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Best Public Policy Schools in the Southeast Region

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2023 Best Public Policy Schools in the Southeast Region

23 Colleges
$50,417 Avg Salary
$21,515 Avg Student Debt

Finding the Best Public Policy School for You

Public Policy is the #113 most popular major in the country with 6,430 degrees and certificates awarded in 2020-2021.

When it comes to higher education, there are a lot of options for students. With more and more schools offering online options, you could even register for a great program on the other side of the country. On top of that, there are a considerable number of trade schools that offer fast-track entry to many fields.

To help you arm yourself with the information you need to make your decision, Course Advisor has developed this Best Public Policy Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. Our analysis looked at 23 schools in the Southeast Region to see which programs offered the best educational experiences for students.

View our full ranking methodology.

2023 Best Public Policy Schools in the Southeast Region

The following schools top our list of the Best Public Policy Colleges.

Top 10 Best Public Policy Schools

#1

Duke University

Durham, NC

Our 2023 rankings named Duke University the best school in the Southeast Region for public policy students. Located in the city of Durham, Duke is a private not-for-profit college with a fairly large student population.

On average, public policy graduates from Duke take out $10,000 in student loans while working on their degree.

Full Public Policy at Duke University Report

#2

Clemson University

Clemson, SC

Out of the 23 schools in the Southeast Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Clemson University landed the # 2 spot on the list. Located in the suburb of Clemson, Clemson is a public school with a fairly large student population.

Read full report on Public Policy at Clemson University

#3

George Mason University

Fairfax, VA

A rank of #3 on this year’s list means George Mason University is a great place for public policy students. GMU is a very large public school located in the large suburb of Fairfax.

Read More…

#4

Virginia Tech

Blacksburg, VA

The excellent programs at Virginia Tech helped the school earn the #4 place on this year’s ranking of the best public policy schools in the Southeast Region . Virginia Tech is a fairly large public school located in the small city of Blacksburg.

Read full report on Public Policy at Virginia Tech

The excellent programs at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill helped the school earn the #5 place on this year’s ranking of the best public policy schools in the Southeast Region . Located in the small city of Chapel Hill, UNC Chapel Hill is a public college with a fairly large student population.

On average, public policy graduates from UNC Chapel Hill take out $16,162 in student loans while working on their degree. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $271.

Full Public Policy at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Report

University of Virginia - Main Campus landed the #6 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best public policy programs. University of Virginia is a fairly large public school located in the small suburb of Charlottesville.

Read More…

#7

William & Mary

Williamsburg, VA

William & Mary came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Public Policy Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. William & Mary is a moderately-sized public school located in the suburb of Williamsburg.

On average, public policy graduates from William & Mary take out $23,250 in student loans while working on their degree.

Read full report on Public Policy at William & Mary

#8

Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN

With a ranking of #8, Vanderbilt University did quite well on this year’s best schools for public policy students. Located in the city of Nashville, Vanderbilt is a private not-for-profit school with a fairly large student population.

Read full report on Public Policy at Vanderbilt University

#9

Augusta University

Augusta, GA

Augusta University ranked #9 on this year’s Best Public Policy Schools in the Southeast Region list. Located in the midsize city of Augusta, Augusta University is a public school with a medium-sized student population.

Read full report on Public Policy at Augusta University

#10

University of Arkansas

Fayetteville, AR

University of Arkansas came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Public Policy Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. UARK is a very large public school located in the city of Fayetteville.

Read More…

Best Public Policy Colleges by State

Explore the best public policy schools for a specific state in the Southeast region.

State Degrees Awarded
Georgia 87
Virginia 470
North Carolina 463
Florida 13
Tennessee 104
Kentucky 22
South Carolina 2
Louisiana 8
Arkansas 8
Alabama 9
Mississippi 51
West Virginia 23

One of 5 majors within the area of study, public policy has other similar majors worth exploring.

Related Major Annual Graduates
Social Work 58,326
Public Administration 16,905
Human Services 13,238
Community Organization & Advocacy 3,096
Other Public Administration 588

Notes and References

*These averages are for the top 23 schools only.

  • Read more about our ranking methodology.
  • The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of the rest of our data about colleges.
  • Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
  • Credit for the banner image above goes to The Official CTBTO Photostream.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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