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Best Public Administration Schools Near Topeka, KS (2026)
Topeka, Kansas has 7 accredited schools offering public administration programs, with tuition ranging from $9,945 to $37,174 per year for indexed programs. Topeka has a population of about 126,103. Median household income is $55,902 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 29.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Topeka, KS metro area, the top-earning public administration-related role is General and Operations Manager at a median $85,080 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Closest Public Administration Schools to Topeka
The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer public administration programs near Topeka, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Topeka city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.
No school data available.
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Kansas schools on the Kansas public administration page.
Public Administration Wages Near Topeka
Topeka is part of the Topeka, KS metro area (BLS area code 45820). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Kansas statewide.
| Occupation | Median Wage | Source | COL-Adjusted (US=100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Social and Community Service Manager | $79,970 | Topeka, KS | $90,056 |
| Urban and Regional Planner | $69,830 | Topeka, KS | $78,637 |
| General and Operations Manager | $85,080 | Topeka, KS | $95,811 |
| Management Analyst | $66,710 | Topeka, KS | $75,124 |
Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.
Topeka at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 126,103 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $55,902 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 29.1% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 88.8 (below U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
Other Topeka-Area Cities With Public Administration Programs
- Lawrence, KS – 23.7 mi away (95,800 pop)
- Gardner, KS – 43.8 mi away (21,110 pop)
- Leavenworth, KS – 45.8 mi away (46,445 pop)
- Shawnee, KS – 47.7 mi away (65,194 pop)
- Olathe, KS – 48.2 mi away (135,473 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited public administration schools are near Topeka, KS?
Our directory has 7 accredited schools offering public administration programs near Topeka. The closest is Washburn University in Topeka, KS (0.4 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is University of Missouri-Kansas City (59.8 miles). 7 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying public administration roles near Topeka?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying public administration-related roles near Topeka are: General and Operations Manager ($85,080), Social and Community Service Manager ($79,970), Urban and Regional Planner ($69,830). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Kansas statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.
Should I look at programs in Lawrence instead of Topeka?
Lawrence, KS is 23.7 miles from Topeka and has its own set of local public administration programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.
Is Topeka an affordable place to study public administration?
Topeka’s median household income of $55,902 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Topeka while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Kansas public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.
How do I verify a program is accredited?
Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.
Learn More About Public Administration Programs
- Is a Public Administration degree worth it?
- Main Public Administration degree guide
- Online Public Administration programs in Kansas
- Public Administration programs by state
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Data verified: August 11, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.