Public Administration degree: salary, jobs & colleges
Bachelor's graduates in public administration earn a median $61,551 four years after finishing, across 44 U.S. colleges. At ages 25-34, people whose degree is in public administration earn $58,657, $3,392 less than all bachelor's holders. The most common job is other managers (4%).
Median across 44 colleges; middle half $56,534–$70,202.
College Scorecard field of study (graduates who received federal aid)
Middle half $40,610–$76,367. 290 survey respondents.
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata; field "Public Administration"; EducationGuide calculation
- All bachelor's, 25-34$62,049
- High school, 25-34$35,638
- This degree vs high school+$23,019/yr
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers not in school
Median across colleges reporting.
College Scorecard field of study
Jobs public administration graduates hold
What employed 25-34-year-olds whose bachelor's is in public administration actually do, with U.S. wages and the outlook for each job. The first column comes from the Census survey; wages and growth from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
| Job | Share of graduates | U.S. median wage | Jobs growth 2025-35 | Typical entry | Interests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other Managers | 4% | — | — | — | — |
| Police Officers | 4% | $76,250 | +3.5% | — | — |
| Human Resources Workers | 3% | $76,700 | +6.1% | — | — |
| Customer Service Representatives | 3% | $44,770 | -5.3% | High school diploma or equivalent | CES |
| First-Line Supervisors Of Office And Administrative Support Workers | 2% | $69,500 | +0.1% | High school diploma or equivalent | ECS |
| Elementary And Middle School Teachers | 2% | $64,170 | -0.4% | — | — |
| First-Line Supervisors Of Retail Sales Workers | 2% | $48,520 | -3.7% | High school diploma or equivalent | ECS |
| Recreation Workers | 2% | $36,560 | +4.3% | High school diploma or equivalent | SER |
These 8 jobs account for 22% of employed graduates: people with this degree spread across many kinds of work.
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata (ages 25-34, bachelor's as highest degree, employed); BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025-35; O*NET 31.0 interest codes (R realistic, I investigative, A artistic, S social, E enterprising, C conventional).
Public Administration earnings by state
Two views of pay: recent graduates of the state's colleges four years out (College Scorecard), and everyone ages 25-34 living in the state with this field of degree (Census). States show a figure only with at least 3 colleges or 100 survey respondents.
| State | Graduates, 4 yrs (colleges) | Ages 25-34 (respondents) |
|---|---|---|
| California | $68,008 (7) | — |
| Florida | $57,679 (7) | — |
| Indiana | $60,564 (3) | — |
| New York | $67,934 (4) | — |
| Texas | $57,816 (4) | — |
| Wisconsin | $60,079 (3) | — |
College Scorecard field of study (median of each college's graduates); Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata; EducationGuide calculations.
Colleges where public administration graduates earn the most
In the states we cover so far (Florida, Virginia, California): 8 in Florida, 5 in Virginia, 16 in California offer this major. Open a college to see cost to finish and payback for your income.
| # | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Barry UniversityFL | $97,702 | $25,728 |
| 2 | California State University-NorthridgeCA | $85,789 | $37,500 |
| 3 | California Baptist UniversityCA | $75,949 | $39,244 |
| 4 | James Madison UniversityVA | $71,626 | $19,500 |
| 5 | Flagler CollegeFL | $70,202 | $21,485 |
| 6 | California State University-FullertonCA | $68,497 | $13,273 |
| 7 | California State University-Dominguez HillsCA | $68,008 | $18,965 |
| 8 | George Mason UniversityVA | $67,973 | $20,106 |
| 9 | Florida International UniversityFL | $62,424 | $27,022 |
| 10 | Florida Atlantic UniversityFL | $57,679 | $19,804 |
| 11 | San Diego State UniversityCA | $57,264 | $15,000 |
| 12 | California State University-San BernardinoCA | $56,534 | $13,300 |
College Scorecard field of study. Colleges meeting our core-data standard; online campuses left out.
Related degrees
Public Administration degree questions
How much do Public Administration graduates make?
Public Administration graduates earn a median $61,551 four years after finishing, across 44 U.S. colleges that report it (the middle half of colleges: $56,534 to $70,202; College Scorecard, graduates who received federal aid). Among all workers ages 25-34 whose bachelor's degree is in public administration, the median is $58,657 (Census ACS 2020-2024).
Is a Public Administration degree worth it?
At ages 25-34, people with a bachelor's in public administration earn a median $58,657: $3,392 less than all bachelor's degree holders ($62,049) and $23,019 more than high school graduates ($35,638). EducationGuide calculation from Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers not in school.
What jobs do Public Administration graduates get?
Among employed 25-34-year-olds whose bachelor's is in public administration, the most common jobs are other managers (4%), police officers (4%), human resources workers (3%).
How much do Public Administration graduates earn in Florida?
Across 7 Florida colleges reporting, Public Administration graduates earn a median $57,679 four years after graduating.
Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey microdata; Bureau of Labor Statistics; O*NET 31.0 (U.S. Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0). Method
Data: JSON · Markdown · all degrees
Cite this: “Public Administration degree: salary, jobs and colleges,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/degrees/public-administration.