2026 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools in Kansas
[Public Administration & Social Service](/majors/social-services-public-administration/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong public administration & social service education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 21 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for public administration & social service students.
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2026 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools in Kansas
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the public administration & social service degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools
Our analysis ranked Washburn University the best value for a degree in public administration & social service in Kansas. Washburn University is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Topeka. Students from in state pay about $9,945 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $20,949. Typical student debt for public administration & social service graduates is $24,623. Soon after graduation, public administration & social service degree recipients from Washburn University generally make around $45,820. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Fort Hays State University came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value public administration & social service schools. Set in the town of Hays, Fort Hays State University is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,923, with out-of-state students paying around $17,741. Typical student debt for public administration & social service graduates is $27,000. Early-career public administration & social service graduates make about $42,413. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 90%.
University Of Kansas is a great value for students pursuing a degree in public administration & social service, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the city of Lawrence, University Of Kansas is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $12,102, compared with $30,432 for out-of-state students. Public Administration & Social Service graduates carry a median of $24,000 in student loans. Early-career public administration & social service graduates make about $48,079. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Kansas admits about 94% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in public administration & social service will find it at Wichita State University, which ranked #4. Located in the city of Wichita, Wichita State University is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,684, compared with $19,869 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $31,000 to complete the public administration & social service program here. Soon after graduation, public administration & social service degree recipients from Wichita State University generally make around $45,642. Set against $31,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Wichita State University admits about 94% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in public administration & social service will find it at Kansas State University, which ranked #5. Set in the city of Manhattan, Kansas State University is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,221, while out-of-state students pay about $28,568. Public Administration & Social Service graduates carry a median of $24,603 in student loans. Soon after graduation, public administration & social service degree recipients from Kansas State University generally make around $41,833. That is a strong return on a $24,603 median debt. The acceptance rate is 82%.
Pittsburg State University placed #6 among the best values for public administration & social service. Pittsburg State University is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Pittsburg. Students from in state pay about $8,400 in tuition and fees, compared with $19,744 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the public administration & social service program here. Soon after graduation, public administration & social service degree recipients from Pittsburg State University generally make around $38,288. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Roughly 89% of applicants are accepted.
Newman University came in at #7 for value in public administration & social service this year. Newman University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Wichita. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $35,500. Students borrow a median of $24,562 to complete the public administration & social service program here. Early-career public administration & social service graduates make about $54,440. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Newman University admits about 74% of applicants.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 21 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 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.
