# Grand Valley State University: Public Administration (bachelor's)

Allendale, MI. IPEDS 170082, CIP 44.04. Page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/grand-valley-state-university/majors/public-administration

## Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings 1 year after graduating: $36,236
- Median earnings 4 years after graduating: $49,776 (U.S. median for this major: $61,551 across 44 colleges)
- Median federal loan debt: $25,697 (U.S. median $21,686)
- Rank in MI: 2 of 2 colleges by 4-year earnings
- Versus the U.S. median: -$11,775

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
School-wide net price x 4.42 years (average time graduates took). Earnings gain = $49,776 minus $33,411 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MI (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | $12,272 | $54,242 | 3.3 years |
| 30-48k | $11,902 | $52,607 | 3.2 years |
| 48-75k | $12,861 | $56,846 | 3.5 years |
| 75-110k | $16,609 | $73,412 | 4.5 years |
| 110k+ | $22,534 | $99,600 | 6.1 years |

Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score#value

## Public Administration at MI colleges
| College | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wayne State University | $66,396 | $30,750 | $12,766 | 58% |
| Grand Valley State University | $49,776 | $25,697 | $16,317 | 67% |

## Careers
- General and Operations Managers (SOC 11-1021): median wage $101,720 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI, $99,530 MI, $105,770 U.S.; U.S. jobs 5% by 2035
- Construction Managers (SOC 11-9021): median wage $102,370 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI, $103,230 MI, $114,990 U.S.; U.S. jobs 9.1% by 2035
- Social and Community Service Managers (SOC 11-9151): median wage $84,280 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI, $85,500 MI, $80,390 U.S.; U.S. jobs 7.2% by 2035

## Sources and years
- Earnings (4 yr): Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars; debt: NSLDS pooled AY2018-19, AY2019-20 cohort

Free to reuse with attribution: cite "EducationGuide.com" with a link to the page URL. Most figures are U.S. government data (public domain); loan default rates and athletics come from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By 1.0, attribution required) and founding years from Wikidata (CC0).