Duke University Public Policy Analysis: earnings, debt & careers

Public Policy Analysis graduates of Duke University earn a median $103,071 four years after graduating ($60,501 after one year), with median federal loan debt of $10,500. That is $33,415 above the U.S. median for Public Policy Analysis graduates ($69,656 across 34 colleges), and ranks 1st of 2 North Carolina colleges.

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Earnings, 4 years after graduating
$103,071

U.S. median for this major: $69,656.

College Scorecard field of study; 91 graduates with earnings reported

Earnings, 1 year after
$60,501

Median for graduates who received federal aid.

College Scorecard field of study

Median debt at graduation
$10,500

About 10% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $22,170.

College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)

What your family pays
$29,612 /yr

Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.

Sticker price $87,072. College Scorecard.

Duke University Public Policy Analysis: pay against the field, and payback

Same major, other colleges

Duke University graduates$103,071

Fewer than 3 North Carolina colleges report earnings for this major, so there is no state median.

U.S. median (34 colleges)$69,656 (+$33,415)

Median earnings 4 years after graduating; state and U.S. figures are the median of each covered college's graduates in this major. College Scorecard; calculated by EducationGuide.

Public Policy Analysis nationally: jobs, pay at ages 25-34, every state →

Cost to finish and years to pay back, by income

Uses Duke University's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.

Family incomeNet price / yrCost to finishYears to pay back
$0–30k$735$3,006under 1 year
$30–48k$0$0under 1 year
$48–75k$5,706$23,338under 1 year
$75–110k$17,100$69,9391.0 years
$110k+$54,230$221,8013.2 years

Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.1 years, the average time graduates took (88% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of Public Policy Analysis graduates 4 years after graduating ($103,071) minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in NC (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $69,555 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method

College Scorecard; IPEDS Graduation Rates; U.S. Census Bureau ACS. Calculated by EducationGuide.

Public Policy Analysis at North Carolina colleges

Every North Carolina college we cover that reports Public Policy Analysis graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.

RankCollegeEarnings, 4 yrsMedian debtAvg. net priceGraduation
1Duke University$103,071$10,500$29,61297%
2University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill$74,403$15,000$11,65591%

1 more North Carolina college offers Public Policy Analysis but has too few graduates to report earnings.

Careers for Public Policy Analysis graduates

Medical and Health Services Managers

Durham area$133,970
North Carolina$114,410
U.S.$123,860

Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +24.2% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.

Social Science Research Assistants

North Carolina$63,710
U.S.$61,990

Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +5.0% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35. Careers from the federal major-to-occupation crosswalk.

What families pay at Duke University, by income

School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.

College Scorecard

About Duke University

Duke University Public Policy Analysis questions

How much do Duke University Public Policy Analysis graduates earn?

Public Policy Analysis graduates of Duke University earn a median $103,071 four years after graduating and $60,501 one year after. The U.S. median for Public Policy Analysis graduates across 34 colleges is $69,656.

How much debt do Duke University Public Policy Analysis graduates have?

The median federal loan debt for Public Policy Analysis graduates of Duke University is $10,500, about 10% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $22,170.

Where does Duke University rank for Public Policy Analysis in North Carolina?

Of 2 North Carolina colleges reporting Public Policy Analysis graduate earnings, Duke University ranks 1st, the highest.

What jobs do Public Policy Analysis graduates get?

A common career is medical and health services managers, with a median wage of $133,970 in the Durham-Chapel Hill, NC area and $123,860 nationally. Others include social science research assistants.

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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (field of study: median earnings and federal loan debt of graduates who received federal aid); BLS. How we score
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Cite this: “Duke University Public Policy Analysis: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/duke-university/majors/public-policy-analysis (College Scorecard and BLS data).