Master's · Murray, Kentucky

Is Public Administration at Murray State University worth it?

Low confidence Low confidence: fewer than 40 graduates behind the earnings figures.

The verdict · all families, in-state, half paid with loans

Pays back in time: graduates typically recover the cost in about 5.8 years.

Earnings 1 year after graduating: $66,588; Treasury AY2020-21, AY2021-22 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
Earnings 4 years after graduating: Not enough graduates to report; Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
Typical federal debt at graduation: $38,227; NSLDS pooled AY2022-23, AY2023-24 cohort
Typical borrowing (no graduate net price is published): $41k (likely $41k – $41k); AcadYr 2024-25, reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26
Earnings bump, year 4: $12k a year vs bachelor's graduates 4 years out in KY; 2023 ACS 5-year pooled, adjusted to 2024 dollars
Payback: 5.8 years (likely 2.6–20+); Bump vs net cost plus loan interest
10-year net return: −$64k (likely −$190k – $99k); Today's dollars
20-year net return: $73k (likely −$189k – $404k); Today's dollars

Scorecard reports no net price for graduate programs; cost is based on what graduates typically borrowed.