25 Most Popular Colleges for Public Policy Master’s Degree Programs

There are many excellent colleges in the United States that offer master’s degrees in public policy. Ranked in order of popularity, here are the colleges with the largest programs in the field:

This table gives a breakdown of the average costs for graduate students attending Harvard.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at Harvard University

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$44,816	$44,816
Fees for Full-Time Students	$1,142	$1,142
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$1,401	$1,401

In 2017-2018, there were 2,182 graduate assistants in all departments combined at the school. Of that number, 1,268 were classified as teaching assistants, and 867 were classified as research assistants. The remaining GAs were categorized as Other.

Graduate students at Georgetown can expect to pay the following average costs.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at Georgetown University

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$47,880	$47,880
Fees for Full-Time Students	$451	$451
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$1,995	$1,995

In 2017-2018, the school reported the combined number of graduate assistants across all departments to be 648. Of that number, 321 were classified as teaching assistants, and 327 were classified as research assistants.

Here are the average costs for graduate students at UChicago.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at University of Chicago

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$55,836	$55,836
Fees for Full-Time Students	$1,164	$1,164
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$1,861	$1,861

There were 660 graduate assistants at the school (in all programs combined) in 2017-2018. Of that number, 137 were classified as teaching assistants, and 523 were classified as research assistants.

These are the average costs for graduate students attending Liberty University.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at Liberty University

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$8,217	$8,217
Fees for Full-Time Students	$506	$506
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$464	$464

The school reported having 285 graduate assistants for all departments combined in 2017-2018. Of that number, 250 were classified as teaching assistants, and 0 were classified as research assistants. The remaining GAs were categorized as Other.

The following table gives an overview of the average costs for graduate students attending UC Berkeley.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at University of California - Berkeley

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$11,502	$26,604
Fees for Full-Time Students	$2,668	$2,668
Part-Time per Credit Hour	Not Reported	Not Reported

Across all programs, there were 4,694 graduate assistants at the school in 2017-2018. Of that number, 3,148 were classified as teaching assistants, and 1,546 were classified as research assistants.

Here are the average costs for graduate students at UMCP.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at University of Maryland - College Park

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$12,294	$26,532
Fees for Full-Time Students	$1,590	$1,590
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$683	$1,474

In 2017-2018, UMCP reported having 4,109 graduate assistants across all departments at the school. Of that number, 2,929 were classified as teaching assistants, and 1,180 were classified as research assistants.

The following table gives an overview of the average costs for graduate students attending Carnegie Mellon.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at Carnegie Mellon University

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$42,563	$42,563
Fees for Full-Time Students	$834	$834
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$592	$592

In 2017-2018, Carnegie Mellon reported having 3,008 graduate assistants across all departments at the school. Of that number, 0 were classified as teaching assistants, and 3,008 were classified as research assistants.

Graduate students at UT Austin can expect to pay the following average costs.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at The University of Texas at Austin

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$11,490	$22,178
Fees for Full-Time Students	Not Reported	Not Reported
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$637	$1,169

In 2017-2018, the school reported the combined number of graduate assistants across all departments to be 5,079. Of that number, 2,967 were classified as teaching assistants, and 1,864 were classified as research assistants. The remaining GAs were categorized as Other.

This table gives a breakdown of the average costs for graduate students attending GMU.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at George Mason University

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$11,228	$30,932
Fees for Full-Time Students	$3,252	$3,252
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$603	$1,424

The school reported having 1,385 graduate assistants for all departments combined in 2017-2018. Of that number, 713 were classified as teaching assistants, and 587 were classified as research assistants. The remaining GAs were categorized as Other.

These are the average costs for graduate students attending U of Michigan.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$22,368	$45,156
Fees for Full-Time Students	$328	$328
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$1,201	$2,467

There were 3,898 graduate assistants at the school (in all programs combined) in 2017-2018. Of that number, 1,972 were classified as teaching assistants, and 1,881 were classified as research assistants. The remaining GAs were categorized as Other.

These are the average costs for graduate students attending Princeton.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at Princeton University

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$47,140	$47,140
Fees for Full-Time Students	$1,800	$1,800
Part-Time per Credit Hour	Not Reported	Not Reported

Across all programs, there were 1,255 graduate assistants at the school in 2017-2018. Of that number, 732 were classified as teaching assistants, and 523 were classified as research assistants.

This table gives a breakdown of the average costs for graduate students attending USC.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at University of Southern California

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$43,200	$43,200
Fees for Full-Time Students	$813	$813
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$1,800	$1,800

In 2017-2018, there were 2,039 graduate assistants in all departments combined at the school. Of that number, 698 were classified as teaching assistants, and 1,341 were classified as research assistants.

Here are the average costs for graduate students at UMN Twin Cities.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$16,728	$25,884
Fees for Full-Time Students	$1,504	$1,504
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$1,394	$2,157

There were 5,560 graduate assistants at the school (in all programs combined) in 2017-2018. Of that number, 2,063 were classified as teaching assistants, and 2,316 were classified as research assistants. The remaining GAs were categorized as Other.

The following table gives an overview of the average costs for graduate students attending University of Virginia.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at University of Virginia - Main Campus

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$15,552	$26,048
Fees for Full-Time Students	$2,720	$3,402
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$866	$1,434

The school reported having 1,641 graduate assistants for all departments combined in 2017-2018. Of that number, 740 were classified as teaching assistants, and 901 were classified as research assistants.

Graduate students at GWU can expect to pay the following average costs.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at George Washington University

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$29,790	$29,790
Fees for Full-Time Students	$50	$50
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$1,655	$1,655

Across all programs, there were 775 graduate assistants at the school in 2017-2018. Of that number, 627 were classified as teaching assistants, and 148 were classified as research assistants.

This table gives a breakdown of the average costs for graduate students attending Duke.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at Duke University

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$51,480	$51,480
Fees for Full-Time Students	$1,137	$1,137
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$2,990	$2,990

In 2017-2018, the school reported the combined number of graduate assistants across all departments to be 1,598. Of that number, 715 were classified as teaching assistants, and 883 were classified as research assistants.

These are the average costs for graduate students attending Brandeis.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at Brandeis University

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$48,720	$48,720
Fees for Full-Time Students	$88	$88
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$1,522	$1,522

In 2017-2018, Brandeis reported having 188 graduate assistants across all departments at the school. Of that number, 89 were classified as teaching assistants, and 99 were classified as research assistants.

Here are the average costs for graduate students at Brown.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at Brown University

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$52,231	$52,231
Fees for Full-Time Students	$974	$974
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$1,632	$1,632

In 2017-2018, there were 909 graduate assistants in all departments combined at the school. Of that number, 465 were classified as teaching assistants, and 444 were classified as research assistants.

The following table gives an overview of the average costs for graduate students attending UCLA.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at University of California - Los Angeles

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$11,502	$26,604
Fees for Full-Time Students	$1,501	$1,501
Part-Time per Credit Hour	Not Reported	Not Reported

The school reported having 5,296 graduate assistants for all departments combined in 2017-2018. Of that number, 2,638 were classified as teaching assistants, and 1,303 were classified as research assistants. The remaining GAs were categorized as Other.

Graduate students at Pitt can expect to pay the following average costs.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$22,290	$36,980
Fees for Full-Time Students	$850	$850
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$898	$1,512

In 2017-2018, there were 1,932 graduate assistants in all departments combined at the school. Of that number, 1,036 were classified as teaching assistants, and 896 were classified as research assistants.

The following table gives an overview of the average costs for graduate students attending The American University.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at American University

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$29,556	$29,556
Fees for Full-Time Students	$690	$690
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$1,642	$1,642

Across all programs, there were 557 graduate assistants at the school in 2017-2018. Of that number, 551 were classified as teaching assistants, and 0 were classified as research assistants. The remaining GAs were categorized as Other.

These are the average costs for graduate students attending Rutgers New Brunswick.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at Rutgers University - New Brunswick

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$16,848	$28,656
Fees for Full-Time Students	$2,136	$2,136
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$702	$1,194

In 2017-2018, Rutgers New Brunswick reported having 1,350 graduate assistants across all departments at the school. Of that number, 906 were classified as teaching assistants, and 444 were classified as research assistants.

Graduate students at Wisconsin can expect to pay the following average costs.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at University of Wisconsin - Madison

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$10,728	$24,054
Fees for Full-Time Students	$1,260	$1,260
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$670	$1,503

There were 5,003 graduate assistants at the school (in all programs combined) in 2017-2018. Of that number, 2,223 were classified as teaching assistants, and 2,666 were classified as research assistants. The remaining GAs were categorized as Other.

This table gives a breakdown of the average costs for graduate students attending Vanderbilt.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at Vanderbilt University

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$45,840	$45,840
Fees for Full-Time Students	$457	$457
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$1,910	$1,910

In 2017-2018, the school reported the combined number of graduate assistants across all departments to be 1,335. Of that number, 484 were classified as teaching assistants, and 851 were classified as research assistants.

Here are the average costs for graduate students at Teachers College.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at Teachers College at Columbia University

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$37,728	$37,728
Fees for Full-Time Students	$896	$896
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$1,572	$1,572

In 2017-2018, there were 190 graduate assistants in all departments combined at the school. Of that number, 34 were classified as teaching assistants, and 81 were classified as research assistants. The remaining GAs were categorized as Other.

A note on these rankings: The colleges above are ranked by the number of graduates in the program meaning the largest programs are at the top. While program popularity does not necessarily indicate quality, it does mean that many students are successfully graduating from the program, thus, making them worthwhile programs to consider.

References

National Center for Education Statistics
Image Credit: By The Official CTBTO Photostream under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic