2027 Best Public Administration & Social Service Schools in Virginia
Public Administration & Social Service degree programs prepare students for a range of careers in the field. While the number of schools offering the program varies, there are still top-quality ones to be found.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 19 schools to find the best for public administration & social service students.
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Best Schools for Public Administration & Social Service in 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 & social service degrees they offer, see the list below.
Top Schools in Public Administration & Social Service
Our analysis ranked University Of Virginia Main Campus the best school in the country for a degree in public administration & social service. Set in the suburb of Charlottesville, University Of Virginia Main Campus is a very large public institution. About 96% of students finish within six years. There were roughly 206 public administration & social service students who graduated with this degree at University Of Virginia Main Campus in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, public administration & social service degree recipients from University Of Virginia Main Campus generally make around $71,078. Students borrow a median of $20,362 to complete this degree.
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Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University came in at #2 on our 2027 list of the best public administration & social service schools. Set in the city of Blacksburg, Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University is a very large public institution. About 86% of students finish within six years. There were roughly 103 public administration & social service students who graduated with this degree at Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University in the most recent data year. Students who receive their public administration & social service degree from Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University earn around $74,121 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $15,468.
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George Mason University came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best public administration & social service schools. Set in the suburb of Fairfax, George Mason University is a very large public institution. Roughly 68% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 338 public administration & social service degrees were awarded at George Mason University in the most recent year. Students who receive their public administration & social service degree from George Mason University earn around $63,709 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $22,147 to complete this degree.
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Students looking for a strong public administration & social service program will find one at James Madison University, which ranked #4. Set in the city of Harrisonburg, James Madison University is a very large public institution. About 80% of students finish within six years. About 106 public administration & social service degrees were awarded at James Madison University in the most recent year. Graduates of the public administration & social service program make about $41,258 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $19,245.
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Virginia Commonwealth University is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in public administration & social service, landing the #5 spot this year. This very large public university is located in the city of Richmond. About 63% of students finish within six years. Virginia Commonwealth University awarded about 497 public administration & social service degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their public administration & social service degree from Virginia Commonwealth University earn around $43,883 in the first couple years of their career. Virginia Commonwealth University graduates carry a median of $25,000 in student loans.
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College Of William And Mary landed the #6 spot for public administration & social service this year. This large public university is located in the suburb of Williamsburg. The six-year graduation rate is 89%. About 60 public administration & social service degrees were awarded at College Of William And Mary in the most recent year. Public Administration & Social Service graduates of College Of William And Mary earn a median of $36,703 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $22,000 to complete this degree.
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Old Dominion University came in at #7 for public administration & social service this year. Located in the city of Norfolk, Old Dominion University is a very large public university. The six-year graduation rate is 46%. About 51 public administration & social service degrees were awarded at Old Dominion University in the most recent year. Graduates of the public administration & social service program make about $65,888 in their early career. Old Dominion University graduates carry a median of $26,001 in student loans.
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Christopher Newport University placed #8 among the best public administration & social service schools. Set in the city of Newport News, Christopher Newport University is a mid-sized public institution. About 72% of students finish within six years. About 17 public administration & social service degrees were awarded at Christopher Newport University in the most recent year. Students who receive their public administration & social service degree from Christopher Newport University earn around $41,656 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $25,492.
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Liberty University landed the #9 spot for public administration & social service this year. Liberty University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Lynchburg. About 67% of students finish within six years. There were roughly 822 public administration & social service students who graduated with this degree at Liberty University in the most recent data year. Graduates of the public administration & social service program make about $51,781 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $29,000 to complete this degree.
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Longwood University came in at #10 for public administration & social service this year. This moderately-sized public university is located in the town of Farmville. Longwood University graduates 61% of students within six years. There were roughly 17 public administration & social service students who graduated with this degree at Longwood University in the most recent data year. Students who receive their public administration & social service degree from Longwood University earn around $41,160 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $26,419.
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Radford University placed #11 among the best public administration & social service schools. Located in the town of Radford, Radford University is a moderately-sized public university. About 49% of students finish within six years. About 82 public administration & social service degrees were awarded at Radford University in the most recent year. Graduates of the public administration & social service program make about $44,071 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $26,000 to complete this degree.
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Norfolk State University earned the #12 position for public administration & social service this year. This moderately-sized public university is located in the city of Norfolk. About 39% of students finish within six years. About 99 public administration & social service degrees were awarded at Norfolk State University in the most recent year. Graduates of the public administration & social service program make about $53,070 in their early career.
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Mary Baldwin College came in at #13 for public administration & social service this year. Set in the city of Staunton, Mary Baldwin College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Mary Baldwin College graduates 39% of students within six years. About 26 public administration & social service degrees were awarded at Mary Baldwin College in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, public administration & social service degree recipients from Mary Baldwin College generally make around $37,537. Typical student debt for the program is $33,375.
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Bluefield College ranked #14 on our 2027 list of the best public administration & social service schools. This small private not-for-profit university is located in the town of Bluefield. Roughly 18% of students complete a degree within six years here. There were roughly 11 public administration & social service students who graduated with this degree at Bluefield College in the most recent data year. Public Administration & Social Service graduates of Bluefield College earn a median of $33,808 early in their careers. Bluefield College graduates carry a median of $25,000 in student loans.
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Regent University placed #15 among the best public administration & social service schools. This large private not-for-profit university is located in the city of Virginia Beach. The six-year graduation rate is 58%. Regent University awarded about 41 public administration & social service degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the public administration & social service program make about $41,440 in their early career. Regent University graduates carry a median of $24,500 in student loans.
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Bryant And Stratton College Virginia Beach came in at #16 for public administration & social service this year. Bryant And Stratton College Virginia Beach is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Virginia Beach. Bryant And Stratton College Virginia Beach awarded about 24 public administration & social service degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the public administration & social service program make about $27,278 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $22,764.
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Virginia State University earned the #17 position for public administration & social service this year. This moderately-sized public university is located in the suburb of Petersburg. About 39% of students finish within six years. Virginia State University awarded about 45 public administration & social service degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the public administration & social service program make about $28,527 in their early career. Virginia State University graduates carry a median of $31,000 in student loans.
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Strayer University Virginia earned the #18 position for public administration & social service this year. Located in the city of Arlington, Strayer University Virginia is a mid-sized private for-profit university. The six-year graduation rate is 19%. There were roughly 16 public administration & social service students who graduated with this degree at Strayer University Virginia in the most recent data year. Graduates of the public administration & social service program make about $49,512 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $45,932 to complete this degree.
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Virginia Union University landed the #19 spot for public administration & social service this year. This small private not-for-profit university is located in the city of Richmond. About 34% of students finish within six years. About 15 public administration & social service degrees were awarded at Virginia Union University in the most recent year. Public Administration & Social Service graduates of Virginia Union University earn a median of $25,910 early in their careers. Virginia Union University graduates carry a median of $30,593 in student loans.
More information about a degree in public administration & social service from Virginia Union University
More Public Administration & Social Service Rankings
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 19 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.