Public Administration
Offered at 675 college programs that reported results. Here is what graduates earn and owe at each credential level, and which programs pay best.
By credential level
| Credential | Programs | Typical earnings, 1 yr | Typical earnings, 5 yrs | Typical debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate | 21 | — | — | — |
| Associate | 18 | — | — | — |
| Bachelor's | 122 | $50,167 | $65,826 | $20,590 |
| Post-bacc certificate | 4 | — | — | $23,635 |
| Master's | 375 | $65,964 | $79,023 | — |
| Doctoral | 40 | $112,827 | — | — |
| Professional | 2 | — | — | — |
| Graduate certificate | 93 | — | $84,496 | — |
"Typical" is the median across programs of each program's median, counting only programs with unsuppressed data (at least three). It describes a typical program, not a national median for all graduates. Certificate figures include certificates earned at four-year colleges, often alongside a bachelor's; see degrees vs. certificates for a cleaner comparison. Source: College Scorecard field of study data.
Highest-earning certificate programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Florida State University | FL | $45,036 | $75,158 | $15,078 |
| 2 | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus | PA | — | $62,801 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning bachelor's programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Maryland Global Campus | MD | $81,648 | $102,233 | — |
| 2 | University of La Verne | CA | $75,236 | $95,232 | $27,250 |
| 3 | National University | CA | — | $94,523 | — |
| 4 | California State University-Northridge | CA | $84,412 | $87,894 | $37,500 |
| 5 | Indiana University-Bloomington | IN | $52,286 | $85,782 | $17,500 |
| 6 | Syracuse University | NY | $61,347 | $85,718 | $22,674 |
| 7 | West Texas A & M University | TX | — | $83,668 | — |
| 8 | Colorado State University Global | CO | — | $82,648 | — |
| 9 | George Mason University | VA | $55,820 | $82,379 | $22,531 |
| 10 | Upper Iowa University | IA | $73,411 | $81,732 | $25,062 |
| 11 | James Madison University | VA | $52,411 | $80,883 | $13,353 |
| 12 | Barry University | FL | $76,893 | $79,238 | $42,775 |
| 13 | Walden University | MN | — | $78,286 | — |
| 14 | Southern New Hampshire University | NH | — | $77,920 | — |
| 15 | Western Carolina University | NC | $56,514 | $77,411 | $19,765 |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning post-bacc certificate programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Syracuse University | NY | $88,998 | $114,293 | — |
| 2 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | PA | — | $97,063 | $23,635 |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning master's programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harvard University | MA | $172,076 | $176,187 | — |
| 2 | San Francisco State University | CA | $89,556 | $129,927 | — |
| 3 | Columbia University in the City of New York | NY | $94,158 | $126,965 | — |
| 4 | New York University | NY | $88,519 | $123,311 | — |
| 5 | University of Pennsylvania | PA | $100,157 | $122,084 | — |
| 6 | Calumet College of Saint Joseph | IN | $121,715 | — | — |
| 7 | Johns Hopkins University | MD | $84,297 | $121,065 | — |
| 8 | George Washington University | DC | $93,375 | $119,070 | — |
| 9 | American University | DC | $79,444 | $116,373 | — |
| 10 | Alfred University | NY | $80,773 | $113,950 | — |
| 11 | Golden Gate University | CA | $99,103 | $113,021 | — |
| 12 | Cornell University | NY | $81,852 | $113,010 | — |
| 13 | George Mason University | VA | $88,982 | $108,013 | — |
| 14 | Bowie State University | MD | $71,096 | $107,591 | — |
| 15 | University of San Francisco | CA | $87,975 | $107,076 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning doctoral programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California Baptist University | CA | $122,488 | — | — |
| 2 | Capella University | MN | $115,863 | — | — |
| 3 | West Chester University of Pennsylvania | PA | $109,792 | — | — |
| 4 | Walden University | MN | $93,038 | $108,118 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning professional programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus | PA | $73,545 | $90,654 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning graduate certificate programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Indiana University-Indianapolis | IN | — | $121,433 | — |
| 2 | University of Missouri-Columbia | MO | — | $84,496 | — |
| 3 | University at Albany | NY | $57,964 | $83,261 | — |
| 4 | The University of Texas at Dallas | TX | $55,811 | — | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Related fields
Quick answers
- How much do public administration graduates earn?
- One year after finishing, a typical bachelor's program in public administration reports median earnings of $50,167. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field of study data.
