U.S. median for this major: $61,551.
College Scorecard field of study
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 27% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $21,686.
College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $31,735. College Scorecard.
Public Administration at Virginia colleges
Every Virginia college we cover that reports Public Administration graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.
| Rank | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | James Madison University | $71,626 | $19,500 | $23,322 | 80% |
| 2 | George Mason University | $67,973 | $20,106 | $17,915 | 68% |
3 more Virginia colleges offer Public Administration but have too few graduates to report earnings.
Careers for Public Administration graduates
General and Operations Managers
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +5.0% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Construction Managers
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +9.1% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Social and Community Service Managers
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +7.2% 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 JMU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About JMU
- Acceptance rate: 72% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 80% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $69,954
- Full cost breakdown · all 49 majors · overview
Related majors at JMU
- Social Work$52,991
- Business Administration$85,137
JMU Public Administration questions
How much do JMU Public Administration graduates earn?
Public Administration graduates of James Madison University earn a median $71,626 four years after graduating and $48,396 one year after. The U.S. median for Public Administration graduates across 44 colleges is $61,551.
How much debt do JMU Public Administration graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Public Administration graduates of James Madison University is $19,500, about 27% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $21,686.
Where does JMU rank for Public Administration in Virginia?
Of 2 Virginia colleges reporting Public Administration graduate earnings, James Madison University ranks 1st, the highest.
What jobs do Public Administration graduates get?
A common career is general and operations managers, with a median wage of $94,320 in the Harrisonburg, VA area and $105,770 nationally. Others include construction managers and social and community service managers.
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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
Data: JSON · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “James Madison University Public Administration: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/james-madison-university/majors/public-administration (College Scorecard and BLS data).