Compare 136 Public Finance. programs in the Midwest. Average earnings: $64,103.
With top graduates earning $153K, Public Finance stands out as a field where program choice matters more than school name. The gap between the best and median programs exceeds $25K—proof that evaluating programs individually beats relying on institutional prestige.
Washington University in St. Louis's Public Finance program leads with graduates earning $152,625, while the average across programs is $64,103. University of Notre Dame follows at $111,893, and University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign delivers $99,685—demonstrating that program-specific factors drive outcomes more than overall school rankings.
High earnings don't tell the whole story—debt burden matters. Washington University graduates borrow $17,500 and face just a 1.8% payment burden, landing in the 'Excellent' category. With a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.11, graduates can pay off their entire student debt with about one month of salary.
Highest program earnings: $152,625
Strong outcomes with 82% acceptance
1.8% payment burden | Excellent
4.8% family burden | Excellent
| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Cohort Size | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | $152,625 | 160 | $17,500 | Excellent | $24,585 | Excellent | |
| #2 | University Of Notre DamePrivate | $111,893 | 235 | $19,000 | Excellent | $40,731 | Good |
| #3 | $99,685 | 256 | $19,500 | Excellent | $34,511 | Good | |
| #4 | Miami University-OxfordPublic | $88,554 | 393 | $23,000 | Excellent | $34,512 | Manageable |
| #5 | $87,799 | 293 | $19,500 | Excellent | $25,729 | Good | |
| #6 | $86,244 | 404 | $20,484 | Excellent | $28,364 | Good | |
| #7 | Marquette UniversityPrivate | $85,623 | 141 | $23,940 | Excellent | $45,500 | Manageable |
| #8 | Loyola University ChicagoPrivate | $84,622 | 120 | $24,157 | Excellent | $54,045 | Challenging |
| #9 | $82,036 | 741 | $19,976 | Excellent | $25,868 | Good | |
| #10 | University Of St ThomasPrivate | $81,390 | 119 | $23,250 | Excellent | $24,467 | Good |
| #11 | Drake UniversityPrivate | $81,311 | 39 | $23,000 | Excellent | $26,000 | Manageable |
| #12 | $79,866 | 376 | $23,250 | Excellent | $37,401 | Manageable | |
| #13 | Depaul UniversityPrivate | $79,506 | 283 | $23,168 | Excellent | $41,563 | Manageable |
| #14 | Oakland UniversityPublic | $78,839 | 99 | $22,750 | Excellent | $17,858 | Good |
| #15 | Creighton UniversityPrivate | $78,827 | 122 | $25,000 | Excellent | $31,504 | Manageable |
| #16 | Elmhurst UniversityPrivate | $78,675 | 46 | $20,489 | Excellent | $27,470 | Manageable |
| #17 | Illinois Wesleyan UniversityPrivate | $77,596 | 19 | $27,000 | Excellent | $47,679 | Challenging |
| #18 | $77,380 | 63 | $24,000 | Excellent | $31,458 | Manageable | |
| #19 | University Of IowaPublic | $76,298 | 410 | $22,500 | Excellent | $27,975 | Manageable |
| #20 | $75,600 | 174 | $21,056 | Excellent | $23,508 | Manageable | |
| #21 | $74,985 | 238 | $19,500 | Excellent | $29,448 | Manageable | |
| #22 | Benedictine UniversityPrivate | $74,264 | 19 | $22,500 | Excellent | $22,900 | Manageable |
| #23 | University Of DaytonPrivate | $73,975 | 150 | $23,250 | Excellent | $43,810 | Challenging |
| #24 | $72,770 | 245 | $20,482 | Excellent | $28,767 | Manageable | |
| #25 | Lake Forest CollegePrivate | $72,661 | 29 | $26,158 | Excellent | $35,000 | 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 →
