2026 Best Public Administration Schools in West Virginia

Public Administration is a field worth a close look when choosing where to study. A focused field like this rewards careful comparison of the schools that offer it.

To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 5 schools to find the best for public administration students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Public Administration Schools in West Virginia

Best Schools for Public Administration in West Virginia

If you are not interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the public administration degrees they offer, see the list below.

Top Schools in Public Administration

1

American Public University System
Charles Town, WV

Doctoral Degree Highest Degree Type

82 Public Administration Degrees Awarded

$70,882 Median Starting Salary

American Public University System tops our 2026 ranking of the best public administration schools. American Public University System is a very large private for-profit school located in the town of Charles Town. Roughly 47% of students complete a degree within six years here. American Public University System awarded about 82 public administration degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, public administration degree recipients from American Public University System generally make around $70,882. Typical student debt for the program is $23,438. More information about a degree in public administration from American Public University System

2

West Virginia University
Morgantown, WV

Doctoral Degree Highest Degree Type

23 Public Administration Degrees Awarded

$46,625 Median Starting Salary

West Virginia University is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in public administration, ranking #2. West Virginia University is a very large public school located in the city of Morgantown. West Virginia University graduates 64% of students within six years. There were roughly 23 public administration students who graduated with this degree at West Virginia University in the most recent data year. Public Administration graduates of West Virginia University earn a median of $46,625 early in their careers. West Virginia University graduates carry a median of $23,772 in student loans. Read more about the public administration program at West Virginia University

Notes and References

The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and program focus, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).

Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 5 schools evaluated.

• 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.