Online Master's in Public Administration
Why should you consider earning an MPA degree online? Public administration programs have plenty to offer, and some think them to be the most recognized degree in the field of public service. The advantage of choosing to study public administration over political science or business is that you'll receive a unique blend of government and management training. MPA degrees are ideal for students who want to work in administrative or policy positions within the nonprofit or public sectors. And enrolling in an online program means that you can earn your degree on your own schedule – whether that means taking your time or accelerating the path to graduation.
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Top 30 Cheap Online Master's Degrees in Public Administration
Featured Online Programs
Figuring out where to apply? These top, accredited schools offer a variety of online degrees. Consider one of these accredited programs, and discover their value today.
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Online learners often place a premium on affordability in their search for schools, and for a good reason. When you have a job and a family, the financial commitment you're willing to make to college is a significant decision. Luckily, this list can be your guide.
The 30 Best Online MPA Programs Ranking Methodology
Selection Criteria
For this ranking, we looked for public and private (non-profit) colleges and universities that offer MPA degrees online. Because the focus of this list is on affordability, we only considered programs with average* tuition rates of $20,000/year or less.
*For public schools, we calculated the average value of their in-state and out-of-state rates.
Ranking Factors
After compiling a list of all the colleges that offer online master's degrees in public administration and meet the above criteria, we then collected data in four categories:
Program Popularity: How many graduate students choose to earn their degree in public administration over another option that the school offers (that is, how much more attractive is the MPA program than alternatives, like an MBA for example)? To find out, we looked at both the number of master's students who earned their MPA in the most recent school year as well as the percentage of all master's program graduates that that number represents.
Concentration Options: Does the program provide specialized pathways that allow students to develop their expertise in a particular topic (e.g. criminal justice or nonprofit management)? If so, how many of these concentrations does the curriculum offer?
Flexibility:Does the program allow students to customize their program through electives? If so, how many of these classes (including concentration courses) are incorporated into the curriculum?
Affordability: What is the average annual cost of attendance?
After collecting and sorting all the information, we ranked the candidates according to their performance in each area. Finally, we summed up the results and gave each school a final score using a curve so that the top-scoring program earned an even 100 points.
Read more about the best cheap online public administration master's programs below!
Thanks for reading our ranking of the 30 top cheap master's in public administration online!
Sources:
IPEDS Data Center
College Navigator
