Why Choose a Public Administration Degree?
A bachelor’s degree in public administration prepares students to work in nonprofit organizations, social and civil service institutions, and government agencies.
Generally, this degree is available on campus, online or as a hybrid of both. Regardless of the method you choose, a public administration degree provides you with several opportunities in different fields. Some of the possible jobs include becoming a social and community service manager, working as a social worker or becoming a health educator in the public health sector..
Top 5 Public Administration Degree Programs
| Rank | School | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | James Madison University | Harrisonburg, Virginia |
| 2 | University of Oklahoma | Norman, Oklahoma |
| 3 | Miami University | Oxford, Ohio |
| 4 | Lipscomb University | Nashville, Tennessee |
| 5 | University of Kansas | Lawrence, Kansas |
Choosing a Public Administration Degree
Why choose a public administration degree? The average salary of someone with a degree in public administration is $65,592. Those who go on to get a master’s in public administration typically see their average salary raised by around $18,000.
In this article, we have put together a collection of the top 15 schools for a public administration degree. The schools are ranked based on in-state tuition and enrollment.
The Best 15 Schools for a Public Administration Degree
James Madison University
James Madison University offers a Bachelor of Science in public policy and administration as well as a master’s degree in the same field. The five-year master program requires 36 graduate credits for completion. Undergraduate students can begin to pursue the master of public administration degree at the same time as their other studies.
School Overview
University of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma offers a master of public administration as well as an undergraduate program and doctorate program in similar fields. The school offers an accelerated degree program as well. The master of public administration requires 36 credit hours of graduate credits.
School Overview
Miami University
Miami University offers a public administration major for undergraduates who are interested in understanding the issues of governance and in studying management of the public sector. To complete the program, students must complete at least 38 credit hours in the public administration degree. This is on top of normal coursework and electives. A GPA of 2.0 is required to graduate.
School Overview
Lipscomb University
Lipscomb University offers a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Sciences and Bachelor of Professional Studies in Public Administration. These programs require students to complete 33 hours in the core curriculum as well as to meet the general education requirements and electives set by the school. To graduate, students need to collect 126 credit hours of coursework in total.
School Overview
University of Kansas
The University of Kansas offers an undergraduate major or minor in public administration. It also offers a master in public administration. There is a Ph.D. program and a master of urban planning program as well. For the bachelor’s degree programs, students need to complete 27 credit hours in the public administration coursework.
School Overview
San Diego State University
In as few as 16 months, students can complete a master of public administration at San Diego State University. The program is available online or on campus. Online, students have the option of joining the fast track program. This program has six, two-month modules with on-campus courses required at the beginning and end of the program.
School Overview
University of San Francisco
The University of San Francisco offers a Public Administration, Health Services Administration Concentration, MPA. The program requires 38 units to be completed, and it is normally finished within two years. The program focuses on teaching advanced managerial education.
School Overview
Swarthmore College
Swarthmore College offers a program in politics and public policy that focuses more on politics and political discourse as well as the way it affects the local, state and national levels of government. Some of the courses that are available include global ethical issues, global civil society, political psychology and introduction to comparative political systems.
School Overview
Florida International University
Florida International University offers Evening, Fully Online, and Executive options to earn a degree of Master of Public Administration. With a diverse student body, FIU MPA provides equitable and inclusive education opportunities for future public leaders. 59% of the students who complete the MPA program have been employed in management positions, and 99% of graduates are currently employed.
School Overview
Northeastern University
At Northeastern University, students can join a master of public administration program. There is also a master of public policy available. The master of public administration degree program is made up of 40 credit hours and six months of work experience that can add to credit hours for a total of 42 overall.
School Overview
The University of Texas at Dallas
The University of Texas at Dallas offers a Bachelor of Science in Public Affairs. This program is designed to prepare students to work in government and nonprofit organizations, as well as other fields. The school also offers a master’s in public administration. The bachelor’s degree program requires 120 hours to graduate.
School Overview
Syracuse University
Syracuse University offers a degree program in public policy, administration and international affairs. The school offers various levels of education in the degree program, including a 12-credit certification program as well as a master’s program. The master of public administration is a one-year program with an 18-month option.
School Overview
The Ohio State University
The Ohio State University offers a master of public administration at the John Glenn College of Public Affairs. The courses follow a 7-week, half-semester format and are designed to be completed within two years. All coursework is normally completed within the first year, while the second year is used for the Capstone course.
School Overview
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh offers a master of public administration with concentrations in energy and environment, policy research and analysis, public and nonprofit management and others. To graduate, students must collect 48 credit hours in major and degree courses. They also need to complete a 300-hour internship.
School Overview
Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University offers a Master’s Degree in Public Management that has 12 required courses and may take place online or on-site. The program also has certificates that students can seek during the program. Some include a Certificate in Intelligence, a Certificate in Nonprofit Management, and a Certificate in Government Analytics
School Overview
Ranking Specifications
Throughout this article, we have done our best to provide you with accurate information. Our ranking is performed by giving points to schools with the lowest number of enrollees as well as the lowest overall tuition. The schools’ points were added together and each of those categories to get their rankings. Keep in mind that these rankings may change and are subject to change at any time. The results are not guaranteed.
Is your school on this list? Do you have questions about the information listed here? If so, feel free to reach out to us. We would be happy to discuss your ranking with you. If you would like to have your school ranked, please reach out.
