 in overall quality

Out of the 36 schools in the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, California State University - Northridge landed the #4 spot on the list. Northridge, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s public administration and social service degrees to 410 students in 2019-2020.

CSUN also made our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Master’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #11. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at CSUN are $17,955.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at CSUN

Out of the 36 schools in the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, California State University - Stanislaus landed the #5 spot on the list. Stan State is a public institution located in Turlock, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 108 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Average graduate tuition and fees at California State University - Stanislaus are $18,540, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full California State University - Stanislaus Public Administration & Social Service Report

#8 in overall quality

California State University - Long Beach landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. Long Beach, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s public administration and social service degrees to 355 students in 2019-2020.

CSULB not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Master’s Degree Schools in California” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at California State University - Long Beach are $17,784, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full California State University - Long Beach Public Administration & Social Service Report

#22 in overall quality

California State University - Fullerton came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. California State University - Fullerton is a large school located in Fullerton, California that handed out 114 masters’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

Cal State Fullerton also took the #22 spot in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at California State University - Fullerton are $17,892, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full California State University - Fullerton Public Administration & Social Service Report

#8

University of California - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, California
#4 in overall quality

University of California - Los Angeles landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. University of California - Los Angeles is a large public school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 137 masters’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

UCLA also made our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Master’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #4. Average graduate tuition and fees at UCLA are $28,131, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at University of California - Los Angeles

#20 in overall quality

California State University - San Bernardino came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. California State University - San Bernardino is a fairly large public school situated in San Bernardino, California. It awarded 187 masters’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

CSUSB also took the #20 spot in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at California State University - San Bernardino are $17,936.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at CSUSB

#10

University of California - Berkeley

Berkeley, California
#2 in overall quality

University of California - Berkeley landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. University of California - Berkeley is a large public school situated in Berkeley, California. It awarded 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 in California” list, coming in at #2. 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 UC Berkeley

With a ranking of #11, California State University - Bakersfield did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Getting Aid list. This fairly large school is located in Bakersfield, California, and it awarded 108 masters’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

Average graduate tuition and fees at California State University - Bakersfield are $18,437, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full California State University - Bakersfield Public Administration & Social Service Report

#12

Stanford University

Stanford, California
#3 in overall quality

With a ranking of #12, Stanford University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Stanford, California, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 23 degrees to qualified masters’s public administration and social service students in 2019-2020.

Stanford not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Master’s Degree Schools in California” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Stanford are $55,011, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at Stanford

#17 in overall quality

California State University - Sacramento came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. Sac State is a large public school situated in Sacramento, California. It awarded 97 masters’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

Sac State also took the #17 spot in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Sac State are $18,356.

Full California State University - Sacramento Public Administration & Social Service Report

#14

San Jose State University

San Jose, California
#10 in overall quality

San Jose State University ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Getting Aid list. San Jose State University is located in San Jose, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 184 masters’s public administration and social service degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at San Jose State, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at San Jose State University are $18,790, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at San Jose State

#15

San Diego State University

San Diego, California
#7 in overall quality

San Diego State University landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. This large school is located in San Diego, California, and it awarded 174 masters’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

SDSU also took the #7 spot in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at SDSU are $18,658, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at SDSU

#19 in overall quality

California State University - East Bay came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. Cal State East Bay is located in Hayward, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 159 masters’s public administration and social service degrees to qualified students.

Cal State East Bay not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #19 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Master’s Degree Schools in California” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at California State University - East Bay are $17,828.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at California State University - East Bay

California State University - Monterey Bay landed the #17 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. CSUMB is a medium-sized school located in Seaside, California that handed out 42 masters’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

Average graduate tuition and fees at California State University - Monterey Bay are $18,081, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at CSUMB

#16 in overall quality

With a ranking of #18, University of California - Irvine did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Irvine, California, this large public school awarded 22 degrees to qualified masters’s public administration and social service students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california master’s degree public administration & social service students with aid list, UC Irvine has also earned the #16 rank in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at University of California - Irvine are $28,456.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at UC Irvine

#19

San Francisco State University

San Francisco, California
#25 in overall quality

With a ranking of #19, San Francisco State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Getting Aid list. San Francisco State University is a large school located in San Francisco, California that handed out 53 masters’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

SFSU also took the #25 spot in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at SFSU are $17,944, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at SFSU

California State University - San Marcos did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #20. Located in San Marcos, California, this fairly large public school handed out 61 degrees to qualified masters’s public administration and social service students in 2019-2020.

Average graduate tuition and fees at California State University - San Marcos are $18,661, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at CSUSM

#21

University of California - Riverside

Riverside, California

University of California - Riverside did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #21. UCR is located in Riverside, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 22 masters’s public administration and social service degrees to qualified students.

Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at University of California - Riverside are $28,686.

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

#23 in overall quality

California State University - Chico ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Getting Aid list. Chico, California 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 48 students in 2019-2020.

Chico State also made our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Master’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #23. Average graduate tuition and fees at Chico State are $18,802, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at Chico State

California State Polytechnic University - Pomona came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. This large school is located in Pomona, California, and it awarded 12 masters’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

Cal Poly Pomona did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #0 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Master’s Degree Schools in California” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at California State Polytechnic University - Pomona are $18,377, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at California State Polytechnic University - Pomona

#24

Humboldt State University

Arcata, California

Humboldt State University came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. Humboldt State University is a public institution located in Arcata, California. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 48 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Average graduate tuition and fees at Humboldt State University are $18,802, but some majors have different tuition rates.

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

#25

National University

La Jolla, California
#12 in overall quality

National University ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Getting Aid list. Located in La Jolla, California, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 96 degrees to qualified masters’s public administration and social service students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at National University, the school also landed the #12 spot in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at National University are $15,480.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at National 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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