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Public Administration.
Graduate Certificate•38 Institutions
Completers Only: Federal median earnings data strictly reflects outcomes for students who successfully graduated. Students who do not complete their degree typically earn significantly less and face higher risks of debt default.
Annual Full Cost vs. Median Earnings
Each dot represents one program at an institution. Shows the spread of annual sticker price (or net price if sticker price is unavailable) vs earnings 4 years post-grad.
Field Median ($74,416)
P25-P75 Interval ($74,213 - $81,812)
HS Baseline ($35,872)
Breakeven Line (0% ROI)
Institution | State | Earnings | Avg Net Price | Median Debt | Lifetime Value Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Indianapolis | IN | $97,043 Nat: $78,022 4yr Post-Grad | $11,668 /yr | - | +$283k |
Albany | NY | $81,812 Nat: $78,022 4yr Post-Grad | $17,167 /yr | $25,886 | +$133k |
Baltimore | MD | $74,213 Nat: $78,022 4yr Post-Grad | $18,809 /yr | $50,822 | +$59k |
College Station | TX | $74,416 Nat: $78,022 4yr Post-Grad | $21,315 /yr | - | +$59k |
Columbia | MO | $70,885 Nat: $78,022 4yr Post-Grad | $20,268 /yr | - | +$26k |
Birmingham | AL | - Nat: $78,022 | $18,749 /yr | - | -$0 |
Golden Gate University ⚠️ Caution: This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate its ROI. San Francisco | CA | - Nat: $78,022 | - /yr | - | -$0 |
Storrs | CT | - Nat: $78,022 | $25,097 /yr | - | -$0 |
Washington | DC | - Nat: $78,022 | $41,943 /yr | - | -$0 |
Chicago | IL | - Nat: $78,022 | $18,425 /yr | - | -$0 |
Evanston | IL | - Nat: $78,022 | $29,167 /yr | - | -$0 |
Muncie | IN | - Nat: $78,022 | $14,940 /yr | - | -$0 |
Purdue University Fort Wayne ⚠️ Caution: This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate its ROI. Fort Wayne | IN | - Nat: $78,022 | $13,171 /yr | - | -$0 |
Indiana State University ⚠️ Caution: This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate its ROI. Terre Haute | IN | - Nat: $78,022 | $10,873 /yr | - | -$0 |
Indiana University-Northwest ⚠️ Caution: This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate its ROI. Gary | IN | - Nat: $78,022 | $5,130 /yr | - | -$0 |
Mount Pleasant | MI | - Nat: $78,022 | $17,597 /yr | - | -$0 |
Ypsilanti | MI | - Nat: $78,022 | $15,407 /yr | - | -$0 |
Allendale | MI | - Nat: $78,022 | $16,317 /yr | - | -$0 |
University of Missouri-St Louis ⚠️ Caution: This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate its ROI. Saint Louis | MO | - Nat: $78,022 | $15,071 /yr | - | -$0 |
Las Vegas | NV | - Nat: $78,022 | $10,359 /yr | - | -$0 |
Southern New Hampshire University ⚠️ Caution: This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate its ROI. Manchester | NH | - Nat: $78,022 | $36,708 /yr | - | -$0 |
Brockport | NY | - Nat: $78,022 | $16,353 /yr | - | -$0 |
Charlotte | NC | - Nat: $78,022 | $15,435 /yr | - | -$0 |
Portland State University ⚠️ Caution: This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate its ROI. Portland | OR | - Nat: $78,022 | $9,552 /yr | - | -$0 |
Clemson | SC | - Nat: $78,022 | $22,253 /yr | - | -$0 |
South College ⚠️ Caution: This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate its ROI. Knoxville | TN | - Nat: $78,022 | $17,858 /yr | - | -$0 |
Tennessee State University ⚠️ Caution: This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate its ROI. Nashville | TN | - Nat: $78,022 | $15,796 /yr | - | -$0 |
Richardson | TX | - Nat: $78,022 | $18,267 /yr | - | -$0 |
El Paso | TX | - Nat: $78,022 | $9,403 /yr | - | -$0 |
Northfield | VT | - Nat: $78,022 | $22,257 /yr | - | -$0 |
Fairfax | VA | - Nat: $78,022 | $17,915 /yr | - | -$0 |
Liberty University ⚠️ Caution: This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate its ROI. Lynchburg | VA | - Nat: $78,022 | $29,357 /yr | - | -$0 |
Richmond | VA | - Nat: $78,022 | $23,433 /yr | - | -$0 |
Seattle | WA | - Nat: $78,022 | $34,662 /yr | - | -$0 |
Waterbury | CT | - Nat: $78,022 | $10,875 /yr | - | -$0 |
Groton | CT | - Nat: $78,022 | $13,807 /yr | - | -$0 |
Stamford | CT | - Nat: $78,022 | $16,798 /yr | - | -$0 |
Hartford | CT | - Nat: $78,022 | $16,403 /yr | - | -$0 |
Analysis Notes:
- Lifetime Value Added: Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median bachelor's degree holder, accounting for this institution's average cost and taxes.
- Avg Net Price: The average price paid by students who receive federal financial aid (grants/loans).Note: For graduate programs, the institution's average undergraduate net price is used as a proxy for annual cost, which may differ from actual graduate tuition and net price.
Important Note: Your ROI with any major will depend on the cost you pay to attend the program, and your starting salary. Both vary significantly across institutions. We encourage you to explore the ROI of a specific program variant by selecting the Program title of the credential level you are interested in. You will then have a more detailed return analysis for programs at specific institutions. We also encourage you to use the ROI calculator, or for more sophisticated analysis, the Guided ROI Interview, with your specific estimates of cost and salary.