College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2025 Best Public Administration & Social Service Schools in North Carolina

18 Colleges in North Carolina
2,935 Public Administration & Social Service Degrees Awarded
$47,851 Avg Early-Career Salary
If you plan on majoring in public administration & social service, you won't be alone since the degree program is ranked #14 in the country in terms of popularity. As a result, there are many college that offer the degree, making your choice of school a hard one.

In 2025, College Factual analyzed 18 schools in order to identify the top ones for its Best Public Administration & Social Service Schools in North Carolina ranking. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 2,935 degrees in public administration & social service annually.

Jump to one of the following sections: * Degree-Level Rankings

Choosing a Great Public Administration & Social Service School

Best Public Administration & Social Service Schools in North Carolina The public administration & social service program you select can have a big impact on your future. That's why we developed our collection of Best Schools for Public Administration & Social Service rankings. We derive our Best Overall Public Administration & Social Service School rankings by rolling up our degree-level rankings after weighting them by the number of degrees awarded at each school.

You may want to choose one of the degree levels below to find the schools of most interest to you.

Public Administration & Social Service Rankings by Degree Level

Bachelor's Degrees in Public Administration & Social Service
Master's Degrees in Public Administration & Social Service
Doctor's Degrees in Public Administration & Social Service

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we've developed the Best Public Administration & Social Service Schools in North Carolina ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision. If you'd like to restrict your choices to just one part of the country, you can filter this list by location.

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. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

If you want to learn more about how we derive our rankings, see College Factual's Methodology.

Best Schools for Public Administration & Social Service in North Carolina

If you aren't interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the public administration & social service degrees they offer, see the list below.

10 Top North Carolina Schools in Public Administration & Social Service

1
Duke crest
Duke University
Durham, NC
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
288 Public Administration & Social Service Degrees Awarded
6.6% Growth in Graduates

Duke University is a wonderful choice for students pursuing a degree in public administration & social service. Located in the city of Durham, Duke is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #7 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means Duke is a great university overall.

There were approximately 288 public administration & social service students who graduated with this degree at Duke in the most recent year we have data available. Those public administration & social service students who get their degree from Duke University receive $22,170 more than the typical public administration & social service graduate.

More information about a degree in public administration & social service from Duke University

2
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
378 Public Administration & Social Service Degrees Awarded
$53,075 Median Starting Salary

It's difficult to beat University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill if you wish to pursue a degree in public administration & social service. UNC Chapel Hill is a very large public university located in the small city of Chapel Hill. A Best Colleges rank of #38 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means UNC Chapel Hill is a great university overall.

There were roughly 378 public administration & social service students who graduated with this degree at UNC Chapel Hill in the most recent data year. Degree recipients from the public administration & social service degree program at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill get $5,224 above the typical college grad with the same degree when they enter the workforce.

More information about a degree in public administration & social service from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Sponsored
Masters Degree Type
MBA in Public Administration Program Name

Fit new strategic skills into your public service passion and goals when you earn an MBA in Public Administration from Southern New Hampshire University.

More information about a degree in MBA in Public Administration from Southern New Hampshire University

Related Programs

3
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
207 Public Administration & Social Service Degrees Awarded
$45,175 Median Starting Salary

Any student who is interested in public administration & social service needs to check out North Carolina State University. NC State is a very large public university located in the city of Raleigh. A Best Colleges rank of #122 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means NC State is a great university overall.

There were approximately 207 public administration & social service students who graduated with this degree at NC State in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate with their degree from the public administration & social service program state that they receive average early career income of $45,175.

More information about a degree in public administration & social service from North Carolina State University

4
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
191 Public Administration & Social Service Degrees Awarded
$41,495 Median Starting Salary

Appalachian State University is one of the finest schools in the United States for getting a degree in public administration & social service. Located in the distant town of Boone, Appalachian State is a public university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #401 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means Appalachian State is a great university overall.

There were roughly 191 public administration & social service students who graduated with this degree at Appalachian State in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate with their degree from the public administration & social service program state that they receive average early career wages of $41,495.

More information about a degree in public administration & social service from Appalachian State University

5
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
180 Public Administration & Social Service Degrees Awarded
20.0% Growth in Graduates

UNC Greensboro is a large public university located in the city of Greensboro. A Best Colleges rank of #549 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means UNC Greensboro is a great university overall.

There were approximately 180 public administration & social service students who graduated with this degree at UNC Greensboro in the most recent data year. Graduates who receive their degree from the public administration & social service program make about $38,677 in their early career salary.

More information about a degree in public administration & social service from University of North Carolina at Greensboro

6
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
161 Public Administration & Social Service Degrees Awarded
19.3% Growth in Graduates

ECU is a very large public university located in the small city of Greenville. A Best Colleges rank of #275 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means ECU is a great university overall.

There were about 161 public administration & social service students who graduated with this degree at ECU in the most recent data year. After graduating, public administration & social service degree recipients typically make about $45,147 at the beginning of their careers.

More information about a degree in public administration & social service from East Carolina University

7
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
84 Public Administration & Social Service Degrees Awarded
7.1% Growth in Graduates

NC A&T is a fairly large public university located in the city of Greensboro. This university ranks 51st out of 93 colleges for overall quality in the state of North Carolina.

There were approximately 84 public administration & social service students who graduated with this degree at NC A&T in the most recent data year. Students who receive their degree from the public administration & social service program make about $34,613 in their early career salary.

More information about a degree in public administration & social service from North Carolina A & T State University

Sponsored
Bachelors Degree Type
BA in Human Services Program Name

Improve the lives of individuals, families and communities with the human service tools gained from this online bachelor's from Southern New Hampshire University.

More information about a degree in BA in Human Services from Southern New Hampshire University

Related Programs

8
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
209 Public Administration & Social Service Degrees Awarded
13.4% Growth in Graduates

WCU is a large public university located in the town of Cullowhee. A Best Colleges rank of #1125 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means WCU is a great university overall.

There were about 209 public administration & social service students who graduated with this degree at WCU in the most recent year we have data available. Graduates who receive their degree from the public administration & social service program make an average of $45,724 for their early career.

More information about a degree in public administration & social service from Western Carolina University

9
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
210 Public Administration & Social Service Degrees Awarded
6.2% Growth in Graduates

Located in the large city of Charlotte, UNC Charlotte is a public university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #367 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means UNC Charlotte is a great university overall.

There were roughly 210 public administration & social service students who graduated with this degree at UNC Charlotte in the most recent data year. Students who graduate with their degree from the public administration & social service program report average early career earnings of $44,872.

More information about a degree in public administration & social service from University of North Carolina at Charlotte

10
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
179 Public Administration & Social Service Degrees Awarded
0.6% Growth in Graduates

Located in the city of Wilmington, UNCW is a public university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #415 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means UNCW is a great university overall.

There were roughly 179 public administration & social service students who graduated with this degree at UNCW in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate with their degree from the public administration & social service program state that they receive average early career earnings of $43,908.

More information about a degree in public administration & social service from University of North Carolina at Wilmington

Best Public Administration & Social Service Colleges in the Southeast Region

Explore all the Best Public Administration & Social Service Colleges in the Southeast Area or other specific states within that region.

State Colleges Degrees Awarded
West Virginia 38 497
Mississippi 38 748
South Carolina 38 695
Florida 38 4,051
Virginia 38 2,056
Arkansas 38 671
Alabama 37 1,608
Kentucky 37 1,970
Georgia 37 1,470
Tennessee 37 1,440
Louisiana 37 1,118

View All Rankings >

Public Administration & Social Service Majors to Study

Major Annual Graduates
Public Administration 473
Public Policy 464
Human Services 150
Other Public Administration 14
Community Organization & Advocacy 10

View All Public Administration & Social Service Related Majors >

Notes and References

More about our data sources and methodologies.

Popular Reports

College Rankings
Best by Location
Degree Guides by Major
Graduate Programs

Compare Your School Options