Public Policy Analysis degree: salary, jobs & colleges
Bachelor's graduates in public policy analysis earn a median $69,656 four years after finishing, across 34 U.S. colleges. At ages 25-34, people whose degree is in public policy earn $73,321, $11,272 more than all bachelor's holders. The most common job is other managers (9%).
Median across 34 colleges; middle half $64,389–$78,752.
College Scorecard field of study (graduates who received federal aid)
Middle half $49,156–$111,719. 416 survey respondents.
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata; field "Public Policy"; EducationGuide calculation
- All bachelor's, 25-34$62,049
- High school, 25-34$35,638
- This degree vs high school+$37,683/yr
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers not in school
Median across colleges reporting.
College Scorecard field of study
Jobs public policy analysis graduates hold
What employed 25-34-year-olds whose bachelor's is in public policy 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 | 9% | — | — | — | — |
| Management Analysts | 5% | $101,860 | +10.1% | Bachelor's degree | CIE |
| Project Management Specialists | 4% | $102,320 | +6.7% | Bachelor's degree | EC |
| Customer Service Representatives | 4% | $44,770 | -5.3% | High school diploma or equivalent | CES |
| Public Relations And Fundraising Managers | 3% | $136,470 | +5.6% | — | — |
| First-Line Supervisors Of Retail Sales Workers | 2% | $48,520 | -3.7% | High school diploma or equivalent | ECS |
| Chief Executives And Legislators | 2% | — | — | — | — |
| Paralegals And Legal Assistants | 2% | $62,890 | -0.3% | Associate's degree | CIE |
These 8 jobs account for 31% 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 Policy Analysis 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 | $70,080 (3) | — |
| Connecticut | $64,389 (6) | — |
| Virginia | $66,177 (3) | — |
College Scorecard field of study (median of each college's graduates); Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata; EducationGuide calculations.
Colleges where public policy analysis graduates earn the most
In the states we cover so far (Florida, Virginia, California): 0 in Florida, 4 in Virginia, 11 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 | University of Southern CaliforniaCA | $74,511 | $18,000 |
| 2 | University of RedlandsCA | $70,080 | $27,000 |
| 3 | William & MaryVA | $69,118 | $22,000 |
| 4 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityVA | $66,177 | $15,468 |
| 5 | Regent UniversityVA | $60,776 | $24,500 |
| 6 | University of California-RiversideCA | $58,504 | $19,161 |
College Scorecard field of study. Colleges meeting our core-data standard; online campuses left out.
Related degrees
Public Policy Analysis degree questions
How much do Public Policy Analysis graduates make?
Public Policy Analysis graduates earn a median $69,656 four years after finishing, across 34 U.S. colleges that report it (the middle half of colleges: $64,389 to $78,752; College Scorecard, graduates who received federal aid). Among all workers ages 25-34 whose bachelor's degree is in public policy, the median is $73,321 (Census ACS 2020-2024).
Is a Public Policy Analysis degree worth it?
At ages 25-34, people with a bachelor's in public policy earn a median $73,321: $11,272 more than all bachelor's degree holders ($62,049) and $37,683 more than high school graduates ($35,638). EducationGuide calculation from Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers not in school.
What jobs do Public Policy Analysis graduates get?
Among employed 25-34-year-olds whose bachelor's is in public policy, the most common jobs are other managers (9%), management analysts (5%), project management specialists (4%).
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
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Cite this: “Public Policy Analysis degree: salary, jobs and colleges,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/degrees/public-policy-analysis.