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Colleges by major · 2026
Public administration and social service programs include social work, public policy, and human services. Field placements are usually required, so local agency relationships matter as much as program size.
Rankings use federal IPEDS program data and College Scorecard outcomes. Verify deadlines, prerequisites, and accreditation with each college before applying.
Colleges that award at least 5.0% of their degrees in public administration, ordered by median earnings 10 years after entry. The share column shows how large the field is at each school.
| # | College | Median earnings | Share of degrees | Acceptance rate | Avg. net price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Princeton UniversityPrinceton, NJ | $110,066 | 9.0% | 4.6% | $6,128 |
| 2 | Duke UniversityDurham, NC | $97,800 | 6.7% | 5.7% | $29,612 |
| 3 | Northeastern University OaklandOakland, CA | $92,538 | 14.3% | 16.7% | $25,181 |
| 4 | Trinity CollegeHartford, CT | $90,779 | 7.1% | 29.3% | $34,832 |
| 5 | Brandeis UniversityWaltham, MA | $77,231 | 7.7% | 40.5% | $35,736 |
| 6 | Rutgers University-NewarkNewark, NJ | $74,479 | 5.8% | 71.4% | $19,703 |
| 7 | Ramapo College of New JerseyMahwah, NJ | $67,541 | 6.0% | 70.6% | $18,173 |
| 8 | University of New Hampshire College of Professional Studies OnlineManchester, NH | $66,479 | 5.0% | Not reported | $10,864 |
| 9 | The College of Saint ScholasticaDuluth, MN | $65,934 | 9.1% | 93.0% | $27,846 |
| 10 | University of Massachusetts GlobalAliso Viejo, CA | $65,703 | 10.3% | Not reported | $32,654 |
| 11 | Metropolitan State UniversitySaint Paul, MN | $64,705 | 7.8% | 98.7% | $16,863 |
| 12 | Simmons UniversityBoston, MA | $63,494 | 11.6% | 70.0% | $25,265 |
| 13 | Salisbury UniversitySalisbury, MD | $61,515 | 6.7% | 87.5% | $17,743 |
| 14 | Ohio State University-Lima CampusLima, OH | $60,409 | 7.1% | Not reported | $12,940 |
| 15 | Indiana Wesleyan University-MarionMarion, IN | $59,986 | 6.0% | 88.9% | $22,866 |
Median earnings are reported for the whole institution (all graduates), not for public administration majors specifically. A school that is strong in other fields can therefore rank above one with a better public administration program. Treat this as a shortlist, not a verdict.
Schools where public administration makes up the biggest share of all degrees awarded. A larger share means more sections, more faculty, and more course choice — it does not guarantee a better program.
Admission rates, test scores, cost, and full program mix for the schools with the largest public administration programs.
How this list is built and how to use it
This page ranks colleges where public administration is at least 5.0% of all degrees awarded, ordered by median earnings 10 years after entry. Princeton University tops the current list at $110,066. Earnings are institutional averages, not program-specific salaries — use the list to shortlist schools, then compare curriculum and cost.
We use federal IPEDS and College Scorecard data. A college qualifies when public administration makes up at least 5.0% of the degrees it awards. Qualifying colleges are ordered by median earnings 10 years after entry, with graduation rate as the tie-breaker. Median earnings cover all graduates of the institution, not just public administration majors.
135 colleges in the current catalog award at least 5.0% of their degrees in public administration. The table shows the top 15 by earnings; every school links to its profile page.
No. Program size measures how many degrees a school awards in the field, not quality. A smaller department can offer more research access or smaller classes. Check accreditation for your specific track, required coursework, and where recent graduates went.
Use the free college search to enter your GPA (SAT optional) along with your intended major, budget, and location. It sorts schools into Reach, Target, and Safety matches from the same federal dataset used on this page.
Enter your GPA, intended major, and budget to get Reach, Target, and Safety matches from the same federal dataset.