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Best Public Administration Programs in the Midwest (2026)

Updated

Part of Best Public Administration Colleges in the Midwest

Regional list from Public Administration Programs in the United States

This page ranks the 15 Public Administration programs in the Midwest by median earnings of Public Administration graduates four years after completing. Indiana University-Bloomington ranks 1st on this list, reporting median earnings of $77,422 for its graduates four years after completing.

Across the listed schools, median earnings range from $77,422 to $31,127, with a median of $58,307. For 5 of the 15 programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.

Public institutions account for 14 of the 15 schools, or 93% of the list. Wayne State University ranks 80th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, the best on the page. Indiana University-Kokomo posts the lowest average net price, at $3,968.

The ranked list

15 schools in list order
RankSchoolProgram EarningsAverage net priceNet price, families under $30KAdmission rate
1Indiana University-Bloomington · Bloomington, IN$77,422$16,264$6,32478.2%
Indiana University-Bloomington reports median earnings of $77,422 for its Public Administration graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $16,264.
2Upper Iowa University · Fayette, IA$70,374$20,942$17,71596.5%
A private nonprofit university in Fayette, Upper Iowa University admits 96% of applicants and its Public Administration graduates earn a median of $70,374 four years after completing.
3Wayne State University · Detroit, MI$66,396$12,766$11,09081.2%
Wayne State University ranks 80th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, and its Public Administration graduates posted median earnings of $66,396 four years after completing.
4Ohio State University-Main Campus · Columbus, OH$60,678$17,339$4,88560.6%
With an admission rate of 61%, Ohio State University-Main Campus is the most selective school on this list and reports median earnings of $60,678 for its Public Administration graduates four years after completing.
5Indiana University-Indianapolis · Indianapolis, IN$60,564$11,668$5,70176.4%
Graduates across all fields who borrowed left with a median of $20,000 in federal loans at Indiana University-Indianapolis, where Public Administration completers earned a median of $60,564 four years after completing.
6University of Wisconsin-Whitewater · Whitewater, WI$60,383$14,158$8,44085.7%
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater shows an average net price of $8,440 for families earning under $30,000, and its Public Administration graduates earned a median of $60,383 four years after completing.
7University of Wisconsin-La Crosse · La Crosse, WI$60,079$16,210$8,22475.5%
Ranking 7th on this list, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse reports median earnings of $60,079 for its Public Administration graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $16,210.
8University of Northern Iowa · Cedar Falls, IA$58,307$15,901$10,86392.7%
University of Northern Iowa reports median earnings of $58,307 for its Public Administration graduates four years after completing, a figure that matches the list median of $58,307.
9Purdue University Fort Wayne · Fort Wayne, IN$53,257$13,171$8,30683.9%
Purdue University Fort Wayne posted median earnings of $53,257 for its Public Administration graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $8,306 for families earning under $30,000.
10Grand Valley State University · Allendale, MI$49,776$16,317$12,27283.0%
Grand Valley State University ranks 210th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, and its Public Administration graduates earned a median of $49,776 four years after completing.
11Miami University-Oxford · Oxford, OH$41,992$28,384$16,01575.4%
Miami University-Oxford reports median earnings of $41,992 for its Public Administration graduates four years after completing, with an average net price of $28,384.
12University of Kansas · Lawrence, KS$40,647$18,059$12,54493.5%
University of Kansas admits 93% of applicants and its Public Administration graduates earned a median of $40,647 four years after completing, with an average net price of $12,544 for families earning under $30,000.
13Eastern Michigan University · Ypsilanti, MI$35,060$15,407$13,25079.6%
Eastern Michigan University admits 80% of applicants and reports an average net price of $13,250 for families earning under $30,000.
14Indiana University-Kokomo · Kokomo, IN$34,526$3,968-$58386.5%
With an average net price of $3,968, Indiana University-Kokomo ranks 14th on this list and posts median earnings of $34,526 for its Public Administration graduates four years after completing.
15Cleveland State University · Cleveland, OH$31,127$14,764$11,95891.3%
Cleveland State University ranks 211th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports $31,127 in median earnings for its Public Administration graduates four years after completing.

* 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

Programs are ordered by the median earnings of their Public Administration graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only programs with a reported earnings cohort in the Midwest appear. The figure is the median earnings of federally aided Public Administration completers who were working and not enrolled, measured four years after completing. For 5 of the 15 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 spread from Indiana University-Bloomington to the lowest-ranked program is $46,295, with a gap of $7,048 between Indiana University-Bloomington and Upper Iowa University.

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