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 reported completion median, 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 the 1,467 public and private nonprofit four-year institutions Azimuth ranks nationally, 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 ranks 1st on this list with median earnings of $126,767 for its Public Administration graduates four years after completing, and it sits 47th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
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% |
| With a six-year completion rate of 98%, Princeton University graduates nearly all its students within six years, and its Public Administration graduates report median earnings of $107,792 four years after completing. | |||||
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 reports median earnings of $94,962 for its Public Administration graduates four years after completing, alongside 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 ranks 5th on this list and carries an average net price of $14,860, with its Public Administration graduates earning a median of $94,237 four years after completing. | |||||
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% |
| A private nonprofit university in Nashville, Vanderbilt University reports median earnings of $91,265 for its Public Administration graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $15,846. | |||||
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 admits 93% of applicants and its Public Administration graduates earn a median of $85,789 four years after completing, while the school's average net price is $7,021. | |||||
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 ranks 8th on this list, with its Public Administration graduates earning a median of $82,638 four years after completing and the school posting 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 reports median earnings of $82,338 for its Public Administration graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $1,764 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
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 its Public Administration graduates earning a median of $81,811 four years after completing and the school admitting 77% of applicants. | |||||
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 posts a six-year completion rate of 84% and median earnings of $81,280 for its Public Administration graduates four years after completing. | |||||
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% |
| A public university in Bloomington, Indiana University-Bloomington reports median earnings of $77,422 for its Public Administration graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $16,264. | |||||
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% |
| California Baptist University reports $75,949 in median earnings for its Public Administration graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $26,285. | |||||
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% |
| With a six-year completion rate of 86%, Brandeis University admits 40% of applicants and posts 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% |
| University of Southern California ranks 92nd on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports $74,511 in median earnings 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% |
| A public university in Chapel Hill, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill shows an average net price of $11,655 and 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 graduates 93% of its students within six years and reports $73,749 in median earnings 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 carries an average net price of $48,523 and reports 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% |
| With an average net price of $2,984, CUNY Hunter College reports $70,273 in median earnings for its Public Administration graduates four years after completing and ranks 20th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
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 admits 81% of applicants and reports 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% |
| University of Redlands posts a six-year completion rate of 67% and 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% |
| A public university in Davis, University of California-Davis reports $69,702 in median earnings for its Public Administration graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $14,741. | |||||
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 reports $69,244 in median earnings for its Public Administration graduates four years after completing, with an admission rate of 92%. | |||||
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 shows an average net price of $18,441 and reports median earnings of $69,232 for its Public Administration graduates four years after completing. | |||||
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 $69,201 in median earnings for its Public Administration graduates four years after completing, alongside 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, or two years for programs that report only a two-year figure, highest first. The figure is the median earnings of federally aided Public Administration graduates who were working and not enrolled, measured 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 figures cited on this page cover the 516 schools with a reported completion median. 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