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 26% 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 $27,780. College Scorecard.
Public Administration at California colleges
Every California 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 | California State University-Northridge | $85,789 | $37,500 | $7,021 | 57% |
| 2 | California Baptist University | $75,949 | $39,244 | $26,285 | 62% |
| 3 | California State University-Fullerton | $68,497 | $13,273 | $6,555 | 70% |
| 4 | California State University-Dominguez Hills | $68,008 | $18,965 | $8,615 | 43% |
| 5 | San Diego State University | $57,264 | $15,000 | $15,364 | 76% |
| 6 | California State University-San Bernardino | $56,534 | $13,300 | $4,564 | 55% |
| 7 | California State University-Chico | $54,714 | — | $14,480 | 63% |
9 more California 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 San Diego State University, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About San Diego State University
- Acceptance rate: 36% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 76% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $64,909
- Full cost breakdown · all 79 majors · overview
Related majors at San Diego State University
- Criminal Justice$57,510
- Social Work$56,674
- Business Administration$69,902
San Diego State University Public Administration questions
How much do San Diego State University Public Administration graduates earn?
Public Administration graduates of San Diego State University earn a median $57,264 four years after graduating and $41,020 one year after. The U.S. median for Public Administration graduates across 44 colleges is $61,551.
How much debt do San Diego State University Public Administration graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Public Administration graduates of San Diego State University is $15,000, about 26% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $21,686.
Where does San Diego State University rank for Public Administration in California?
Of 7 California colleges reporting Public Administration graduate earnings, San Diego State University ranks 5th. The highest is California State University-Northridge at $85,789.
What jobs do Public Administration graduates get?
A common career is general and operations managers, with a median wage of $119,600 in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA 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: “San Diego State University Public Administration: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/san-diego-state-university/majors/public-administration (College Scorecard and BLS data).