Top 50 Affordable Public Administration Schools

Choosing an Affordable PA College

Choosing the best and most affordable public administration college or university is not an easy task. There are innumerable personal and pragmatic considerations in play and it's important to consider them all. Students should list and evaluate all of these considerations prior to enrolling in a four-year undergraduate program. Some of the pragmatic things to consider include the price of tuition, location, academic value, and long-term return on investment.

When it comes to the price of tuition, and college in general, there are two numbers to consider. The first is the gross price. That figure is bound to be rather large, but it should be considered the baseline cost and it can be shifted lower in several ways. Now, students should look at the average net price. This number factors in various forms of financial aid, such as grants and scholarships. Ideally, every student will pay the average net tuition price, if not less. However, with that gross price in mind there will be less shock if available financial aid does not pay off as desired.

As for location, this is naturally a huge concern. Even younger students may not want to travel too far for their degree. However, this factor can be ameliorated if the public administration degree program is available online. If there are core courses that are particularly difficult, such as mathematics, a local community college may be able to provide the in-person instruction students need.

When it comes to academic quality and value, that's where this website comes in handy. We have assessed the academic statistics for many public administration degree programs. We look at data that reflects retention, graduation rates, and more. Once armed with our assessment, students will have a sound idea of what a program has to offer.

As for return on investment, this is a difficult metric to pin down. However, we look at the reported salary statistics from previous public administration students. As for the up-front investment, students can weigh their educational costs versus the long-term earnings estimates. That up-front cost can be eased by taking some classes online or through a community college.

Online Options

Online education is more prevalent now than ever. If the COVID pandemic did nothing else, it showed that students can learn online. However, certain degrees are better suited to the online format than others. In fact, an online public administration degree is nearly perfect for online students.

In these degrees, as well as many others in a liberal arts curriculum, all of the material can be digested by reading and then discussing the concepts. While some bemoan the lack of personal attention, others contend that online courses allow easier access to instructors. This is because a student can take time to formulate their questions and then send them to their instructor in an email. In fact, those students who used to sit in the back and not participate now are all included in the discussions. Thus, when students engage with their professors and other instructors, they could receive a better, more interactive education than those in large lecture halls.

On the other hand, it may be more difficult to complete courses that require hands-on work, such as laboratory sciences. However, academic departments seem to have found reasonable substitutes for the beakers and Bunsen burners. Thus, an undergraduate student may complete a full, well-rounded education without leaving their laptop.

Finally, students who enroll in online public administration degree programs have the added benefit of flexibility. They may find it easier to pursue part-time or full-time jobs, and they can also find internship programs that don't cut into class time. Since their courses are as close as their laptop and a Wi-Fi connection, students can even travel to other towns to work in government offices.

Every student is interested to know how much their degree might be worth in the marketplace. Those who are working towards bachelor’s degrees in public administration have many options upon graduation but Payscale.com reports their average earnings at over $66,000. At the lower end are administrative assistants who are reported to earn an average of $40,000 per year. At the upper end are chief operating officers who earn over $130k/year.

Professionals who gain a Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree tend to focus on governmental or non-profit jobs. Thus, they are reported to earn slightly less than those with bachelor’s degrees who enter the private sector. These ideals-driven workers average over $64,000 with the top earners holding director or project manager positions for non-profits. Directors earn an average of $70,000.

These are not the only possible outcomes for a student with a degree in public administration, such as when some choose to take their administrative and managerial skills into the private sector. They may also decide to forgo an MPA altogether and instead choose a master of business administration. This degree option can open more opportunities because this degree is highly esteemed in the business community. Students may even opt for an MBA with a concentration in public administration, provided their program offers this option. Graduates from MBA programs are reported to earn over $90,000. With a concentration in public administration, MBA degree holders might seek work for a government contractor, if not somewhere in the upper levels of the federal government.