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Best Public & Social Service Schools in Pennsylvania

2023 Best Public & Social Service Schools in Pennsylvania

34 Colleges
$41,444 Avg Salary
$29,664 Avg Student Debt

Finding the Best Public Administration & Social Service School for You

In 2020-2021, 3,560 degrees and certificates were awarded to public administration and social service students who went to a Pennsylvania college or university. This makes it the #13 most popular major in the state.

When it comes to higher education, there are a lot of options for students. Along with traditional schools that require in-person attendence, you can attend one of many reputable online schools. Some programs even offer a hybrid experience. Alternatively, you may choose a trade school that prepares you to enter the workforce with knowledge in a specific field.

Along with in-depth profiles of schools and the programs they offer, Course Advisor has created the Best Public & Social Service Schools in Pennsylvania to help you in your search for the best school for you. Our analysis looked at 34 schools in Pennsylvania to see which programs offered the best educational experiences for students.

View our full ranking methodology.

2023 Best Public Administration & Social Service Schools in Pennsylvania

Check out the public administration and social service programs at these schools if you want to get the best education that money can buy.

Top 10 Best Public Administration & Social Service Schools

#1

Elizabethtown College

Elizabethtown, PA

Our analysis found Elizabethtown College to be the best school for public administration and social service students who want to pursue a degree in Pennsylvania. Located in the suburb of Elizabethtown, Etown is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population.

Public Administration & Social Service majors at Etown take out an average of $38,426 in student loans while working on their egree.

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#2

Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA

Out of the 34 schools in Pennsylvania that were part of this year’s ranking, Carnegie Mellon University landed the # 2 spot on the list. Carnegie Mellon is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Pittsburgh.

Full Public Administration & Social Service at Carnegie Mellon University Report

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#3

Villanova University

Villanova, PA

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Villanova University. The school came in at #3 on this year’s Best Public & Social Service Schools in Pennsylvania list. Located in the suburb of Villanova, Villanova is a private not-for-profit college with a fairly large student population.

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#4

University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Pennsylvania. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Public & Social Service Schools in Pennsylvania list. Located in the large city of Philadelphia, UPenn is a private not-for-profit college with a very large student population.

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#5

Dickinson College

Carlisle, PA

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Dickinson College. The school came in at #5 on this year’s Best Public & Social Service Schools in Pennsylvania list. Dickinson is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Carlisle.

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#6

Harcum College

Bryn Mawr, PA

Harcum College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best schools for public administration and social service students. It came in at #6 on the list. Located in the large suburb of Bryn Mawr, Harcum College is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.

Public Administration & Social Service majors at Harcum College take out an average of $25,150 in student loans while working on their egree.

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West Chester University of Pennsylvania ranked #7 on this year’s Best Public & Social Service Schools in Pennsylvania list. WCUPA is a large public school located in the suburb of West Chester.

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#8

Bryn Mawr College

Bryn Mawr, PA

Bryn Mawr College ranked #8 on this year’s Best Public & Social Service Schools in Pennsylvania list. Bryn Mawr is a small private not-for-profit school located in the large suburb of Bryn Mawr.

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Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania ranked #9 on this year’s Best Public & Social Service Schools in Pennsylvania list. Bloomsburg is a medium-sized public school located in the city of Bloomsburg.

Public Administration & Social Service majors at Bloomsburg take out an average of $27,000 in student loans while working on their egree. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $215.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania

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Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania landed the #10 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best public administration and social service programs. Located in the distant town of Slippery Rock, SRU is a public college with a medium-sized student population.

After completing their degree, public administration and social service graduates from SRU carry an average student debtload of $27,000. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $252, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.

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Best Public Administration & Social Service Colleges in the Middle Atlantic Region

Explore all the Best Public Administration & Social Service Colleges in the Middle Atlantic Area or other specific states within that region.

State Degrees Awarded
New Jersey 2,776
New York 10,504
Maryland 1,766
Delaware 443
District of Columbia 874

Public Administration & Social Service Majors to Study

Major Annual Graduates
Social Work 58,326
Public Administration 16,905
Human Services 13,238
Public Policy 6,430
Community Organization & Advocacy 3,096
Other Public Administration 588

Related Major Annual Graduates
Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting 142,610
Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies 73,813
Legal Professions 61,055
Military Technologies & Applied Sciences 4,477

Notes and References

*These averages are for the top 25 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 University of the Fraser Valley.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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