Alabama · Public Administration

Best colleges for Public Administration in Alabama

Ranked by graduates a year

Auburn University, University of Alabama at Birmingham and Troy University award the most Public Administration degrees and certificates in Alabama: 55, 45 and 37 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 12 Alabama colleges offer Public Administration and award 379 degrees and certificates a year in all.

The Public Administration program focuses on the principles and practices involved in managing public sector organizations and services. It is designed for individuals interested in pursuing careers that contribute to the effective…

Institutions
12
offering CIP 44.04
States & territories
53
with a program page
Degrees / yr
379
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median starting salary
—
1 yr after graduation, College Scorecard
With earnings data
0
College Scorecard
Median net price
$22,923
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
51%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · General and Operations Managers
$137,760
BLS OEWS May 2025

12 institutions offering Public Administration in Alabama

Graduate earnings are not yet reported for these institutions; ordered by graduates a year.

Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionStarting salary (1 yr)Graduates / yrGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1Columbia Southern University
Orange Beach Private for-profit Online
—16533%$15,554—
2Auburn University
Auburn Public
—5582%——
3University of Alabama at Birmingham
Birmingham Public
—4564%——
4Troy University
Troy Public
—3750%——
5The University of Alabama
Tuscaloosa Public
—2573%——
6Jacksonville State University
Jacksonville Public
—1955%——
7University of South Alabama
Mobile Public
—1353%——
8University of Alabama in Huntsville
Huntsville Public
—664%——
9Auburn University at Montgomery
Montgomery Public
—533%——
10Strayer University - Alabama
Birmingham Private for-profit Online
—50%$22,923—
11Samford University
Birmingham Private not-for-profit
—377%$28,160—
12Alabama A & M University
Normal Public
—124%——

Colleges awarding the most Public Administration degrees in Alabama

Top 9 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.

Graduates / yr: degrees and certificates awarded in a year, IPEDS completions. Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionGraduates / yrStarting salary (1 yr)
1Auburn University
Auburn Public
55Not reported
2University of Alabama at Birmingham
Birmingham Public
45Not reported
3Troy University
Troy Public
37Not reported
4The University of Alabama
Tuscaloosa Public
25Not reported
5Jacksonville State University
Jacksonville Public
19Not reported
6University of South Alabama
Mobile Public
13Not reported
7University of Alabama in Huntsville
Huntsville Public
6Not reported
8Auburn University at Montgomery
Montgomery Public
5Not reported
9Samford University
Birmingham Private not-for-profit
3Not reported
Show the other 3 Alabama colleges offering Public Administration
InstitutionCityControlGraduates / yr
Columbia Southern University (Online)Orange BeachPrivate for-profit165
Strayer University - Alabama (Online)BirminghamPrivate for-profit5
Alabama A & M UniversityNormalPublic1

Career outlook

What this program leads to: General and Operations Managers (SOC 11-1021).

Projected growth (2024–2034)
+4.4%
About as fast as average
Openings / yr (US)
~308,700
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$102,950
typically Bachelor's degree

Top skills

Reading ComprehensionActive ListeningSpeakingMonitoringCritical ThinkingActive Learning

What General and Operations Managers earn in Alabama

Jobs in Alabama
30,170
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$137,760
median $111,790
Best-paying metro
$155,960
Huntsville, AL

Related careers

General and Operations Managers
$137,760 avg · 30,170 jobs
Construction Managers
$102,970 avg · 8,560 jobs
Social and Community Service Managers
$77,910 avg · 2,350 jobs
Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers
$124,700 avg · 1,250 jobs
Chief Executives
$201,200 avg · 810 jobs

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Public Administration programs in Alabama.

Which Alabama colleges award the most Public Administration degrees?+

Auburn University (55 graduates a year), University of Alabama at Birmingham (45 graduates a year) and Troy University (37 graduates a year) award the most Public Administration degrees and certificates in Alabama, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 12 Alabama colleges offer Public Administration.

How much do General and Operations Managers earn in Alabama?+

The average annual wage for General and Operations Managers in Alabama is $137,760 (median $111,790), across about 30,170 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.

What is the focus of the Public Administration program?+

The Public Administration program focuses on the principles and practices involved in managing public sector organizations and services. It is designed for individuals interested in pursuing careers that contribute to the effective…

What skills will I develop in this program?+

You will develop reading comprehension, active listening, speaking, monitoring, and related professional skills.

What is the job outlook for General and Operations Managers?+

The national job outlook is about +4.4% growth with around 308,700 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).

What is the typical education requirement?+

A Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).

About the data on this page

Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.

IPEDSFall 2025–26 release, published July 28, 2026
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
PSEO graduate earnings2019–21 graduation cohorts (release V4.13.0)
Earnings and employment outcomes of graduates by institution, degree level, and field of study, measured from state wage records.
BLS wages & outlookOEWS May 2025 release
Occupational employment and wage estimates plus 10-year job outlook, used to connect programs to real-world earnings.
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.

Explore every U.S. college in one conversation

Clema turns plain-language questions into sourced answers across every U.S. institution — earnings, aid, acceptance, graduation, safety, and athletics from IPEDS, College Scorecard, and 10+ federal datasets, built in.

Free for teams up to 3 · No credit card