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2026 Best Value Public Administration Schools in Oregon

[Public Administration](/majors/social-services-public-administration/public-administration/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.

For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 5 schools to find the best return on investment for public administration students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Public Administration Schools in Oregon

2026 Best Value Public Administration Schools in Oregon

If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the public administration degrees they offer, see the list below.

Best Value Public Administration Schools

1

Portland State University
Portland, OR

$11,118 In-State Tuition & Fees

$26,475 Avg Student Debt

$57,906 Median Earnings (10yr)

Leading the list is Portland State University, our #1 best value for public administration in Oregon. Located in the city of Portland, Portland State University is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $11,118 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $29,136. Typical student debt for public administration graduates is $26,475. Public Administration graduates of Portland State University earn a median of $73,655 early in their careers. Set against $26,475 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 91%.

2

University Of Oregon
Eugene, OR

$15,320 In-State Tuition & Fees

$16,166 Avg Student Debt

$61,324 Median Earnings (10yr)

The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Oregon earned it the #2 place for public administration. Located in the city of Eugene, University Of Oregon is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $15,320 in tuition and fees, compared with $42,516 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $16,166 to complete the public administration program here. Early-career public administration graduates make about $39,365. Set against $16,166 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 88%.

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Notes and References

This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).

Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 5 schools evaluated.

*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 ranked schools only.

• 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 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).

More about our data sources and methodologies.