Best colleges for Public Administration in California
Ranked by graduate earnings
National University, California State University - Northridge and California Baptist University are the top bachelor's Public Administration programs in California by graduate earnings. National University leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $77,077, College Scorecard. California State University - Northridge, University of Southern California and California State University - Dominguez Hills award the most Public Administration degrees in California: 181, 122 and 114 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 39 California colleges offer Public Administration and award 1,333 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…
Top 7 bachelor's programs, ranked by graduate earnings
Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | National University San Diego Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $77,077 | 111 | 43% | $31,817 | $31,603 |
| 2 | California State University - Northridge Northridge Public · Bachelor's degree | $76,049 | 181 | 57% | — | $37,500 |
| 3 | California Baptist University Riverside Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $68,682 | 41 | 62% | $26,940 | $39,244 |
| 4 | California State University - Dominguez Hills Carson Public · Bachelor's degree | $45,471 | 114 | 43% | — | $18,965 |
| 5 | San Diego State University San Diego Public · Bachelor's degree | $41,020 | 64 | 76% | — | $15,000 |
| 6 | California State University - San Bernardino San Bernardino Public · Bachelor's degree | $36,969 | 88 | 55% | — | $13,300 |
| 7 | California State University - Fullerton Fullerton Public · Bachelor's degree | $36,626 | 47 | 70% | — | $13,273 |
Colleges awarding the most Public Administration degrees in California
Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Certificate and associate programs, online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Starting salary (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California State University - Northridge Northridge Public | 181 | $76,049 |
| 2 | University of Southern California Los Angeles Private not-for-profit | 122 | Not reported |
| 3 | California State University - Dominguez Hills Carson Public | 114 | $45,471 |
| 4 | National University San Diego Private not-for-profit | 111 | $77,077 |
| 5 | California State University - Long Beach Long Beach Public | 100 | Not reported |
| 6 | California State University - San Bernardino San Bernardino Public | 88 | $36,969 |
| 7 | San Diego State University San Diego Public | 64 | $41,020 |
| 8 | California State University - East Bay Hayward Public | 53 | Not reported |
| 9 | California State University - Fullerton Fullerton Public | 47 | $36,626 |
| 10 | California Baptist University Riverside Private not-for-profit | 41 | $68,682 |
ShowHide the other 29 California colleges offering Public Administration
Career outlook
What this program leads to: General and Operations Managers (SOC 11-1021).
Top skills
What General and Operations Managers earn in California
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Public Administration programs in California.
Which California colleges award the most Public Administration degrees?+
California State University - Northridge (181 graduates a year), University of Southern California (122 graduates a year) and California State University - Dominguez Hills (114 graduates a year) award the most Public Administration degrees in California, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 39 California colleges offer Public Administration.
What is the best college for Public Administration in California?+
By graduate earnings, National University leads among bachelor's Public Administration programs in California, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $77,077, College Scorecard. California State University - Northridge and California Baptist University follow. By degrees awarded, California State University - Northridge is the largest, with 181 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Public Administration program in California has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, National University tops the list at $77,077. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do General and Operations Managers earn in California?+
The average annual wage for General and Operations Managers in California is $152,250 (median $124,390), across about 300,840 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.
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