University Headquarters (HQ) is an industry-leading, independent educational organization that provides independent college rankings using a proprietary formula to create first class, unbiased rankings. The team at University HQ strives to provide accurate and trustworthy rankings that highlight the best programs for a masters in public administration.
Why Earn a Master’s in Public Administration?
As with most management positions, the educational requirements for those who are looking to enter public administration, or management in the public sector, local government, or non-profit organizations are only increasing. Luckily, these requirements do not need students to attend traditional, campus programs, especially as online and hybrid (mixed online and in-person learning) become more common. Earning a master’s in public administration degree (an MPA program) is a requirement for many employers looking to fill these positions with management professionals. You can also focus on subjects such a public financial management, strategic planning for non-profit management, human resource management for non-profit sectors, and other public management roles in government and non-profit agencies. While you may earn an entry-level position with the academics and courses you complete in an online or traditional associate or undergraduate degree, the best bet for public administration professionals to earn top management positions in the private sector and non-profit sector is to complete an MPA program or an equivalent master's in public administration right away. With this, you can step right into a pubic management position in the non-profit sector, start gaining experience, and think about earning online graduate certificates to add to your educational portfolio and keep you up to date on emerging technologies and issues in policy analysis or non-profit management.
Featured Online Programs
Top 25 Best Online Masters in Public Administration Programs
1
Northwestern University
Score: 85.9
- Graduate Tuition
- In-State: $52,698
- Out-of-State: $52,698
- Net Price: $22,095
- Acceptance Rate: 7%
- Retention Rate: 98%
- Graduation Rate: 97%
- Total Enrollment: 23,161
- Undergrad Students: 8,993
- Graduate Students: 14,168
- Grads Salary: $89,000
- Student-to-faculty: 6:1
2
Cornell University
Score: 85.09
- Graduate Tuition
- In-State: $29,500
- Out-of-State: $29,500
- Net Price: $26,060
- Acceptance Rate: 7%
- Retention Rate: 97%
- Graduation Rate: 95%
- Total Enrollment: 25,898
- Undergrad Students: 15,735
- Graduate Students: 10,163
- Grads Salary: $93,000
- Student-to-faculty: 9:1
3
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Score: 83.12
- Graduate Tuition
- In-State: $10,552
- Out-of-State: $28,844
- Net Price: $10,614
- Acceptance Rate: 17%
- Retention Rate: 96%
- Graduation Rate: 91%
- Total Enrollment: 31,705
- Undergrad Students: 20,029
- Graduate Students: 11,676
- Grads Salary: $77,000
- Student-to-faculty: 17:1
4
University of Southern California
Score: 79.51
- Graduate Tuition
- In-State: $66,640
- Out-of-State: $66,640
- Net Price: $36,808
- Acceptance Rate: 12%
- Retention Rate: 97%
- Graduation Rate: 92%
- Total Enrollment: 48,945
- Undergrad Students: 20,699
- Graduate Students: 28,246
- Grads Salary: $92,000
- Student-to-faculty: 9:1
5
Washington Adventist University
Score: 79.2
- Graduate Tuition
- In-State: $11,250
- Out-of-State: $11,250
- Net Price: $17,088
- Acceptance Rate: 51%
- Retention Rate: 86%
- Graduation Rate: 50%
- Total Enrollment: 671
- Undergrad Students: 582
- Graduate Students: 89
- Grads Salary: $108,000
- Student-to-faculty: 6:1
6
Villanova University
Score: 78.9
- Graduate Tuition
- In-State: $21,261
- Out-of-State: $21,261
- Net Price: $34,837
- Acceptance Rate: 23%
- Retention Rate: 96%
- Graduation Rate: 91%
- Total Enrollment: 10,383
- Undergrad Students: 6,989
- Graduate Students: 3,394
- Grads Salary: $91,000
- Student-to-faculty: 10:1
7
San Diego State University
Score: 78.44
- Graduate Tuition
- In-State: $7,176
- Out-of-State: $16,680
- Net Price: $13,017
- Acceptance Rate: 39%
- Retention Rate: 89%
- Graduation Rate: 78%
- Total Enrollment: 37,402
- Undergrad Students: 32,194
- Graduate Students: 5,208
- Grads Salary: $82,000
- Student-to-faculty: 25:1
8
Northeastern University
Score: 77.72
- Graduate Tuition
- In-State: $27,728
- Out-of-State: $27,728
- Net Price: $35,827
- Acceptance Rate: 7%
- Retention Rate: 97%
- Graduation Rate: 91%
- Total Enrollment: 30,013
- Undergrad Students: 16,302
- Graduate Students: 13,711
- Grads Salary: $87,000
- Student-to-faculty: 16:1
9
Rutgers University-New Brunswick
Score: 77.17
- Graduate Tuition
- In-State: $19,824
- Out-of-State: $33,720
- Net Price: $17,535
- Acceptance Rate: 66%
- Retention Rate: 92%
- Graduation Rate: 84%
- Total Enrollment: 50,637
- Undergrad Students: 36,344
- Graduate Students: 14,293
- Grads Salary: $81,000
- Student-to-faculty: 15:1
10
California State University-Long Beach
Score: 77.15
- Graduate Tuition
- In-State: $7,176
- Out-of-State: $16,680
- Net Price: $9,346
- Acceptance Rate: 40%
- Retention Rate: 85%
- Graduation Rate: 73%
- Total Enrollment: 38,973
- Undergrad Students: 32,931
- Graduate Students: 6,042
- Grads Salary: $79,000
- Student-to-faculty: 22:1
11
Ohio State University
Score: 76.63
- Graduate Tuition
- In-State: $12,515
- Out-of-State: $40,245
- Net Price: $19,582
- Acceptance Rate: 53%
- Retention Rate: 93%
- Graduation Rate: 88%
- Total Enrollment: 60,540
- Undergrad Students: 46,123
- Graduate Students: 14,417
- Grads Salary: $77,000
- Student-to-faculty: 17:1
12
Texas A&M University-College Station
Score: 76.02
- Graduate Tuition
- In-State: $6,885
- Out-of-State: $19,882
- Net Price: $20,375
- Acceptance Rate: 63%
- Retention Rate: 95%
- Graduation Rate: 84%
- Total Enrollment: 74,014
- Undergrad Students: 57,512
- Graduate Students: 16,502
- Grads Salary: $80,000
- Student-to-faculty: 18:1
13
University of Delaware
Score: 75.41
- Graduate Tuition
- In-State: $18,504
- Out-of-State: $18,504
- Net Price: $18,044
- Acceptance Rate: 74%
- Retention Rate: 91%
- Graduation Rate: 80%
- Total Enrollment: 24,039
- Undergrad Students: 19,482
- Graduate Students: 4,557
- Grads Salary: $81,000
- Student-to-faculty: 15:1
14
Clemson University
Score: 74.03
- Graduate Tuition
- In-State: $11,220
- Out-of-State: $23,372
- Net Price: $24,577
- Acceptance Rate: 43%
- Retention Rate: 92%
- Graduation Rate: 85%
- Total Enrollment: 28,466
- Undergrad Students: 22,566
- Graduate Students: 5,900
- Grads Salary: $76,000
- Student-to-faculty: 16:1
15
University of Central Florida
Score: 73.93
- Graduate Tuition
- In-State: $6,916
- Out-of-State: $25,759
- Net Price: $13,108
- Acceptance Rate: 41%
- Retention Rate: 93%
- Graduation Rate: 76%
- Total Enrollment: 68,346
- Undergrad Students: 58,662
- Graduate Students: 9,684
- Grads Salary: $71,000
- Student-to-faculty: 29:1
16
Indiana University-Bloomington
Score: 73.9
- Graduate Tuition
- In-State: $10,133
- Out-of-State: $31,932
- Net Price: $16,234
- Acceptance Rate: 82%
- Retention Rate: 90%
- Graduation Rate: 81%
- Total Enrollment: 47,005
- Undergrad Students: 35,660
- Graduate Students: 11,345
- Grads Salary: $76,000
- Student-to-faculty: 17:1
17
Florida International University
Score: 72.17
- Graduate Tuition
- In-State: $9,119
- Out-of-State: $21,600
- Net Price: $9,881
- Acceptance Rate: 64%
- Retention Rate: 91%
- Graduation Rate: 69%
- Total Enrollment: 55,609
- Undergrad Students: 45,688
- Graduate Students: 9,921
- Grads Salary: $71,000
- Student-to-faculty: 24:1
18
Texas A&M International University
Score: 71.98
- Graduate Tuition
- In-State: $3,350
- Out-of-State: $10,712
- Net Price: $5,383
- Acceptance Rate: 48%
- Retention Rate: 79%
- Graduation Rate: 49%
- Total Enrollment: 8,505
- Undergrad Students: 6,979
- Graduate Students: 1,526
- Grads Salary: $80,000
- Student-to-faculty: 19:1
19
University of Miami
Score: 71.7
- Graduate Tuition
- In-State: $43,578
- Out-of-State: $43,578
- Net Price: $36,467
- Acceptance Rate: 19%
- Retention Rate: 92%
- Graduation Rate: 84%
- Total Enrollment: 19,402
- Undergrad Students: 12,504
- Graduate Students: 6,898
- Grads Salary: $79,000
- Student-to-faculty: 13:1
20
University of Illinois Chicago
Score: 71.67
- Graduate Tuition
- In-State: $14,108
- Out-of-State: $25,481
- Net Price: $10,384
- Acceptance Rate: 79%
- Retention Rate: 78%
- Graduation Rate: 62%
- Total Enrollment: 33,747
- Undergrad Students: 21,807
- Graduate Students: 11,940
- Grads Salary: $80,000
- Student-to-faculty: 18:1
21
Arizona State University
Score: 70.19
- Graduate Tuition
- In-State: $12,376
- Out-of-State: $25,722
- Net Price: $14,808
- Acceptance Rate: 90%
- Retention Rate: 85%
- Graduation Rate: 67%
- Total Enrollment: 80,065
- Undergrad Students: 65,492
- Graduate Students: 14,573
- Grads Salary: $77,000
- Student-to-faculty: 19:1
22
California State University-Northridge
Score: 69.83
- Graduate Tuition
- In-State: $7,176
- Out-of-State: $16,680
- Net Price: $8,936
- Acceptance Rate: 91%
- Retention Rate: 75%
- Graduation Rate: 56%
- Total Enrollment: 37,579
- Undergrad Students: 32,181
- Graduate Students: 5,398
- Grads Salary: $81,000
- Student-to-faculty: 24:1
23
CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice
Score: 69.76
- Graduate Tuition
- In-State: $11,090
- Out-of-State: $20,520
- Net Price: $5,001
- Acceptance Rate: 51%
- Retention Rate: 76%
- Graduation Rate: 54%
- Total Enrollment: 13,921
- Undergrad Students: 12,061
- Graduate Students: 1,860
- Grads Salary: $71,000
- Student-to-faculty: 16:1
24
Colorado State University-Fort Collins
Score: 69.51
- Graduate Tuition
- In-State: $11,159
- Out-of-State: $27,361
- Net Price: $16,926
- Acceptance Rate: 91%
- Retention Rate: 86%
- Graduation Rate: 67%
- Total Enrollment: 33,403
- Undergrad Students: 25,777
- Graduate Students: 7,626
- Grads Salary: $77,000
- Student-to-faculty: 17:1
25
Texas Tech University
Score: 69.1
- Graduate Tuition
- In-State: $6,956
- Out-of-State: $15,356
- Net Price: $17,896
- Acceptance Rate: 67%
- Retention Rate: 86%
- Graduation Rate: 64%
- Total Enrollment: 40,378
- Undergrad Students: 32,579
- Graduate Students: 7,799
- Grads Salary: $76,000
- Student-to-faculty: 21:1
