2023 Best Public & Social Service Schools in the Southeast Region
Finding the Best Public Administration & Social Service School for You
Public Administration & Social Service is the #14 most popular major in the country with 98,583 degrees and certificates awarded in 2020-2021.
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 the Southeast Region to help you in your search for the best school for you. Our analysis looked at 158 schools in the Southeast Region to see which programs offered the best educational experiences for students.
View our full ranking methodology.
2023 Best Public Administration & Social Service Schools in the Southeast Region
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 15% Best Public Administration & Social Service Schools
Our 2023 rankings named Duke University the best school in the Southeast Region for public administration and social service students. Located in the city of Durham, Duke is a private not-for-profit college with a large student population.
On average, public administration and social service graduates from Duke take out $10,000 in student loans while working on their degree.
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You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Clemson University. The school came in at #2 on this year’s Best Public & Social Service Schools in the Southeast Region list. Located in the large suburb of Clemson, Clemson is a public college with a very large student population.
Full Public Administration & Social Service at Clemson University Report
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Out of the 158 schools in the Southeast Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Virginia Tech landed the # 3 spot on the list. Virginia Tech is a fairly large public school located in the city of Blacksburg.
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The excellent programs at University of Virginia - Main Campus helped the school earn the #4 place on this year’s ranking of the best public administration and social service schools in the Southeast Region . University of Virginia is a fairly large public school located in the small suburb of Charlottesville.
The average amount in student loans that public administration and social service majors at University of Virginia take out is $21,000.
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A rank of #5 on this year’s list means University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a great place for public administration and social service students. Located in the small city of Chapel Hill, UNC Chapel Hill is a public school with a very large student population.
Public Administration & Social Service majors at UNC Chapel Hill take out an average of $16,162 in student loans while working on their egree. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $271.
Full Public Administration & Social Service at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Report
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Ultimate Medical Academy - Clearwater 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. UMA Clearwater is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school located in the midsize city of Clearwater.
Public Administration & Social Service majors at UMA Clearwater take out an average of $21,740 in student loans while working on their egree.
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With a ranking of #7, Augusta University did quite well on this year’s best schools for public administration and social service students. Located in the midsize city of Augusta, Augusta University is a public school with a medium-sized student population.
Public Administration & Social Service majors at Augusta University take out an average of $33,365 in student loans while working on their egree.
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William & Mary came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Public & Social Service Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. William & Mary is a medium-sized public school located in the small suburb of Williamsburg.
The average amount in student loans that public administration and social service majors at William & Mary take out is $23,250.
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Christopher Newport University landed the #9 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best public administration and social service programs. CNU is a small public school located in the medium-sized city of Newport News.
On average, public administration and social service graduates from CNU take out $26,247 in student loans while working on their degree.
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With a ranking of #10, Vanderbilt University did quite well on this year’s best schools for public administration and social service students. Located in the city of Nashville, Vanderbilt is a private not-for-profit college with a large student population.
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George Mason University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best schools for public administration and social service students. It came in at #11 on the list. GMU is a very large public school located in the suburb of Fairfax.
On average, public administration and social service graduates from GMU take out $21,247 in student loans while working on their degree.
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Rasmussen University - Florida came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Public & Social Service Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. Rasmussen University - Florida is a moderately-sized private for-profit school located in the small city of Ocala.
On average, public administration and social service graduates from Rasmussen University - Florida take out $36,633 in student loans while working on their degree.
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North Carolina State University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best schools for public administration and social service students. It came in at #13 on the list. Located in the city of Raleigh, NC State is a public school with a fairly large student population.
While working on their degree, public administration and social service majors at NC State accumulate an average of around $24,193 in student debt.
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Barton College ranked #14 on this year’s Best Public & Social Service Schools in the Southeast Region list. Located in the town of Wilson, Barton College is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.
The average amount in student loans that public administration and social service majors at Barton College take out is $36,408.
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Mars Hill University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Public & Social Service Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. Located in the large suburb of Mars Hill, Mars Hill is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population.
Public Administration & Social Service majors at Mars Hill take out an average of $30,626 in student loans while working on their egree.
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With a ranking of #16, University of Georgia did quite well on this year’s best schools for public administration and social service students. UGA is a fairly large public school located in the city of Athens.
The average amount in student loans that public administration and social service majors at UGA take out is $19,158. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $212, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.
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James Madison University landed the #17 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best public administration and social service programs. Located in the small city of Harrisonburg, JMU is a public college with a very large student population.
The average amount in student loans that public administration and social service majors at JMU take out is $21,184. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $326.
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Florida Gulf Coast University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best schools for public administration and social service students. It came in at #18 on the list. Located in the suburb of Fort Myers, FGCU is a public school with a large student population.
Public Administration & Social Service majors at FGCU take out an average of $22,500 in student loans while working on their egree.
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Lindsey Wilson College came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Public & Social Service Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. Located in the remote town of Columbia, Lindsey Wilson College is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.
The average amount in student loans that public administration and social service majors at Lindsey Wilson College take out is $21,916.
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With a ranking of #20, Appalachian State University did quite well on this year’s best schools for public administration and social service students. Appalachian State is a fairly large public school located in the town of Boone.
While working on their degree, public administration and social service majors at Appalachian State accumulate an average of around $22,101 in student debt. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $202, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.
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With a ranking of #21, Virginia Commonwealth University did quite well on this year’s best schools for public administration and social service students. VCU is a very large public school located in the medium-sized city of Richmond.
The average amount in student loans that public administration and social service majors at VCU take out is $24,497. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $125.
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University of Arkansas came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Public & Social Service Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. UARK is a very large public school located in the small city of Fayetteville.
On average, public administration and social service graduates from UARK take out $26,500 in student loans while working on their degree.
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Mercer University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best schools for public administration and social service students. It came in at #23 on the list. Mercer is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school located in the midsize city of Macon.
After completing their degree, public administration and social service graduates from Mercer carry an average student debtload of $53,500.
Request InformationAdditional Noteworthy Schools
These are some additional schools worth mentioning that are also great but just didn't quite make the cut to earn our top Best Public & Social Service Schools in the Southeast Region award.
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 24 | Shorter University | Rome, GA |
| 25 | University of North Georgia | Dahlonega, GA |
| 26 | East Carolina University | Greenville, NC |
| 27 | Lees - McRae College | Banner Elk, NC |
| 28 | Radford University | Radford, VA |
| 29 | University of Montevallo | Montevallo, AL |
| 30 | Florida State University | Tallahassee, FL |
| 31 | Western Carolina University | Cullowhee, NC |
Best Public Administration & Social Service Colleges by State
Explore the best public administration and social service colleges for a specific state in the Southeast region.
| State | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| North Carolina | 2,840 |
| West Virginia | 504 |
| South Carolina | 708 |
| Florida | 4,199 |
| Virginia | 2,154 |
| Arkansas | 683 |
| Mississippi | 752 |
| Louisiana | 1,118 |
| Alabama | 1,668 |
| Kentucky | 2,072 |
| Georgia | 1,475 |
| Tennessee | 1,564 |
More Public Administration & Social Service Rankings in the Southeast Region
Public Administration & Social Service Related Rankings by Major
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 |
Most Popular Related Majors
| 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.
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More about our data sources and methodologies.
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