2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Public Administration & Social Service
Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. 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 a Bachelor’s” ranking is part of that endeavor.
In 2019-2020, 97,666 people earned their degree in public administration and social service, making the major the 14th most popular in the United States. In 2017-2018, public administration and social service graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $39,142 and had an average of $32,304 in loans still to pay off.
At the 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.
This year’s “Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s” ranking looked at 600 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in public administration and social service. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great public administration and social service programs and 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. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
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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 Bachelor’s”.
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. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.
Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s.
Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Public Administration & Social Service
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Minot State University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s. MSU is located in Minot, North Dakota and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 60 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees to qualified students.
MSU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #22 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Minot State University is $11,898 for bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students.
Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at MSU
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Phoenix - Arizona. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s. Located in Tempe, Arizona, this large private for-profit school handed out 692 degrees to qualified bachelors’s public administration and social service students in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on this list, UOPX - Arizona 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 yearly cost to attend University of Phoenix - Arizona is $12,944 for bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students.
Full UOPX - Arizona Public Administration & Social Service Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Bemidji State University. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s. Bemidji, Minnesota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees to 36 students in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on this list, Bemidji State University is in the top on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The yearly cost to attend Bemidji State University is $15,868 for Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students.
Full Bemidji State University Public Administration & Social Service Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Winona State University. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Winona State University is a public institution located in Winona, Minnesota. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 79 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Winona State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #16 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $17,656 for Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students per year to attend Winona State University.
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%.
Full Winona State Public Administration & Social Service Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Wisconsin - River Falls. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s. UW - River Falls is a public institution located in River Falls, Wisconsin. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 21 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
UW - River Falls also claimed a top spot on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools in this category. The yearly cost to attend UW - River Falls is $13,748 for Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students.
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%.
Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at UW - River Falls
Bellevue University landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. Bellevue University is a fairly large school located in Bellevue, Nebraska that handed out 29 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for Bellevue University is $15,616 for bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students.
Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at Bellevue University
University of North Dakota ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Grand Forks, North Dakota 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 97 students in 2019-2020.
UND also claimed a top spot on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 5% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $15,738 for Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students per year to attend University of North Dakota.
The student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at University of North Dakota
University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. Located in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, this fairly large public school awarded 72 degrees to qualified bachelors’s public administration and social service students in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students list, UW - Eau Claire has also earned the #21 rank in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $16,020 for Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students per year to attend UW - Eau Claire.
Full UW - Eau Claire Public Administration & Social Service Report
Colorado State University - Global Campus came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. Colorado State University - Global Campus is located in Greenwood Village, Colorado and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 82 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees to qualified students.
The low student loan default rate of 3.9% 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 more about Public Administration & Social Service at Colorado State University - Global Campus
Minnesota State University - Moorhead ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s list. MSU Moorhead is a medium-sized school located in Moorhead, Minnesota that handed out 69 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, MSU Moorhead is also in the top of our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend MSU Moorhead is $16,893 for Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students.
The low student loan default rate of 4.5% 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 Minnesota State University - Moorhead
Brigham Young University - Idaho ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Located in Rexburg, Idaho, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 75 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s public administration and social service students in 2019-2020.
It costs about $7,167 for Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students per year to attend BYU - I.
The 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 Brigham Young University - Idaho
With a ranking of #12, University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s list. This medium-sized school is located in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, and it awarded 62 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.
On top of its placing in this ranking, UW - Stevens Point also did well on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $14,465 for Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point.
Full University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point Public Administration & Social Service Report
Purdue University Global did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #13. Indianapolis, Indiana is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees to 196 students in 2019-2020.
Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at Purdue University Global
Minnesota State University - Mankato landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. Minnesota State University - Mankato is a fairly large school located in Mankato, Minnesota that handed out 61 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.
Minnesota State Mankato also claimed a top spot on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools in this category. It costs about $16,221 for bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students per year to attend Minnesota State Mankato.
The student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at Minnesota State Mankato
Brandman University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #15. Brandman University is located in Irvine, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 123 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees to qualified students.
On top of its placing in this ranking, Brandman also did well on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The yearly cost to attend Brandman University is $21,604 for bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students.
Indiana Wesleyan University - National & Global did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #16. Located in Marion, Indiana, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 204 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s public administration and social service students in 2019-2020.
On top of its placing in this ranking, IWU also did well 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 yearly cost to attend IWU is $22,207 for Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students.
University of Puerto Rico - Rio Piedras ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s list. University of Puerto Rico - Rio Piedras is a fairly large public school situated in San Juan, . It awarded 74 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend UPR Rio Piedras is $11,714 for bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students.
Full UPR Rio Piedras Public Administration & Social Service Report
Southwest Minnesota State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #18. Marshall, Minnesota is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees to 11 students in 2019-2020.
It costs about $14,397 for Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students per year to attend Southwest Minnesota State University.
Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at Southwest Minnesota State University
With a ranking of #19, University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Located in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, this fairly large public school handed out 105 degrees to qualified bachelors’s public administration and social service students in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on this list, UW Oshkosh is in the top on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh is $15,463 for Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students.
Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh
University of Phoenix - California did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #20. UOPX - California is a small private for-profit school situated in Costa Mesa, California. It awarded 58 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.
It costs about $12,664 for bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students per year to attend University of Phoenix - California.
Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at University of Phoenix - California
With a ranking of #21, University of Minnesota - Duluth did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s list. University of Minnesota - Duluth is a fairly large school located in Duluth, Minnesota that handed out 25 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.
UMN Duluth excels when it comes to public administration and social service quality. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The yearly cost to attend University of Minnesota - Duluth is $17,067 for bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students.
The student loan default rate at the school is 3.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at UMN Duluth
University of Wisconsin - Superior came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. UW - Superior is located in Superior, Wisconsin and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 38 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees to qualified students.
It costs about $13,774 for Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Superior.
Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at University of Wisconsin - Superior
With a ranking of #23, Metropolitan State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Metropolitan State University is located in Saint Paul, Minnesota and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 146 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees to qualified students.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Metro State is also in the top of our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Metro State is $15,225 for Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students.
Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at Metro State
With a ranking of #24, Indian River State College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Indian River State College is a fairly large school located in Fort Pierce, Florida that handed out 144 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend Indian River State College is $2,003 for Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students.
Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at Indian River State College
West Texas A&M University came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. This fairly large school is located in Canyon, Texas, and it awarded 54 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for West Texas A&M University is $12,761 for bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students.
Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at West Texas A&M University
Rest of the Best 50 in Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s
Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s
While not in the ‘top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
Rank | College | Location |
---|---|---|
51 | Tarleton State University | Stephenville, TX |
52 | MSU Texas | Wichita Falls, TX |
53 | Northeastern State University | Tahlequah, OK |
54 | Harding University | Searcy, AR |
55 | Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania | Shippensburg, PA |
56 | University of North Carolina at Pembroke | Pembroke, NC |
57 | Kutztown University of Pennsylvania | Kutztown, PA |
58 | Salisbury University | Salisbury, MD |
59 | Purdue University Northwest | Hammond, IN |
60 | Angelo State University | San Angelo, TX |
61 | Lehman College | Bronx, NY |
62 | Western Michigan University | Kalamazoo, MI |
63 | University of Nebraska at Kearney | Kearney, NE |
64 | Walden University | Minneapolis, MN |
65 | Goodwin College | East Hartford, CT |
Rank | College | Location |
---|---|---|
91 | California State University - Long Beach | Long Beach, CA |
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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.
Credits
- Credit for the banner image above goes to University of the Fraser Valley.
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