Best colleges for Public Administration in Pennsylvania
Ranked by graduates a year
University of Pennsylvania, University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus and West Chester University of Pennsylvania award the most Public Administration degrees and certificates in Pennsylvania: 138, 61 and 58 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 16 Pennsylvania colleges offer Public Administration and award 427 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…
16 institutions offering Public Administration in Pennsylvania
Graduate earnings are not yet reported for these institutions; ordered by graduates a year.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia Private not-for-profit | — | 138 | 97% | $22,055 | — |
| 2 | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus Pittsburgh Public | — | 61 | 85% | — | — |
| 3 | West Chester University of Pennsylvania West Chester Public | — | 58 | 71% | — | — |
| 4 | Villanova University Villanova Private not-for-profit | — | 48 | 92% | $33,774 | — |
| 5 | Pennsylvania State University - World Campus University Park Public Online | — | 45 | 34% | — | — |
| 6 | Pennsylvania State University - Penn State Harrisburg Middletown Public | — | 15 | 26% | — | — |
| 7 | Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania Shippensburg Public | — | 15 | 56% | — | — |
| 8 | Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh Private not-for-profit | — | 13 | 94% | $23,803 | — |
| 9 | Kutztown University of Pennsylvania Kutztown Public | — | 10 | 54% | — | — |
| 10 | Marywood University Scranton Private not-for-profit | — | 8 | 72% | $21,769 | — |
| 11 | Point Park University Pittsburgh Private not-for-profit | — | 4 | 59% | $23,704 | — |
| 12 | Widener University Chester Private not-for-profit | — | 4 | 68% | $29,049 | — |
| 13 | Strayer University - Pennsylvania Philadelphia Private for-profit Online | — | 4 | 0% | $21,360 | — |
| 14 | Manor College Jenkintown Private not-for-profit | — | 2 | 26% | $19,082 | — |
| 15 | Indiana University of Pennsylvania Indiana Public | — | 1 | 56% | — | — |
| 16 | Keystone College La Plume Private not-for-profit | — | 1 | 36% | $23,598 | — |
Colleges awarding the most Public Administration degrees in Pennsylvania
Top 10 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.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Starting salary (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia Private not-for-profit | 138 | Not reported |
| 2 | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus Pittsburgh Public | 61 | Not reported |
| 3 | West Chester University of Pennsylvania West Chester Public | 58 | Not reported |
| 4 | Villanova University Villanova Private not-for-profit | 48 | Not reported |
| 5 | Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania Shippensburg Public | 15 | Not reported |
| 6 | Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh Private not-for-profit | 13 | Not reported |
| 7 | Kutztown University of Pennsylvania Kutztown Public | 10 | Not reported |
| 8 | Marywood University Scranton Private not-for-profit | 8 | Not reported |
| 9 | Point Park University Pittsburgh Private not-for-profit | 4 | Not reported |
| 10 | Widener University Chester Private not-for-profit | 4 | Not reported |
ShowHide the other 6 Pennsylvania colleges offering Public Administration
| Institution | City | Control | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania State University - World Campus (Online) | University Park | Public | 45 |
| Pennsylvania State University - Penn State Harrisburg | Middletown | Public | 15 |
| Strayer University - Pennsylvania (Online) | Philadelphia | Private for-profit | 4 |
| Manor College | Jenkintown | Private not-for-profit | 2 |
| Indiana University of Pennsylvania | Indiana | Public | 1 |
| Keystone College | La Plume | Private not-for-profit | 1 |
Career outlook
What this program leads to: General and Operations Managers (SOC 11-1021).
Top skills
What General and Operations Managers earn in Pennsylvania
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Public Administration programs in Pennsylvania.
Which Pennsylvania colleges award the most Public Administration degrees?+
University of Pennsylvania (138 graduates a year), University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus (61 graduates a year) and West Chester University of Pennsylvania (58 graduates a year) award the most Public Administration degrees and certificates in Pennsylvania, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 16 Pennsylvania colleges offer Public Administration.
How much do General and Operations Managers earn in Pennsylvania?+
The average annual wage for General and Operations Managers in Pennsylvania is $126,200 (median $103,130), across about 172,010 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.
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