Public Administration and Social Service Professions graduates earn $61,630 four years out. Related careers are growing at up to 24.2%, one of the stronger demand signals across all fields. Medical & Health Services Manager is among the highest-growth roles in the field.
This page covers Public Administration and Social Service Professions as a course of study: what it costs, where it is taught, and what graduates go on to earn. It sits inside the wider field of Public Administration and how it pays overall, which is the better comparison if you are still choosing between subjects.
Public Administration and Social Service Professions is a focused area of study within Public Administration. Pick this and you can expect to earn around $61,630 four years out, a solid return for a focused credential. You will not have trouble finding it: 93 colleges offer this program, from community colleges to research universities. About 553 students complete it each year, most walking away with a master's. The curriculum blends analytical and applied coursework aimed at the workplace.
Four years after finishing Public Administration and Social Service Professions, a typical graduate earns $61,630, near the national median for college graduates. Half of earners land somewhere between $40,503 and $84,356, so where you end up depends on the job and the employer. Do not judge the field on a starting paycheck alone: pay tends to jump in the first few years, climbing from $44,593 at one year out to $61,630 by year four. Source: College Scorecard.
What that figure means in practice depends on what the degree cost to get, which is a matter of lifetime earnings against total outlay.
Earnings grow steadily as you advance past entry-level roles. The four-year figure is a better long-term target.
Near the national median for college graduates.
Median of per-school medians. Each reporting college counts equally, regardless of size.
Not every Public Administration and Social Service Professions graduate ends up in the same place. Earnings spread out widely, so know what pushes people to one end or the other. Industry and seniority explain most of the spread. Finance, consulting, and strategy roles pull the top end up; operations and administrative roles sit at the bottom.
Solid ROI. At median 4-year earnings of $61,630 and an estimated $96,088 four-year net cost, the typical graduate reaches earnings breakeven in roughly 3.0 years.
Based on outcomes from 33 schools. Colleges with fewer than 30 graduates are excluded from national averages.
Of the 553 students who complete Public Administration and Social Service Professions programs each year, the majority (43%) earn a master's degree. The breakdown below shows the full credential distribution.
This degree does not lock you into one job. Public Administration and Social Service Professions graduates show up in 8 different occupations, and Chief Executives pay the most at $213,990/yr median. Expand any card below to see daily responsibilities, in-demand skills, and 10-year growth projections.
The best-paid of these is what Chief Executives earn and how fast those roles are growing, though entry requirements vary across the list.
Not sure where to study Public Administration and Social Service Professions? These 20 colleges graduate the most students in it each year. Scroll right to compare acceptance rate, net price, and median earnings side by side.
Ranked by score, that list starts with the cost and outcomes at University of California-Davis, and the rest follow the same measures.
| # | College | Graduates | Acceptance | Net Price/yr | Earnings 10yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California-Davis Davis, CA · Public | 56 | 41.8% | $14,741 | $80,838 |
| 2 | Metropolitan College of New York New York, NY · Nonprofit | 49 | 90% | $28,882 | $46,236 |
| 3 | University of Arkansas at Little Rock Little Rock, AR · Public | 44 | 58.8% | $17,248 | $45,265 |
| 4 | Rutgers University-Newark Newark, NJ · Public | 34 | 71.4% | $19,703 | $74,479 |
| 5 | National Louis University Chicago, IL · Nonprofit | 28 | 95.1% | $12,641 | $45,799 |
| 6 | University of Central Florida Orlando, FL · Public | 23 | 40.1% | $10,411 | $58,308 |
| 7 | University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA · Nonprofit | 20 | 9.8% | $32,740 | $92,498 |
| 8 | Pfeiffer University Misenheimer, NC · Nonprofit | 15 | 96% | $19,076 | $51,562 |
| 9 | Boston University Boston, MA · Nonprofit | 14 | 11.1% | $24,402 | $83,238 |
| 10 | Tufts University Medford, MA · Nonprofit | 14 | 11.5% | $39,998 | $83,214 |
| 11 | Ball State University Muncie, IN · Public | 11 | 85.5% | $14,940 | $51,833 |
| 12 | University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus Denver, CO · Public | 11 | 74.7% | $11,900 | $64,270 |
| 13 | Tulane University of Louisiana New Orleans, LA · Nonprofit | 11 | 14% | $39,949 | $63,268 |
| 14 | New York University New York, NY · Nonprofit | 10 | 9.2% | $37,050 | $82,509 |
| 15 | Merrimack College North Andover, MA · Nonprofit | 10 | 70% | $37,927 | $75,584 |
| 16 | Judson University Elgin, IL · Nonprofit | 9 | 47.6% | $18,558 | $56,313 |
| 17 | George Mason University Fairfax, VA · Public | 8 | 87.5% | $17,915 | $76,343 |
| 18 | Alabama State University Montgomery, AL · Public | 8 | 97.6% | $20,435 | $34,502 |
| 19 | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus Pittsburgh, PA · Public | 7 | 58.1% | $30,434 | $66,125 |
| 20 | Marquette University Milwaukee, WI · Nonprofit | 7 | 81.3% | $31,487 | $78,257 |
Ranked by Public Administration and Social Service Professions graduate volume. Scroll right to compare key stats. Read our methodology →
Decide with data, not guesswork. These tools turn the numbers on this page into a personal plan. Estimate the real cost of a Public Administration and Social Service Professions program, compare colleges side-by-side, weigh the long-term payoff, and find schools that match your profile.
See if a Public Administration and Social Service Professions degree pays off. Weighs each college's cost against the earnings its graduates actually see.
Enter a budget and see the colleges whose net price fits, with the out-of-pocket cost and likely loan load for each.
Put any 2–4 colleges side-by-side. Admissions, cost, outcomes, and earnings, all on one screen, no tab-hopping.
Answer six quick questions and see your best-fit colleges ranked by budget, field of study, and what matters most to you.
The data on Public Administration and Social Service Professions shows 4 measurable strengths and 1 real trade-offs. All points are sourced from College Scorecard earnings, BLS projections, and IPEDS graduate counts.
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