Master’s in Public Administration degrees come with high salary potential after graduation. For 12 to 26 months, MPA programs instill the upper-level leadership skills needed to manage public or nonprofit enterprises. Public administration master’s are flexible enough to specialize in policy-making strategies in several high-paying fields. According to CBS News, master’s degree holders make 17.92 percent more than bachelor’s grads in general management jobs.
Altogether, SmartAsset lists a median master’s income of $69,732 or $1,341 weekly. Entering a whole new pay grade is possible by finishing an MPA easily online while working full-time. Below we’ve highlighted some sample MPA careers with their salary potential recorded from the U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics website.
Administrative Services Manager
Administrative services managers are responsible for improving office operations by:
- supervising clerks
- setting project goals
- monitoring facility upkeep
- overseeing record systems
In return, they’re compensated a mean yearly wage of $103,380, or $49.70 per hour. The majority– over 21,000 administrative services managers– work in local government for a median $98,810. State government agencies pay slightly less at $89,100. The top-paying states are New York with $132,420, New Jersey with $131,430, and Rhode Island with $124,570 averages.
Urban and Regional Planner
Urban and regional planners are dedicated to creating vibrant communities by:
- drafting land use plans
- reviewing development sites
- setting zoning codes
- starting revitalization projects
In May 2017, their median annual income was $74,350, or $35.75 per hour. The majority– over 24,500 urban and regional planners– were employed by the local government for $72,550. The federal executive branch paid much more at $95,390. The most lucrative states were:
- Washington DC with $99,520
- California with $89,350
- Nevada with $83,130 averages.
Emergency Management Director
Emergency management directors often have master’s in public administration degrees to:
- lead civilian safety initiatives
- prevent threats
- respond to disasters
- allocate response resources
Their median yearly salary potential is $81,140, or $39.01 per hour. The majority, over 5,000 emergency management directors, work for local government organizations at $74,010. The 200 federal workers received a whopping $149,710 mean salary. The best-paying states are:
- California with $125,750
- Washington DC with $120,330
- New York with $100,640 averages.
Elected Legislator
Elected legislators apply their master’s in public administration degree to better constituents’ lives by:
- advocating policy changes
- enacting laws
- passing budgets
- negotiating fair deals
The Bureau of Labor Statistics recorded a May 2017 average wage of $46,350 per year. Most elected legislators– over 47,000– are voted into local government for a $45,900 mean salary. The best salary potential comes in state offices at $51,250. Top-paying states are currently:
- New York with $90,670
- Colorado with $67,330
- Washington with $66,710 averages.
Related Resource: Top 50 Great College Deals: Master of Public Administration Online
Political Scientist
Political scientists are accountable for enhancing government relations by:
- researching partisan issues
- studying foreign policies
- tracking market trends
- performing voter opinion surveys
Currently, this master’s job delivers a median annual income of $115,110, or $55.34/hour. The majority– over 3,100 political scientist– are employed at the federal level for a $123,020 mean salary. Nonprofit advocacy organizations pay much less at $83,790 overall. The most profitable states are:
- Maryland with $124,590
- Virginia with $122,610
- Washington DC with $118,260 averages.
Post-grads often mistakenly believe that MBA programs are the only track to big paychecks in management. However, many public administration jobs pay handsomely with a good hiring outlook. For instance, the U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics expects demand for administrative services managers will rise 10 percent by 2026. This translates to 28,500 openings. Average salary potential in other master’s in public administration careers includes:
- $133,385 for public relations directors
- $105,601 for contracts administrators
- $121,930 for regulatory compliance managers
- $193,800 for quality control executives.