CollegeCostWise

Master's · Public Administration and Social Service Professions

Public Administration (Master's): earnings by school

285 schools report graduate earnings for this major.

Median across schools, 1 year out
$65,964
Treasury AY2020-21, AY2021-22 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
Median across schools, 4 years out
$77,329
Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
Typical debt
$41,000
NSLDS pooled AY2022-23, AY2023-24 cohort

Across 244 schools reporting 4-year earnings, the middle half of programs pay graduates between $67,108 and $86,271. The school matters less than you might think for this major.

Schools, highest earnings first

School1 year4 yearsDebt
Harvard University MA$172,076$177,149$39,585
Golden Gate University CA$99,103$122,598$49,785
Johns Hopkins University MD$84,297$122,517$51,250
Calumet College of Saint Joseph IN$121,715$121,754—
Columbia University in the City of New York NY$94,158$115,874$61,500
George Washington University DC$93,375$113,891$50,250
New York University NY$88,519$109,946$74,995
San Francisco State University CA$89,556$108,093$41,100
Syracuse University NY$80,834$107,868$37,545
American University DC$79,444$107,866$57,297
Boston University MA—$106,292—
University of Pennsylvania PA$100,157$104,073$52,534
University of Southern California CA$88,610$103,721$83,346
George Mason University VA$88,982$100,692$41,000
Cornell University NY$81,852$100,325$69,125
California State University-East Bay CA$86,639$99,879$40,569
Marist University NY$82,352$99,846$29,067
Portland State University OR$86,609$99,801$37,936
University of San Francisco CA$87,975$99,141$54,440
Bowie State University MD$71,096$98,800—
Northwestern University IL$83,556$98,798$48,064
California Baptist University CA$78,979$98,056$34,167
Post University CT$83,302$97,596$47,701
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities MN$91,772$97,311—
Villanova University PA$93,585$96,385$40,173
Alfred University NY$80,773$94,571—
University of Baltimore MD$65,382$94,518—
Seattle University WA$68,875$94,446—
CUNY Bernard M Baruch College NY$81,420$93,751$37,500
Notre Dame de Namur University CA—$93,465—
Hamline University MN$82,354$93,090$26,197
California State University-Northridge CA$76,590$92,353$36,134
Clemson University SC$72,530$92,184$42,975
Suffolk University MA$81,694$92,015$41,000
University of Colorado Colorado Springs CO$65,728$91,668—
University of Washington-Seattle Campus WA$76,243$91,499$53,787
San Diego State University CA$76,845$91,303$27,224
Excelsior University NY$91,233——
Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey CA$61,808$89,916$78,072
Middlebury College VT$61,808$89,916$78,072
California State University-Dominguez Hills CA$73,748$89,849$37,271
National University CA$78,390$88,988$32,054
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University VA$75,686$88,961—
Northeastern University Oakland CA$63,923$87,852$41,000
Northeastern University MA$63,923$87,852$41,000
Northeastern University Professional Programs MA$63,923$87,852$41,000
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg PA$74,027$87,710$44,375
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus PA$74,027$87,710$44,375
Pennsylvania State University-World Campus PA$74,027$87,710$44,375
Kent State University at Kent OH$63,052$87,606$37,619
Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus NJ$86,827$87,309$41,000
Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham Campus NJ$86,827$87,309$41,000
University of South Dakota SD$86,995$87,275—
University of Dayton OH—$87,234—
Brigham Young University UT$68,033$87,075$26,896
University of Connecticut CT$65,964$86,879$28,238
University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus CT$65,964$86,879$28,238
University of Connecticut-Avery Point CT$65,964$86,879$28,238
University of Connecticut-Stamford CT$65,964$86,879$28,238
University of Connecticut-Hartford Campus CT$65,964$86,879$28,238
Sam Houston State University TX$86,633——
University of Rhode Island RI$68,429$86,349$32,350
California State University-Long Beach CA$76,860$86,271$30,302
DePaul University IL$71,074$86,093$47,832
University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh WI$66,175$85,641—
California State University-Fresno CA$71,676$85,549—
Indiana University-Bloomington IN$65,695$85,494$41,000
California State University-San Bernardino CA$68,466$85,338$50,875
University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus CO$77,072$85,272$30,663
Norwich University VT$62,963$85,253—
American Public University System WV$77,717$85,238$36,586
California State University-Bakersfield CA$69,742$85,123$31,000
Florida Gulf Coast University FL$65,446$85,052—
Wayland Baptist University TX$53,870$85,003—
California State University-Sacramento CA$69,432$84,962—
University at Albany NY$62,590$84,950$21,061
Texas Tech University TX—$84,635—
The Evergreen State College WA$84,616—$41,000
Carnegie Mellon University PA$73,597$84,419—
University of Missouri-Columbia MO$74,879$84,412$18,666
University of the Pacific CA$81,274$84,392—
Old Dominion University VA$69,098$84,367$41,000
Indiana University-Indianapolis IN$70,578$84,078$29,814
University of New Haven CT$67,462$84,061$41,000
CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice NY$73,031$83,931$41,000
Georgia College & State University GA—$83,890—
Drake University IA$70,621$83,764$29,387
Clark University MA$57,912$83,740$20,500
Seton Hall University NJ—$83,480—
Binghamton University NY$57,389$83,478$20,500
The University of Texas at Arlington TX$78,376$83,344$36,762
Tarleton State University TX$76,068$83,252$41,000
Northern Illinois University IL$71,299$82,907$34,463
University of Nevada-Las Vegas NV$76,354$82,864$39,500
University of Georgia GA$58,011$82,476$29,057
University of Oregon OR—$82,135—
University of Kansas KS$66,170$82,043—
Rider University NJ$82,011——
California State Polytechnic University-Pomona CA$53,610$81,998—
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill NC$73,925$81,915$47,625
CUNY City College NY$70,651$81,813—
Barry University FL$69,353$81,625$41,391
James Madison University VA—$81,363—
University of Illinois Chicago IL$62,906$81,041—
University of Massachusetts-Boston MA$78,681$81,029—
Park University MO$69,090$80,800$47,975
University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus OK$66,090$80,745—
University of Utah UT$76,937$80,501$36,166
Indiana State University IN—$80,452—
The University of Texas at Tyler TX—$80,315—
Texas A&M University-College Station TX$64,163$80,153$38,316
University of Mary ND—$79,953—
Florida State University FL$56,851$79,921$51,250
Georgia State University GA$70,657$79,793$35,947
The University of Texas at Dallas TX$58,987$79,427—
Central Michigan University MI$69,941$79,416$37,953
Florida International University FL$62,456$79,414$48,668
Regent University VA$57,679$79,312$50,975
Oakland University MI$57,026$79,238—
University of Central Florida FL$68,552$79,043$43,997
Azusa Pacific University CA$78,640——
Bellevue University NE$60,209$78,464$41,000
University of North Carolina at Greensboro NC$53,450$78,025$40,214
California Lutheran University CA$81,096$77,919—
University of Massachusetts Global CA$77,787——
Westfield State University MA$61,644$77,525—
Long Island University NY$73,400$77,502—
University of Delaware DE$67,782$77,421—
University of Illinois Springfield IL$74,715$77,237$31,279
Southern Utah University UT$68,340$77,113$19,759
University of North Texas TX$59,645$77,071$30,584
Virginia Commonwealth University VA$77,376$76,945$41,000
Ball State University IN—$76,893—
Grand Canyon University AZ$62,547$76,752$38,961
Wright State University-Main Campus OH$56,001$76,622—
The University of Texas at San Antonio TX$63,715$76,337$36,500
Western Michigan University MI$64,022$76,335—
Arkansas State University AR$72,016$76,032$18,437
University of Nebraska at Omaha NE$62,890$75,913$35,759
Northern Kentucky University KY$55,692$75,814—
Capella University MN$64,896$75,626$41,476
University of North Carolina at Pembroke NC$61,999$75,582—
College of Charleston SC$61,020$75,145$41,000
Arizona State University Campus Immersion AZ$64,705$75,141$50,803
Arizona State University Digital Immersion AZ$64,705$75,141$50,803
Rutgers University-Camden NJ$68,806$74,870$41,000
Rutgers University-New Brunswick NJ$68,806$74,870$41,000
Rutgers University-Newark NJ$68,806$74,870$41,000
Roger Williams University RI$74,854——
Ohio State University-Main Campus OH$71,889$74,606$39,922
Columbia Southern University AL$77,521$74,452$39,442
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville IL$56,722$74,407$28,785
North Carolina State University at Raleigh NC$67,442$74,197—
Eastern Michigan University MI—$74,147—
University of South Carolina-Columbia SC$60,627$73,895—
University of North Carolina Wilmington NC$51,496$73,816$30,190
Lindenwood University MO—$73,408—
Florida Atlantic University FL—$73,084—
National Louis University IL$73,033——
Western Carolina University NC—$72,948$35,533
Centenary University NJ—$72,713—
California State University-Los Angeles CA$77,697$72,670$22,696
The University of Texas at El Paso TX—$72,517—
Cleveland State University OH$55,481$72,439—
Kean University NJ$66,526$72,414$37,399
University of North Carolina at Charlotte NC$62,942$72,410$29,925
Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College LA$60,737$72,035$30,758
University of Kentucky KY$55,276$71,952—
Saint Mary's University of Minnesota MN$71,631——
University of Idaho ID$71,519——
Grand Valley State University MI$59,783$71,404$32,466
Nova Southeastern University FL$72,363$71,298$51,250
Franklin University OH$64,021$71,172$39,562
University of New Hampshire-Main Campus NH—$71,035—
Upper Iowa University IA$76,537$70,924$55,510
Troy University AL$68,364$70,721$41,000
Ohio University-Main Campus OH$65,180$70,572$41,000
Framingham State University MA—$70,493—
Governors State University IL$70,269——
Aurora University IL$69,823——
Touro University Worldwide CA$69,735——
Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi TX—$69,631—
The University of Texas Permian Basin TX$69,597—$30,625
East Carolina University NC$66,572$69,522—
Indiana University-Northwest IN$75,509$69,335—
Liberty University VA$68,893$69,247$27,868
University of Arizona AZ$58,577$68,881—
California State University-Chico CA—$68,840—
Walden University MN$63,762$68,434$41,000
Valdosta State University GA—$68,427$29,802
Texas State University TX$67,846$68,342$33,500
University of Akron Main Campus OH—$68,211—
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley TX$54,527$68,057$19,500
Johnson & Wales University-Providence RI$68,041—$44,004
Johnson & Wales University-Online RI$68,041—$44,004
Indiana University-Kokomo IN—$67,820—
University of North Florida FL$47,126$67,442—
University of Miami FL$67,404—$98,263
Jacksonville State University AL—$67,184$50,756
University of Phoenix-Arizona AZ$63,233$67,108$32,973
University of Michigan-Flint MI$67,500$66,535$40,282
Augusta University GA$53,135$66,362—
University of Hawaii at Manoa HI$59,266$66,275—
Northcentral University CA$66,025——
North Carolina Central University NC$55,325$65,374$55,924
The University of Montana MT$62,658$65,365$23,578
Boise State University ID$60,038$65,231—
Lynn University FL$65,210——
Purdue University Global IN$74,353$64,832$42,922
Texas Southern University TX$56,673$64,662$55,460
University of Central Oklahoma OK$64,352——
Saint Peter's University NJ$64,141$64,106—
The University of Arizona Global Campus AZ—$63,856—
Kennesaw State University GA$56,316$63,462$41,000
University of West Georgia GA$58,465$63,152$26,586
University of New Mexico-Main Campus NM$62,981$62,611—
University of South Florida FL$72,031$62,465$40,968
Strayer University-District of Columbia DC$57,238$62,227$56,623
Strayer University-Virginia VA$57,238$62,227$56,623
Strayer University-Maryland MD$57,238$62,227$56,623
Strayer University-Tennessee TN$57,238$62,227$56,623
Strayer University-Pennsylvania PA$57,238$62,227$56,623
Strayer University-Florida FL$57,238$62,227$56,623
Strayer University-Delaware DE$57,238$62,227$56,623
Strayer University-Alabama AL$57,238$62,227$56,623
Strayer University-North Carolina NC$57,238$62,227$56,623
Strayer University-New Jersey NJ$57,238$62,227$56,623
Strayer University-West Virginia WV$57,238$62,227$56,623
Strayer University-Arkansas AR$57,238$62,227$56,623
Strayer University-Georgia GA$57,238$62,227$56,623
Strayer University-Mississippi MS$57,238$62,227$56,623
Strayer University-South Carolina SC$57,238$62,227$56,623
Strayer University-Texas TX$57,238$62,227$56,623
Strayer University-Global Region DC$57,238$62,227$56,623
Texas A & M International University TX$54,321$62,148$26,226
Auburn University AL$62,091——
Lamar University TX$62,062——
Appalachian State University NC$59,734$62,027—
Murray State University KY$61,993—$38,227
University of Alabama at Birmingham AL$58,915$61,916—
SUNY Brockport NY$49,739$61,703$22,953
West Chester University of Pennsylvania PA$60,753—$44,750
Cumberland University TN$98,505$60,726—
Northern Michigan University MI—$60,709—
Hilbert College NY—$60,538—
University of Missouri-Kansas City MO$65,985$60,493$24,842
St. Mary's University TX$60,068——
University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras PR$38,448$59,695—
Clark Atlanta University GA$68,383$59,522$53,632
Eastern Kentucky University KY$46,813$59,419$24,778
Missouri State University-Springfield MO$47,144$59,405—
Clayton State University GA$59,252—$28,875
Wichita State University KS$54,812$58,671—
University of Wyoming WY$58,281$58,617—
University of Missouri-St Louis MO$58,288——
Grambling State University LA—$56,980—
Georgia Southern University GA—$56,622—
University of Vermont VT$56,058——
University of South Alabama AL$55,734—$50,928
West Virginia University WV$50,824$55,516$27,343
Southern University and A & M College LA$51,540$55,482$32,730
Southern University Law Center LA$51,540$55,482$32,730
California State University-Stanislaus CA$55,310——
Albany State University GA—$55,052$38,680
Eastern Washington University WA$66,231$54,973—
Wayne State University MI$54,752——
University of Louisiana at Monroe LA$55,572$54,501$26,359
University of North Georgia GA$53,898——
Savannah State University GA$52,608—$51,122
Belhaven University MS$45,687$52,369—
Saginaw Valley State University MI$50,721$50,633—
Indiana Wesleyan University-Marion IN$50,558——
The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga TN$49,806——
Southern Arkansas University Main Campus AR$48,748——
South University-Montgomery AL—$47,649—
South University-Savannah GA—$47,649—
South University-Columbia SC—$47,649—
South University-Virginia Beach VA—$47,649—
South University-Savannah Online GA—$47,649—
Hawaii Pacific University HI$47,534——
Webster University MO$47,430——
Bowling Green State University-Main Campus OH$56,042$43,632$24,607
Mississippi State University MS$42,162——
The University of Alabama AL$40,120——
Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce PR$34,111——