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2023 Best Public Administration & Social Service Colleges for Veterans

584 Ranked Colleges
98,583 Degrees Awarded
$36,700 Avg Cost*
Most Veteran Friendly for Public Administration & Social Service

With all of the options veterans have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual has developed its “Most Veteran Friendly for Public Administration & Social Service” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

Public Administration & Social Service is the 14th most popular major in the country with 98,583 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. 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.

This year’s “Most Veteran Friendly for Public Administration & Social Service” ranking analyzed 584 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 offer a lot of support to veterans and active service members.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as veteran satisfaction, veteran affordability, 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

Rankings by Degree Other Award Levels
Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More Public Administration & Social Service Rankings Other Ranking Categories

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Most Veteran Friendly for Public Administration & Social Service” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Most Veteran Friendly for Public Administration & Social Service

The colleges and universities below are the best for vets studying public administration & social service.

Top 25 Best Public Administration & Social Service Colleges for Veterans

1

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Public Administration & Social Service list. Located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, this large public school awarded 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 #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Our most recent data shows that 570 of the 47,907 students enrolled at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor were GI Bill® students, of which 325 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $27,058. During this same period, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor offers credit for military training for eligible students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read More…

2
USC crest
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Southern California. The school came in at #2 for the Most Veteran Friendly for Public Administration & Social Service. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s public administration and social service degrees to 1,466 students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at USC, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.According to our most recent data, University of Southern California supports 46,287 students, and 1,311 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 862 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $20,487. To help with additional expenses, 388 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. University of Southern California does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 University of Southern California Veteran Student Life Report

3

Out of the 584 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly for Public Administration & Social Service that were part of this year’s ranking, Ohio State University - Main Campus landed the #3 spot on the list. Ohio State is located in Columbus, Ohio and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 733 ’s public administration and social service degrees to qualified students.

Ohio State also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 61,369 students enrolled at Ohio State University - Main Campus, 2 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 0 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $0. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Ohio State University - Main Campus Veteran Student Life Report

4

Out of the 584 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly for Public Administration & Social Service that were part of this year’s ranking, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill landed the #4 spot on the list. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a large school located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina that handed out 387 ’s public administration and social service degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UNC Chapel Hill, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 1 of the 30,092 students enrolled at UNC Chapel Hill were GI Bill® students, of which 0 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $0. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

[Read full report on veteran student life at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill]](/colleges/university-of-north-carolina-at-chapel-hill/student-life/veterans/)

5

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Texas A&M University - College Station. The school came in at #5 for the Most Veteran Friendly for Public Administration & Social Service. Located in College Station, Texas, this large public school handed out 141 degrees to qualified ’s public administration and social service students in 2020-2021.

Texas A&M College Station also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 5 of the 70,418 students enrolled at Texas A&M College Station were GI Bill® students, of which 4 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $4,925. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Texas A&M College Station]](/colleges/texas-a-and-m-university-college-station/student-life/veterans/)

6
UK crest
University of Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky

University of Kentucky did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Public Administration & Social Service ranking, coming in at #6. UK is a large public school situated in Lexington, Kentucky. It awarded 408 ’s public administration and social service degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our vets studying public administration & social service list, UK has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 1 of the 29,986 students enrolled at University of Kentucky were GI Bill® students, of which 0 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $0. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. University of Kentucky offers credit for military training for eligible students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Kentucky Veteran Student Life Report

7
Rutgers New Brunswick crest
Rutgers University - New Brunswick
New Brunswick, New Jersey

With a ranking of #7, Rutgers University - New Brunswick did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Public Administration & Social Service list. Rutgers New Brunswick is a large public school situated in New Brunswick, New Jersey. It awarded 834 ’s public administration and social service degrees in 2020-2021.

Rutgers New Brunswick also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].According to our most recent data, Rutgers University - New Brunswick supports 50,411 students, and 1 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 3 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $3,625. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Rutgers University - New Brunswick offers credit for military training for eligible students.

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

[Read full report on veteran student life at Rutgers New Brunswick]](/colleges/rutgers-university-new-brunswick/student-life/veterans/)

8
Fordham U crest
Fordham University
Bronx, New York

Fordham University landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Public Administration & Social Service ranking. Fordham University is a fairly large school located in Bronx, New York that handed out 1,058 ’s public administration and social service degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Fordham U, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 16,364 students enrolled at Fordham U, 1 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 0 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $0. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Fordham U does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 veteran student life at Fordham U]](/colleges/fordham-university/student-life/veterans/)

9

University of Washington - Seattle Campus ranked #9 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly for Public Administration & Social Service list. University of Washington - Seattle Campus is a large public school situated in Seattle, Washington. It awarded 340 ’s public administration and social service degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UW Seattle, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.According to our most recent data, University of Washington - Seattle Campus supports 48,149 students, and 1,283 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 769 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $14,190. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. University of Washington - Seattle Campus offers credit for military training for eligible students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read More…

10
Georgetown crest
Georgetown University
Washington, District of Columbia

Georgetown University came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly for Public Administration & Social Service ranking. Georgetown is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Washington, District of Columbia. It awarded 208 ’s public administration and social service degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our vets studying public administration & social service list, Georgetown has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 19,371 students enrolled at Georgetown, 10 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 5 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $30,300. In addition to receiving other benefits, 1 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Georgetown offers credit for military training for eligible students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 Georgetown Veteran Student Life Report

11
U of U crest
University of Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah

University of Utah landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Public Administration & Social Service ranking. U of U is a public institution located in Salt Lake City, Utah. The school has a large population, and it awarded 375 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

U of U not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Our most recent data shows that 1 of the 33,081 students enrolled at University of Utah were GI Bill® students, of which 0 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $0. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full University of Utah Veteran Student Life Report

12

Virginia Commonwealth University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly for Public Administration & Social Service ranking. VCU is a large school located in Richmond, Virginia that handed out 348 ’s public administration and social service degrees in 2020-2021.

VCU also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.According to our most recent data, VCU supports 29,070 students, and 1 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 2 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $13,085. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. VCU does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

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

Full VCU Veteran Student Life Report

13

University of Wisconsin - Madison did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Public Administration & Social Service ranking, coming in at #13. Madison, Wisconsin is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s public administration and social service degrees to 304 students in 2020-2021.

UW - Madison also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Of the 44,640 students enrolled at University of Wisconsin - Madison, 4 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 0 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $0. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

[Read full report on veteran student life at University of Wisconsin - Madison]](/colleges/university-of-wisconsin-madison/student-life/veterans/)

14

University of Missouri - Columbia came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly for Public Administration & Social Service ranking. University of Missouri - Columbia is located in Columbia, Missouri and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 136 ’s public administration and social service degrees to qualified students.

Mizzou also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Our most recent data shows that 5 of the 31,089 students enrolled at University of Missouri - Columbia were GI Bill® students, of which 5 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $3,384. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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…

15
Iowa crest
University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa

University of Iowa ranked #15 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly for Public Administration & Social Service list. Iowa is a large public school situated in Iowa City, Iowa. It awarded 174 ’s public administration and social service degrees in 2020-2021.

Iowa also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Among the 30,318 students enrolled at Iowa, 1 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 0 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $0. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Iowa does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

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

[Read full report on veteran student life at University of Iowa]](/colleges/university-of-iowa/student-life/veterans/)

16
UChicago crest
University of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

University of Chicago ranked #16 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly for Public Administration & Social Service list. University of Chicago is a fairly large school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 586 ’s public administration and social service degrees in 2020-2021.

UChicago did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Of the 17,834 students enrolled at University of Chicago, 241 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 113 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $18,948. During this same period, 58 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 100%.

Read More…

17

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign landed the #17 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Public Administration & Social Service ranking. This large school is located in Champaign, Illinois, and it awarded 231 ’s public administration and social service degrees in 2020-2021.

UIUC also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 52,679 students enrolled at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 10 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 0 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $0. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Full UIUC Veteran Student Life Report

18
NYU crest
New York University
New York, New York

New York University did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Public Administration & Social Service ranking, coming in at #18. NYU is located in New York, New York and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 777 ’s public administration and social service degrees to qualified students.

NYU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Among the 52,775 students enrolled at NYU, 1 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 1 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $6,388. During this same period, 1 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read More…

19
UARK crest
University of Arkansas
Fayetteville, Arkansas

University of Arkansas landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Public Administration & Social Service ranking. Located in Fayetteville, Arkansas, this large public school handed out 116 diplomas to qualified ’s public administration and social service students in 2020-2021.

UARK did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Among the 27,562 students enrolled at UARK, 11 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 11 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $4,975. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Arkansas Veteran Student Life Report

20
Syracuse crest
Syracuse University
Syracuse, New York

With a ranking of #20, Syracuse University did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Public Administration & Social Service list. Syracuse University is a large school located in Syracuse, New York that handed out 416 ’s public administration and social service degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our vets studying public administration & social service list, Syracuse has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 21,322 students enrolled at Syracuse, 385 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 250 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $20,840. During this same period, 217 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Syracuse does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 veteran student life at Syracuse University]](/colleges/syracuse-university/student-life/veterans/)

21
KU crest
University of Kansas
Lawrence, Kansas

University of Kansas came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly for Public Administration & Social Service ranking. Located in Lawrence, Kansas, this large public school awarded 290 degrees to qualified ’s public administration and social service students in 2020-2021.

KU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Of the 26,744 students enrolled at University of Kansas, 70 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 40 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $10,917. To help with additional expenses, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.

Read More…

22
William & Mary crest
William & Mary
Williamsburg, Virginia

With a ranking of #22, William & Mary did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Public Administration & Social Service list. William & Mary is located in Williamsburg, Virginia and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 55 ’s public administration and social service degrees to qualified students.

William & Mary did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Among the 8,939 students enrolled at William & Mary, 531 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 349 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $19,978. During this same period, 5 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%.

[Read full report on veteran student life at William & Mary]](/colleges/college-of-william-and-mary/student-life/veterans/)

23
Carnegie Mellon crest
Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Carnegie Mellon University came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly for Public Administration & Social Service ranking. Carnegie Mellon University is located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 92 ’s public administration and social service degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Carnegie Mellon, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 13,519 students enrolled at Carnegie Mellon, 117 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 72 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $18,422. On top of their other funding sources, 36 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program.

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 low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%.

Read More…

24
UA crest
The University of Alabama
Tuscaloosa, Alabama

With a ranking of #24, The University of Alabama did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Public Administration & Social Service list. UA is a large public school situated in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. It awarded 309 ’s public administration and social service degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UA, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 2,081 of the 37,840 students enrolled at UA were GI Bill® students, of which 1,128 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $7,975. To help with additional expenses, 357 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. UA offers credit for military training for eligible students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full UA Veteran Student Life Report

25
ECU crest
East Carolina University
Greenville, North Carolina

East Carolina University came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly for Public Administration & Social Service ranking. ECU is located in Greenville, North Carolina and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 130 ’s public administration and social service degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at ECU, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 8 of the 28,798 students enrolled at ECU were GI Bill® students, of which 4 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $11,409. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

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Rest of the Best 50 in Most Veteran Friendly for Public Administration & Social Service

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

26
Brown crest
Brown University
Providence, Rhode Island
27
GWU crest
George Washington University
Washington, District of Columbia
28
Cornell crest
Cornell University
Ithaca, New York
29
UND crest
University of North Dakota
Grand Forks, North Dakota
30
Florida State crest
Florida State University
Tallahassee, Florida
31
32
33
GMU crest
George Mason University
Fairfax, Virginia
34
DU crest
University of Denver
Denver, Colorado
35
JMU crest
James Madison University
Harrisonburg, Virginia
36
Rutgers Newark crest
Rutgers University - Newark
Newark, New Jersey
37
38
UofL crest
University of Louisville
Louisville, Kentucky
39
40
41
42
43
44
Montclair State crest
Montclair State University
Montclair, New Jersey
45
46
47
48
Auburn crest
Auburn University
Auburn, Alabama
49
Eastern Michigan crest
Eastern Michigan University
Ypsilanti, Michigan
50

Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Most Veteran Friendly for Public Administration & Social Service

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

RankCollegeLocation
51Wayne State UniversityDetroit, MI
52San Diego State UniversitySan Diego, CA
53University of South Carolina - ColumbiaColumbia, SC
54Columbia CollegeColumbia, MO
55University of HoustonHouston, TX
56Troy UniversityTroy, AL
57University of Maryland Global CampusAdelphi, MD
58Indiana University - Purdue University - IndianapolisIndianapolis, IN
59Virginia TechBlacksburg, VA
60Texas Christian UniversityFort Worth, TX
61University of Wisconsin - Stevens PointStevens Point, WI
62Golden Gate University - San FranciscoSan Francisco, CA
63University of North Carolina at GreensboroGreensboro, NC
64Rutgers University - CamdenCamden, NJ
65Saint Louis UniversitySaint Louis, MO
RankCollegeLocation
66University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh CampusPittsburgh, PA
67University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, PA
68California State University - Long BeachLong Beach, CA
69University of New Hampshire - Main CampusDurham, NH
70Johns Hopkins UniversityBaltimore, MD
70Marquette UniversityMilwaukee, WI
72Grand Valley State UniversityAllendale, MI
73Old Dominion UniversityNorfolk, VA
74University of Wisconsin - Eau ClaireEau Claire, WI
75Indiana Wesleyan UniversityMarion, IN
76North Carolina State UniversityRaleigh, NC
76University of Nebraska at OmahaOmaha, NE
78University of Virginia - Main CampusCharlottesville, VA
79Portland State UniversityPortland, OR
80Kutztown University of PennsylvaniaKutztown, PA
81University of Alabama at BirminghamBirmingham, AL
82University of Illinois at ChicagoChicago, IL
83Boston UniversityBoston, MA
84Aurora UniversityAurora, IL
85Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical CollegeBaton Rouge, LA
86Boston CollegeChestnut Hill, MA
87Nazareth CollegeRochester, NY
88University of North AlabamaFlorence, AL

Notes and References

References

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