Public Administration at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Blacksburg, VA · Master's Degree · about 17 graduates a year

$74,121
Median pay 1 year after graduating
$88,961
Median pay 4 years after graduating
$81,408
National median for this major (4 yrs)
#43 of 243
Rank by pay
#96 of 243
Rank, wage-adjusted
—
Median federal debt

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University graduates in public administration earn 9% more than the national median for the same major four years after graduating.

How Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Compares for Public Administration

All 243 colleges reporting public administration earnings at this degree level, ranked by median pay four years after graduation. “Wage-adjusted” divides pay by the square root of the state’s wage index so colleges in low-wage states aren’t penalized for local pay.

#College4 yrs afterWage-adjustedAdj. rank1 yr after
1Harvard University Cambridge, MA$177,149$155,998#1$133,307
2Anna Maria College Paxton, MA$123,207$108,497#5$110,456
3Golden Gate University San Francisco, CA$122,598$111,556#3$91,136
4Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, MD$122,517$107,523#6$83,974
5Calumet College of Saint Joseph Whiting, IN$121,754$130,620#2$111,396
6Columbia University in the City of New York New York, NY$115,874$110,288#4$89,478
7George Washington University Washington, DC$113,891$99,798#13$78,177
8New York University New York, NY$109,946$104,646#8$82,887
9San Francisco State University San Francisco, CA$108,093$98,358#14$85,122
10Syracuse University Syracuse, NY$107,868$102,668#9$82,788
…
40Middlebury College Middlebury, VT$89,916$92,351#26$63,941
41California State University-Dominguez Hills Carson, CA$89,849$81,757#88$72,886
42National University San Diego, CA$88,988$80,973#97$73,205
43Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Blacksburg, VA$88,961$81,007#96$74,121
44Northeastern University Boston, MA$87,852$77,363#128$66,436
45Northeastern University Professional Programs Boston, MA$87,852$77,363#129$66,436
46Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg Middletown, PA$87,710$89,202#39$69,773

Other Majors at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University by Graduate Pay

Major4 yrs after1 yr afterRank in major
Business Administration, Management and Operations$154,688$119,423#47 of 861
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services$148,000$112,210—
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering$130,029$103,178#35 of 62
Mechanical Engineering$119,843$83,163#33 of 83
Industrial Engineering$117,338—#10 of 18
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering$115,736—#19 of 25
Materials Engineering$108,485—#7 of 7
Civil Engineering$99,698$76,016#30 of 81
Accounting and Related Services$96,906$68,641#149 of 349
City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning$86,237$61,042#11 of 36
Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy$85,049$71,291#2 of 15
Architecture$84,023$65,487#2 of 50
Public Health$73,036$66,357#135 of 201
Agriculture$62,078$51,630#3 of 5
Curriculum and Instruction$58,513$53,202#130 of 190
Educational Administration and Supervision$57,587$49,412#395 of 453
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas$56,901—#219 of 285

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University public administration graduates make?

Graduates earn a median $74,121 one year after graduating and $88,961 four years after graduating. Figures are from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

How does Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University rank for public administration?

Among 243 colleges reporting earnings for public administration graduates, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University ranks #43 by median pay four years after graduation, and #96 after adjusting for state wage levels.

Is public administration at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University worth it?

Its graduates earn 9% more than the national median for public administration ($81,408).

← All data for Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University · Methodology

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study data. Earnings are medians for graduates who received federal aid and were working and not enrolled; programs with few graduates are not reported. Wage adjustment uses Census ACS state median household income.