by our College Data Analytics TeamDo you want to make a difference in people's lives? Pursuing a major in the field of Public Administration and Social Service will prepare you for a fulfilling career of bringing help and hope to those that need it the most.
This major comes with a lot of responsibility, but also a great opportunity to help improve the lives of others. You will learn how to analyze, manage, and deliver public programs and services for the greater good of the community. Many of these programs will be centered on youth, teens, and family services.
Public Administration and Social Service is an interdisciplinary field. Be ready to dive into course work that includes classes on public policy, human behavior, psychology, communication, financial management and community development. No matter what direction you decide to go into upon graduation, your main responsibility will be to bring positive social change to local communities.
One of the majors available in this field is Community Organization and Advocacy, which involves the study of strategies to challenge and change the current community social system for the enrichment of its residents. Another field is Public Administration, where you will be prepared to run the executive arm of local, state, and federal government and learn how to create policies that will bring about positive change. A major in Public Policy Analysis allows you to study public policy decisions in order to be able to influence how those decisions are made. Another option is a major in Social Work that will prepare you for a career implementing programs to improve the overall quality of life for a variety of vulnerable populations.
In 2020-2021, public administration and social service was the 14th most popular major nationwide with 98,583 degrees awarded. This represents a small change of only 0.9% from the prior year's total of 97,666 public administration and social service degrees awarded.
Our 2023 Best Public Administration & Social Service Schools ranking analyzes 597 of these schools to determine the best overall colleges for public administration and social service students. Explore this or one of our many other custom public administration and social service rankings further below.
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
Fit new strategic skills into your public service passion and goals when you earn an MBA in Public Administration from Southern New Hampshire University.
Improve the lives of individuals, families and communities with the human service tools gained from this online bachelor's from Southern New Hampshire University.
BS in Business Administration - Public Administration
Prepare yourself to make the decisions that best serve a community, its constituents and its economic growth with this specialized business degree from Southern New Hampshire University.
A career in Public Administration and Social Services demands that you have great interpersonal skills. You need to be able to build the trust of your clients as you help empower them. Building and maintaining professional relationships will lead to your success. Practice empathy and active listening in order to deliver the best service possible to your client.
Much of your undergraduate work will involve team collaboration on group projects. Learn how to effectively communicate with others in a creative and clear manner. You will also need to develop problem solving skills and gain an advanced knowledge of government policy.
A high school diploma or equivalent is typically required for most public administration and social service degree programs and many students will need a minimum GPA and SAT/ACT score depending on the school. Once you obtain your degree, additional public administration and social service certifications required to pursue a career in this field.
There are many different public administration and social service degree levels. You can get anything from a in public administration and social service to the highest public administration and social service degree, a . The time it takes to complete a public administration and social service degree varies depending on the program.
| Degree | Credit Requirements | Typical Program Length |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | 60-70 credits | 2 years |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 120 credits | 4 years |
| Master’s Degree | 50-70 credits | 1-3 years |
| Doctorate | Program required coursework including thesis or dissertation | At least 4 years |
A bachelor's degree is the most common level of education achieved by those in careers related to public administration and social service, with approximately 34.9% of workers getting one. Find out other typical degree levels for public administration and social service workers below.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 35.5% |
| Master’s Degree | 21.8% |
| Doctoral Degree | 13.9% |
| High School Diploma | 8.9% |
| Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) | 5.8% |
82.5% of public administration and social service workers have at least a bachelor's. The chart below shows what degree level those who work in public administration and social service have obtained.
This of course varies depending on which public administration and social service career you choose.
Graduates in this field can find work as community organizers, social workers, grant writers, or program directors. Some of these career choices will require a master's degree or more. No matter what direction you choose to go into, you will make significant social change in the community around you.
<Want a job when you graduate with your public administration and social service degree? Public Administration & Social Service careers are expected to grow 10.9% between 2016 and 2026.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to public administration and social service.
| Occupation Name | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| General and Operations Managers | 2,468,300 | 9.1% |
| Managers | 1,071,700 | 8.0% |
| Social and Human Service Assistants | 453,600 | 16.4% |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | 424,300 | 20.5% |
| Child, Family, and School Social Workers | 362,600 | 14.2% |
Recently graduated public administration and social service students earned an average of $40,518 in 2019-2020. Earnings can range from as low as $10,077 to as high as $135,775. As you might expect, salaries for public administration and social service graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.
Salaries for public administration and social service graduates can vary widely by the occupation you choose as well. The following table shows the top highest paying careers public administration and social service grads often go into.
| Occupation Name | Median Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Chief Executives | $200,140 |
| General and Operations Managers | $123,880 |
| Health Specialties Professors | $122,320 |
| Managers | $115,590 |
| Political Scientists | $115,300 |
With over 3,721 different public administration and social service degree programs to choose from, finding the best fit for you can be a challenge. Fortunately you have come to the right place. We have analyzed all of these schools to come up with hundreds of unbiased public administration and social service school rankings to help you with this.
Learn about other programs related to Public Administration & Social Service that might interest you.
Improve the lives of individuals, families and communities with the human service tools gained from this online bachelor's from Southern New Hampshire University.
BS in Business Administration - Public Administration
Prepare yourself to make the decisions that best serve a community, its constituents and its economic growth with this specialized business degree from Southern New Hampshire University.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Social Work | 58,326 |
| Public Administration | 16,905 |
| Human Services | 13,238 |
| Public Policy | 6,430 |
| Community Organization & Advocacy | 3,096 |
View All Public Administration & Social Service 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 |
View All Public Administration & Social Service Related Majors >
Image Credit: By University of the Fraser Valley under License More about our data sources and methodologies.
