Find Schools

Study Area & Zipcode

Best Public & Social Service Schools in Pennsylvania

Find Schools Near

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 2023 rankings named Elizabethtown College the best school in Pennsylvania for public administration and social service students. Located in the suburb of Elizabethtown, Etown is a private not-for-profit college 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.

Full Public Administration & Social Service at Elizabethtown College Report

#2

Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Carnegie Mellon University. The school came in at #2 on this year’s Best Public & Social Service Schools in Pennsylvania list. Carnegie Mellon is a fairly large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Pittsburgh.

Full Public Administration & Social Service at Carnegie Mellon University Report

#3

Villanova University

Villanova, PA

Out of the 34 schools in Pennsylvania that were part of this year’s ranking, Villanova University landed the # 3 spot on the list. Located in the suburb of Villanova, Villanova is a private not-for-profit college with a fairly large student population.

Full Public Administration & Social Service at Villanova University Report

#4

University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend University of Pennsylvania. The school came in at #4 on this year’s 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 fairly large student population.

Read More…

#5

Dickinson College

Carlisle, PA

The excellent programs at Dickinson College helped the school earn the #5 place on this year’s ranking of the best public administration and social service schools in Pennsylvania. Dickinson is a small private not-for-profit school located in the small city of Carlisle.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at Dickinson College

#6

Harcum College

Bryn Mawr, PA

With a ranking of #6, Harcum College did quite well on this year’s best schools for public administration and social service students. Located in the suburb of Bryn Mawr, Harcum College is a private not-for-profit school with a fairly 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.

Read More…

West Chester University of Pennsylvania landed the #7 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best public administration and social service programs. WCUPA is a large public school located in the suburb of West Chester.

Full Public Administration & Social Service at West Chester University of Pennsylvania Report

#8

Bryn Mawr College

Bryn Mawr, PA

Bryn Mawr College landed the #8 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best public administration and social service programs. Bryn Mawr is a small private not-for-profit school located in the large suburb of Bryn Mawr.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at Bryn Mawr College

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.

Full Public Administration & Social Service at Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Report

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 town of Slippery Rock, SRU is a public school with a moderately-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.

Read More…

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.

Featured Schools

Find Schools Near You

Our free school finder matches students with accredited colleges across the U.S.