Public Policy Analysis
Offered at 308 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 | 10 | — | — | — |
| Associate | 1 | — | — | — |
| Bachelor's | 96 | $49,429 | $72,658 | $19,250 |
| Post-bacc certificate | 2 | — | — | — |
| Master's | 113 | $70,644 | $98,380 | — |
| Doctoral | 40 | — | — | — |
| Professional | 1 | — | — | — |
| Graduate certificate | 45 | — | — | — |
"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 bachelor's programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northwestern University | IL | $49,429 | $133,245 | $17,038 |
| 2 | Vanderbilt University | TN | — | $124,350 | — |
| 3 | Cornell University | NY | $91,332 | $121,467 | $13,250 |
| 4 | University of Chicago | IL | $62,208 | $110,246 | $12,250 |
| 5 | Duke University | NC | $70,713 | $109,977 | $13,625 |
| 6 | Princeton University | NJ | $75,701 | $106,001 | — |
| 7 | Brown University | RI | $60,280 | $99,914 | — |
| 8 | Brandeis University | MA | $47,319 | $88,208 | $18,125 |
| 9 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | MI | $65,598 | $87,064 | $22,392 |
| 10 | William & Mary | VA | $52,100 | $83,389 | $16,425 |
| 11 | DePaul University | IL | — | $80,668 | — |
| 12 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | NC | $52,170 | $80,196 | $13,000 |
| 13 | University of Delaware | DE | $55,344 | $77,964 | $23,250 |
| 14 | The University of Texas at Dallas | TX | — | $76,951 | $23,586 |
| 15 | University of Redlands | CA | — | $75,040 | — |
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 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | MI | $97,275 | — | — |
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 | $102,390 | $144,362 | — |
| 2 | Princeton University | NJ | $98,226 | $124,705 | — |
| 3 | University of California-San Francisco | CA | — | $123,529 | — |
| 4 | Johns Hopkins University | MD | — | $119,336 | — |
| 5 | George Washington University | DC | $73,831 | $119,216 | — |
| 6 | Duke University | NC | $79,570 | $119,106 | — |
| 7 | University of California-Los Angeles | CA | $67,631 | $114,529 | — |
| 8 | Georgetown University | DC | $94,735 | $112,552 | — |
| 9 | University of Chicago | IL | $88,156 | $111,783 | — |
| 10 | Carnegie Mellon University | PA | $80,486 | $111,300 | — |
| 11 | George Mason University | VA | $83,794 | $111,196 | — |
| 12 | University of Maryland-College Park | MD | $75,502 | $106,896 | — |
| 13 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | MI | $81,950 | $106,721 | — |
| 14 | University of Virginia-Main Campus | VA | $74,004 | $104,537 | — |
| 15 | Pepperdine University | CA | $66,766 | $103,534 | — |
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 | Brandeis University | MA | $85,343 | $125,391 | — |
| 2 | University of Nevada-Las Vegas | NV | $94,257 | — | — |
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 California-Berkeley | CA | $86,960 | $117,821 | — |
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 | University of Southern California | CA | $86,486 | $95,788 | — |
| 2 | University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth | MA | $74,212 | — | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Related fields
Quick answers
- How much do public policy analysis graduates earn?
- One year after finishing, a typical bachelor's program in public policy analysis reports median earnings of $49,429. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field of study data.
