Public Administration Colleges in the United States (2026)
Updated
This page ranks the 541 colleges in the United States that report a Public Administration earnings cohort, ordered by the median earnings of Public Administration graduates four years after completing. Cornell University leads the list with $126,767, followed by Princeton University at $107,792 and Duke University at $103,071.
Across the 516 schools with a published figure, median earnings range from $126,767 down to $15,552, with a median of $51,491. For 48 of the listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.
Public institutions account for 57% of the list, or 310 schools, alongside 231 private nonprofits. CUNY Hunter College posts the lowest average net price at $2,984, while Princeton University reports the highest six-year completion rate at 98%.
On Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, CUNY Bernard M Baruch College ranks 2nd.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Median Public Administration Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cornell University · Ithaca, NY | $126,767 | $28,690 | $1,776 | 8.8% |
| Cornell University reports $126,767 in median earnings for its Public Administration graduates four years after completing, the highest on this list. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Public Policy Analysis (67 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Public Policy Analysis ($126,767) | |||||
| 2 | Princeton University · Princeton, NJ | $107,792 | $6,128 | $41 | 4.6% |
| Princeton University has a 98% six-year completion rate and an average net price of $6,128. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Public Policy Analysis (120 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Public Policy Analysis ($107,792) | |||||
| 3 | Duke University · Durham, NC | $103,071 | $29,612 | $735 | 5.7% |
| Duke University admits 6% of applicants and posts median earnings of $103,071 for its Public Administration graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Public Policy Analysis (181 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Public Policy Analysis ($103,071) | |||||
| 4 | Brown University · Providence, RI | $94,962 | $25,184 | -$420* | 5.4% |
| Brown University ranks 131st on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports an average net price of $25,184. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Public Policy Analysis (30 graduates) | |||||
| 5 | University of Chicago · Chicago, IL | $94,237 | $14,860 | -$1,264* | 4.5% |
| University of Chicago has the lowest admission rate on the page at 4%, alongside a six-year completion rate of 96%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Public Policy Analysis (114 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Public Policy Analysis ($94,237) | |||||
| 6 | Vanderbilt University · Nashville, TN | $91,265 | $15,846 | $3,414 | 5.9% |
| Graduates of Vanderbilt University earn a median of $91,265 four years after completing, and the school reports an average net price of $3,414 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Public Policy Analysis (42 graduates) | |||||
| 7 | California State University-Northridge · Northridge, CA | $85,789 | $7,021 | $4,905 | 93.5% |
| California State University-Northridge ranks 7th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and admits 93% of applicants. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Public Administration (27 graduates) | |||||
| 8 | Trinity College · Hartford, CT | $82,638 | $34,832 | $11,054 | 29.3% |
| Trinity College reports median earnings of $82,638 for its Public Administration graduates four years after completing, with a six-year completion rate of 84%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Public Policy Analysis (40 graduates) | |||||
| 9 | Northwestern University · Evanston, IL | $82,338 | $29,167 | $1,764 | 7.7% |
| Northwestern University posts an average net price of $1,764 for families earning under $30,000 and a six-year completion rate of 95%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Community Organization and Advocacy (71 graduates), Public Policy Analysis (47 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Community Organization and Advocacy ($84,712), Public Policy Analysis ($78,752) | |||||
| 10 | Barry University · Miami, FL | $81,811 | $22,613 | $20,804 | 77.2% |
| Barry University ranks 10th on this list, with median earnings of $81,811 for its Public Administration graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Public Administration (39 graduates), Social Work (31 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Public Administration ($97,702) | |||||
| 11 | Syracuse University · Syracuse, NY | $81,280 | $38,793 | $15,817 | 45.9% |
| Syracuse University admits 46% of applicants and reports an average net price of $38,793. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Public Administration (85 graduates), Human Services, General (24 graduates), Social Work (20 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Public Administration ($89,732) | |||||
| 12 | Indiana University-Bloomington · Bloomington, IN | $77,422 | $16,264 | $6,324 | 78.2% |
| Indiana University-Bloomington graduates 80% of its students within six years, and its Public Administration graduates earn a median of $77,422 four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Public Administration (448 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Public Administration ($77,422) | |||||
| 13 | California Baptist University · Riverside, CA | $75,949 | $26,285 | $22,298 | 84.9% |
| Ranking 13th on this list, California Baptist University reports median earnings of $75,949 for its Public Administration graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Human Services, General (21 graduates), Public Administration (14 graduates) | |||||
| 14 | Brandeis University · Waltham, MA | $75,580 | $35,736 | $13,363 | 40.5% |
| Brandeis University posts a six-year completion rate of 86% and median earnings of $75,580 for its Public Administration graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Public Policy Analysis (111 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Public Policy Analysis ($75,580) | |||||
| 15 | University of Southern California · Los Angeles, CA | $74,511 | $32,740 | $13,516 | 9.8% |
| Admitting 10% of applicants, University of Southern California ranks 15th on this list and reports median earnings of $74,511 for its Public Administration graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Public Policy Analysis (49 graduates) | |||||
| 16 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill · Chapel Hill, NC | $74,403 | $11,655 | $2,004 | 15.3% |
| An average net price of $2,004 for families earning under $30,000 accompanies University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, which reports median earnings of $74,403 for its Public Administration graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Public Policy Analysis (166 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Public Policy Analysis ($74,403) | |||||
| 17 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor · Ann Arbor, MI | $73,749 | $13,138 | $1,043 | 15.6% |
| University of Michigan-Ann Arbor ranks 17th on this list and reports median earnings of $73,749 for its Public Administration graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Public Policy Analysis (81 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Public Policy Analysis ($73,749) | |||||
| 18 | Providence College · Providence, RI | $70,356 | $48,523 | $28,152 | 50.9% |
| Providence College posts an average net price of $48,523 and median earnings of $70,356 for its Public Administration graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Social Work (17 graduates), Community Organization and Advocacy (10 graduates) | |||||
| 19 | CUNY Hunter College · New York, NY | $70,273 | $2,984 | $1,029 | 53.8% |
| CUNY Hunter College admits 54% of applicants and reports median earnings of $70,273 for its Public Administration graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Social Work (43 graduates) | |||||
| 20 | Flagler College · Saint Augustine, FL | $70,202 | $30,525 | $21,733 | 80.8% |
| Flagler College posts a six-year completion rate of 56% and median earnings of $70,202 for its Public Administration graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Public Administration (20 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Public Administration ($70,202) | |||||
| 21 | University of Redlands · Redlands, CA | $70,080 | $30,031 | $28,287 | 82.7% |
| Ranking 21st on this list, University of Redlands reports median earnings of $70,080 for its Public Administration graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Public Policy Analysis (21 graduates) | |||||
| 22 | University of California-Davis · Davis, CA | $69,702 | $14,741 | $9,211 | 41.8% |
| University of California-Davis reports median earnings of $69,702 for its Public Administration graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $9,211 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Public Administration and Social Service Professions, Other (34 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Public Administration and Social Service Professions, Other ($69,702) | |||||
| 23 | La Sierra University · Riverside, CA | $69,244 | $45,566 | $44,988 | 91.5% |
| La Sierra University admits 92% of applicants and its Public Administration graduates earn a median of $69,244 four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Social Work (16 graduates) | |||||
| 24 | St. Mary's College of Maryland · St. Mary's City, MD | $69,232 | $18,441 | $2,889 | 68.6% |
| St. Mary's College of Maryland reports median earnings of $69,232 for its Public Administration graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $2,889 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Public Policy Analysis (10 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Public Policy Analysis ($69,232) | |||||
| 25 | California State University-San Bernardino · San Bernardino, CA | $69,201 | $4,564 | $2,681 | 93.7% |
| California State University-San Bernardino reports median earnings of $69,201 for its Public Administration graduates four years after completing, and an average net price of $4,564. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Social Work (43 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Social Work ($69,201) | |||||
* Net price can be negative: when grants and scholarships exceed the listed cost of attendance, students can receive the difference as a refund for other expenses.
How this list is ordered
Schools are ordered by the median earnings of their Public Administration graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only schools with a reported Public Administration earnings cohort in the United States appear. The figure is the median earnings of federally aided Public Administration graduates who were working and not enrolled, measured four years after completing. For 48 of the 541 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one. The metric does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The range and median below cover the 516 schools with a published figure. Cornell University reports $126,767, which is $18,975 more than the $107,792 posted by Princeton University.
Job market context in the United States
The Bureau of Labor Statistics links Public Administration to occupations such as Social and Human Service Assistants, Child, Family, and School Social Workers, and Healthcare Social Workers. Across those occupations in the United States, the median annual wage is $64,756; a quarter of workers in those occupations earn less than $51,418. Projections for 2024 to 2034 put employment in those occupations about 6.8% higher, with 707,100 openings a year, or about 2,051 openings a year for every hundred graduates, more projected openings than graduates. Wages and top occupations exclude management occupations; openings include them. The ranking above uses graduate earnings four years after completing, not the occupation-wide wages described here.
Related rankings
- Best Social Work Colleges for Social Mobility
- Public Administration Colleges for Social Mobility