Best colleges for Public Administration and Social Service Professions
Any instructional program in public administration and services not listed above.
56 U.S. institutions graduated 480 Public Administration and Social Service Professions students in 2024–25 (IPEDS). It is CIP 44.9999, a specialization of Public Administration and Social Service Professions (CIP 44.99).
About Public Administration and Social Service Professions programs
Any instructional program in public administration and services not listed above.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020).
The Public Administration and Social Service Professions program prepares students for careers in public service and social work. This program encompasses a broad range of instructional courses not specifically categorized elsewhere, making it ideal for those interested in contributing to community welfare and governance.
Students in this program acquire essential skills in public administration, social services, and community engagement. Coursework typically covers topics such as policy analysis, program evaluation, and ethical decision-making, equipping graduates with the knowledge necessary to navigate complex social issues.
Credentials awarded
What Public Administration and Social Service Professions graduates earned in 2024–25, by award level (IPEDS completions).
- Bachelor's degree171 graduates / yr · 14 institutions36%
- Master's degree133 graduates / yr · 15 institutions28%
- Award of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year54 graduates / yr · 7 institutions11%
- Postbaccalaureate certificate53 graduates / yr · 12 institutions11%
- Associate's degree36 graduates / yr · 8 institutions7.5%
- Doctor's degree - research/scholarship28 graduates / yr · 4 institutions5.8%
- Post-master's certificate4 graduates / yr · 2 institutions0.8%
- Award of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years1 graduates / yr · 1 institution0.2%
Graduates over time
Public Administration and Social Service Professions completions reported to IPEDS each year, all award levels combined.
| Year | Graduates |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 1,845 |
| 2013 | 1,554 |
| 2014 | 1,181 |
| 2015 | 1,080 |
| 2016 | 1,036 |
| 2017 | 1,111 |
| 2018 | 941 |
| 2019 | 887 |
| 2020 | 800 |
| 2021 | 576 |
| 2022 | 711 |
| 2023 | 545 |
| 2024 | 508 |
| 2025 | 480 |
Top 50 institutions for Public Administration and Social Service Professions, ranked by graduates
Graduates (IPEDS completions), 2024–25. Award levels show which credentials each institution confers in this specialization.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Field starting salary* (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Arkansas at Little Rock Little Rock, ARPublicMaster'sPost-degree cert. | 53 | 42% | — | — |
| 2 | Metropolitan College of New York New York, NYPrivate not-for-profitBachelor'sMaster'sAssociate's | 50 | 40% | $26,609 | — |
| 3 | University of California-Davis Davis, CAPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 44 | 86% | — | $44,593 |
| 4 | Rutgers University - Newark Newark, NJPublicBachelor's | 30 | 64% | — | $42,482 |
| 5 | University of Central Florida Orlando, FLPublicMaster'sDoctoralPost-degree cert. | 28 | 78% | — | — |
| 6 | Rhode Island College Providence, RIPublicBachelor's | 27 | 48% | — | — |
| 7 | San Diego City College San Diego, CAPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 24 | 30% | — | — |
| 8 | National Louis University Chicago, ILPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 18 | 30% | $18,904 | — |
| 9 | Los Angeles Trade Technical College Los Angeles, CAPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 14 | 35% | — | — |
| 10 | University of Illinois Springfield Springfield, ILPublicPost-degree cert. | 11 | 53% | — | — |
| 11 | Iona University New Rochelle, NYPrivate not-for-profitPost-degree cert. | 10 | 56% | $27,660 | — |
| 12 | Tufts University Medford, MAPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 9 | 94% | $23,570 | — |
| 13 | Porterville College Porterville, CAPublicAssociate's | 8 | 34% | — | — |
| 14 | Indiana University of Pennsylvania Indiana, PAPublicDoctoral | 8 | 56% | — | — |
| 15 | College of Coastal Georgia Brunswick, GAPublicBachelor's | 7 | 26% | — | — |
| 16 | Boston University Boston, MAPrivate not-for-profitDoctoral | 7 | 89% | $21,956 | — |
| 17 | Thomas Edison State University Trenton, NJPublicMaster's | 7 | — | — | — |
| 18 | Marquette University Milwaukee, WIPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 7 | 83% | $25,376 | — |
| 19 | American Public University System Charles Town, WVPrivate for-profitAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 7 | 57% | $10,199 | — |
| 20 | University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Little Rock, ARPublicMaster's | 6 | — | — | — |
| 21 | Rio Hondo College Whittier, CAPublicAssociate'sAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 6 | 25% | — | — |
| 22 | Ball State University Muncie, INPublicMaster's | 6 | 62% | — | — |
| 23 | Cape Cod Community College West Barnstable, MAPublicAssociate's | 6 | 22% | — | — |
| 24 | St. Joseph's University - New York Brooklyn, NYPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 6 | 69% | $17,134 | — |
| 25 | Villanova University Villanova, PAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 6 | 92% | $33,774 | — |
| 26 | Alabama State University Montgomery, ALPublicMaster's | 5 | 30% | — | — |
| 27 | University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus Denver, COPublicBachelor's | 5 | 46% | — | — |
| 28 | Boise State University Boise, IDPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 5 | 60% | — | — |
| 29 | University of New Hampshire at Manchester Manchester, NHPublicBachelor's | 5 | 50% | — | — |
| 30 | Oklahoma State University - Oklahoma City Oklahoma City, OKPublicAssociate's | 5 | 15% | — | — |
| 31 | University of New Haven West Haven, CTPrivate not-for-profitPost-degree cert. | 4 | 63% | $32,614 | — |
| 32 | Siena Heights University Adrian, MIPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 4 | 39% | $17,015 | — |
| 33 | University of the Virgin Islands Charlotte Amalie, VIPublicMaster's | 4 | 28% | — | — |
| 34 | Tulane University of Louisiana New Orleans, LAPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 3 | 86% | $33,106 | — |
| 35 | Seton Hall University South Orange, NJPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 3 | 69% | $27,376 | — |
| 36 | New York University New York, NYPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 3 | 88% | $29,023 | — |
| 37 | Portland State University Portland, ORPublicPost-degree cert. | 3 | 53% | — | — |
| 38 | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus Pittsburgh, PAPublicDoctoral | 3 | 85% | — | — |
| 39 | College of Marin Kentfield, CAPublicAssociate's | 2 | 39% | — | — |
| 40 | San Diego State University San Diego, CAPublicMaster's | 2 | 76% | — | — |
| 41 | Judson University Elgin, ILPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 2 | 60% | $25,200 | — |
| 42 | Northeastern University Boston, MAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 2 | 91% | $18,925 | — |
| 43 | George Mason University Fairfax, VAPublicPost-degree cert. | 2 | 68% | — | — |
| 44 | University of North Alabama Florence, ALPublicPost-degree cert. | 1 | 55% | — | — |
| 45 | Azusa Pacific University Azusa, CAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 1 | 62% | $20,686 | — |
| 46 | MiraCosta College Oceanside, CAPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 1 | 41% | — | — |
| 47 | American University Washington, DCPrivate not-for-profitPost-degree cert. | 1 | 75% | $30,225 | — |
| 48 | Hawaii Pacific University Honolulu, HIPrivate not-for-profitPost-degree cert. | 1 | 35% | $30,299 | — |
| 49 | Wichita State University Wichita, KSPublicMaster's | 1 | 51% | — | — |
| 50 | University of Maryland Global Campus Adelphi, MDPublicBachelor's | 1 | 33% | — | — |
* Field starting salary (1 yr): median earnings 1 year after graduation for the broader Public Administration and Social Service Professions field (CIP 44.99) at these institutions; College Scorecard does not publish earnings at the 6-digit level.
Offered in 31 states
Where Public Administration and Social Service Professions graduates come from. Each state links to all Public Administration and Social Service Professions programs offered there.
Common questions
What degrees can I earn in this program?+
You can earn a Bachelor's degree, Master's degree, or an award of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year.
How many colleges offer this program?+
There are 56 colleges in the U.S. offering this program.
What skills will I learn?+
You will learn skills in public administration, social services, and community engagement.
How many graduates are there each year?+
Approximately 480 graduates complete this program each year in the U.S.
What is the CIP code for Public Administration and Social Service Professions?+
Public Administration and Social Service Professions is CIP 44.9999 in the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020), a 6-digit specialization within Public Administration and Social Service Professions (CIP 44.99). NCES defines it as: Any instructional program in public administration and services not listed above.
How many institutions offer Public Administration and Social Service Professions programs?+
56 U.S. institutions reported Public Administration and Social Service Professions graduates in IPEDS 2024–25, across 31 states, awarding 480 credentials in the year. That is 100.0% of all Public Administration and Social Service Professions graduates.
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.
Program definitions are from the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020). Skills, knowledge, abilities, work activities, tools, and job zones are from the O*NET database by the U.S. Department of Labor, used under the CC BY 4.0 license. This specialization accounts for nearly all Public Administration and Social Service Professions graduates, so its figures match the Public Administration and Social Service Professions program page.
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