Compare 49 Public Administration. programs ranked by graduate earnings. Average earnings: $51,894. Top programs: $76,049+.
With top graduates earning $76,049, Public Administration stands out as a field where program choice matters more than school name. The gap between the best and median programs exceeds $24K—proof that evaluating programs individually beats relying on institutional prestige.
California State University-Northridge's Public Administration program leads with graduates earning $76,049, well above the $52K average across all programs. West Texas A&M follows at $73,471, while George Mason reaches $69,760—demonstrating that regional publics compete strongly in this field.
High earnings don't tell the whole story—debt burden matters. Cal State Northridge graduates borrow $13,872 and face just a 3.6% payment burden, landing in the 'Excellent' category. That means loan payments take a minimal bite out of their post-grad income.
Highest program earnings: $76,049
Strong outcomes with 93% acceptance
3.6% payment burden | Excellent
7.5% family burden | Excellent
| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Cohort Size | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | $76,049 | 41 | $13,872 | Excellent | $13,522 | Excellent | |
| #2 | $73,471 | 6 | $19,500 | Excellent | $12,719 | Good | |
| #3 | George Mason UniversityPublic | $69,760 | 23 | $19,500 | Excellent | $25,142 | Manageable |
| #4 | $69,338 | 17 | $26,063 | Excellent | $31,387 | Challenging | |
| #5 | Barry UniversityPrivate | $65,899 | 48 | $26,997 | Good | $14,569 | Manageable |
| #6 | University Of La VernePrivate | $63,388 | 25 | $23,500 | Excellent | $27,977 | Challenging |
| #7 | $62,367 | 593 | $19,509 | Excellent | $32,850 | Challenging | |
| #8 | Upper Iowa UniversityPrivate | $61,516 | 28 | $25,000 | Good | $14,000 | Manageable |
| #9 | Syracuse UniversityPrivate | $60,555 | 77 | $26,000 | Good | $39,841 | High |
| #10 | $58,649 | 45 | $21,868 | Good | $18,241 | Manageable | |
| #11 | $58,104 | 42 | $13,807 | Excellent | $11,061 | Good | |
| #12 | $57,169 | 40 | $13,750 | Excellent | $16,538 | Manageable | |
| #13 | Miami University-OxfordPublic | $56,949 | 22 | $23,000 | Good | $34,512 | High |
| #14 | $56,859 | 67 | $11,000 | Excellent | $16,130 | Good | |
| #15 | University Of KansasPublic | $55,797 | 21 | $21,000 | Good | $32,347 | Challenging |
| #16 | $55,092 | 93 | $19,976 | Good | $25,868 | Challenging | |
| #17 | James Madison UniversityPublic | $54,888 | 59 | $20,093 | Good | $37,285 | High |
| #18 | $54,809 | 8 | $16,600 | Excellent | $9,000 | Good | |
| #19 | $54,579 | 16 | $23,188 | Good | $18,635 | Challenging | |
| #20 | $53,902 | 47 | $17,236 | Excellent | $15,000 | Manageable | |
| #21 | University Of OregonPublic | $53,335 | 54 | $20,139 | Good | $44,405 | High |
| #22 | $52,546 | 90 | $20,000 | Good | $17,205 | Challenging | |
| #23 | Auburn UniversityPublic | $51,826 | 10 | $21,000 | Good | $43,605 | High |
| #24 | University Of ArizonaPublic | $51,630 | 49 | $19,620 | Good | $30,126 | High |
| #25 | $51,393 | 11 | $19,691 | Good | $17,670 | Challenging |
Our program rankings answer: "Which schools have the best outcomes for graduates of this specific major?"
Unlike traditional rankings that measure overall school quality, these rankings focus on program-level outcomes. A school that's #200 overall might have a top-10 nursing program — and that matters if you're studying nursing.
Data based on 2024-2025 Dept of Education reporting standards. Learn about our methodology →
