Best Public Administration Schools Near Norfolk, NE (2026)

Norfolk, Nebraska has 5 accredited schools offering public administration programs, with tuition ranging from $9,432 to $24,422 per year for indexed programs. Norfolk has a population of about 25,962. Median household income is $62,175 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 24.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Nebraska, the top-earning public administration-related role is General and Operations Manager at a median $85,090 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Public Administration Schools to Norfolk

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer public administration programs near Norfolk, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Norfolk city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Norfolk. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

University of Nebraska at Omaha

Omaha, NE 90.5 miles from Norfolk
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
56.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 51%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $53,909
Avg net price $13,441/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 95

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Creighton University

Omaha, NE 92.8 miles from Norfolk
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
73.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 78%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $73,911
Avg net price $31,568/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 93%
  • Programs offered: 90

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Bellevue University

Bellevue, NE 98.8 miles from Norfolk
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
50.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 39%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $61,289
Avg net price $17,550/yr
Tuition
In‑state$9,903
Out‑of‑state$9,903
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 55%
  • Programs offered: 67

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Nebraska schools on the Nebraska public administration page.


Public Administration Wages Near Norfolk

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Nebraska, statewide)
Social and Community Service Manager$73,790
Urban and Regional Planner$74,830
General and Operations Manager$85,090
Management Analyst$75,360

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.


Norfolk at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population25,962Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$62,175Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+24.0%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Norfolk-Area Cities With Public Administration Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited public administration schools are near Norfolk, NE?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering public administration programs near Norfolk. The closest is University of South Dakota in Vermillion, SD (57.7 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Bellevue University (98.8 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying public administration roles in Nebraska?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying public administration-related roles in Nebraska are: General and Operations Manager ($85,090), Management Analyst ($75,360), Urban and Regional Planner ($74,830). Wages for Norfolk workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Columbus instead of Norfolk?

Columbus, NE is 41.5 miles from Norfolk 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 Norfolk an affordable place to study public administration?

Norfolk’s median household income of $62,175 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Norfolk while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Nebraska 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

Other Programs Available in Norfolk

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Norfolk:

Data verified: August 31, 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.