Public Administration

What graduates really earn, where the degree pays off most, and whether the numbers add up for you.

Avg Earnings (4yr)

$51,204

Median Earnings

$66,141

Schools Offering

ROI Grade

Earnings Range (4 Years After Graduation)

25th: $57,264Median: $66,14175th: $70,331

Best Schools for Public Administration by Earnings

#	School	ROI	4yr Earnings	Net Price	Major Debt	Grade
1	Barry University FL · Private	42	$97,702	$22,613	$25,728	B+
2	Syracuse University NY · Private	76	$89,732	$38,793	$26,000	C+
3	University of Maryland Global Campus MD · Public	63	$85,909	$22,063	$29,202	B
4	California State University-Northridge CA · Public	80	$85,789	$7,021	$37,500	C+
5	Indiana University-Bloomington IN · Public	84	$77,422	$16,264	$20,731	B
6	California Baptist University CA · Private	53	$75,949	$26,285	$39,244	C
7	West Texas A & M University TX · Public	49	$74,261	$19,487	$24,798	B+
8	Southern New Hampshire University NH · Private	37	$72,437	$36,708	$31,139	B
9	University of Nevada-Las Vegas NV · Public	67	$72,433	$10,359	N/A	-
10	James Madison University VA · Public	84	$71,626	$23,322	$19,500	B
11	Upper Iowa University IA · Private	39	$70,374	$20,942	$31,000	C+
12	Western Carolina University NC · Public	49	$70,331	$13,315	$18,375	B+
13	Flagler College FL · Private	30	$70,202	$30,525	$21,485	B+
14	CUNY Bernard M Baruch College NY · Public	92	$69,033	$3,033	$13,250	B
15	California State University-Fullerton CA · Public	88	$68,497	$6,555	$13,273	B
16	Ashford University CA · Private	6	$68,344	$31,266	$41,250	C
17	University of Phoenix-Arizona AZ · Private	8	$68,272	$13,520	$45,656	D
18	California State University-Dominguez Hills CA · Public	71	$68,008	$8,615	$18,965	B
19	George Mason University VA · Public	86	$67,973	$17,915	$20,106	B
20	University of Oregon OR · Public	68	$67,030	$22,182	$16,166	B
21	CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice NY · Public	78	$66,834	$3,203	$13,895	B+
22	Wayne State University MI · Public	61	$66,396	$12,766	$30,750	D
23	Auburn University AL · Public	76	$66,141	$24,323	N/A	-
24	University of Arizona AZ · Public	75	$64,953	$16,674	$21,000	C+
25	Florida International University FL · Public	81	$62,424	$9,288	$27,022	C
26	Ohio State University-Main Campus OH · Public	77	$60,678	$17,339	$21,887	C+
27	Indiana University-Indianapolis IN · Public	67	$60,564	$11,668	$25,000	C
28	University of Wisconsin-Whitewater WI · Public	64	$60,383	$14,158	$27,187	C
29	University of Wisconsin-La Crosse WI · Public	76	$60,079	$16,210	$20,500	C+
30	Texas State University TX · Public	63	$59,074	$16,805	$27,418	C
31	University of Northern Iowa IA · Public	69	$58,307	$15,901	$27,000	C
32	Kean University NJ · Public	61	$58,100	$12,447	$31,000	C
33	Florida Atlantic University FL · Public	75	$57,679	$8,752	$19,804	B
34	San Diego State University CA · Public	84	$57,264	$15,364	$15,000	B
35	The University of Texas at San Antonio TX · Public	68	$56,557	$10,836	$20,500	C+
36	California State University-San Bernardino CA · Public	78	$56,534	$4,564	$13,300	B
37	The University of Texas at Dallas TX · Public	84	$55,467	$18,267	$17,961	C+
38	University of Central Florida FL · Public	79	$55,259	$10,411	$22,453	C
39	California State University-Chico CA · Public	82	$54,714	$14,480	N/A	-
40	University of Hawaii-West Oahu HI · Public	67	$53,891	$10,327	$21,000	C+
41	CUNY Medgar Evers College NY · Public	56	$53,849	$5,718	$19,187	B
42	Purdue University Fort Wayne IN · Public	35	$53,257	$13,171	$22,242	C
43	Northern Arizona University AZ · Public	64	$52,834	$14,158	N/A	-
44	Grand Valley State University MI · Public	60	$49,776	$16,317	$25,697	D
45	University of Wisconsin-Green Bay WI · Public	61	$48,958	$13,369	N/A	-

Fair Value

Is Public Administration Worth It?

Worth It - With the Right School

Public Administration sits in the middle on money. The average $51,204 four years out is right around what bachelor's graduates earn across the board - so the math works at an affordable school and gets tight as tuition climbs. Pick your school with that in mind.

This is a more specialized field, offered at 49 schools in our data. Fewer options means less room to optimize on cost, so weigh each aid offer closely.

The top earner here is Barry University, where graduates pull $103,107 four years out. But an average hides a wide spread - where you go, and what you do with the degree, matter as much as the major itself.

Best ROI Schools for Public Administration All Majors ROI Calculator Compare Schools

Public Administration

Earnings Range (4 Years After Graduation)

Best Schools for Public Administration by Earnings

Is Public Administration Worth It?

Worth It - With the Right School

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