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UNDERGRADUATE CERTIFICATE OR DIPLOMA · DEGREE PAYOFF · FEDERAL FIELD 4404

Public Administration: is this undergraduate certificate or diploma worth it?

National picture across 3 reporting college programs.

Personal baseline needed

$67,522 in median year-4 earnings

A credible return for this credential must start with what the student would otherwise earn. The federal data does not provide that personal baseline.

$67,522Median year-4 earnings

$18,899Average institution net-price context

$20,125Median federal debt

Use your actual price and alternative earnings before evaluating return. Model your own starting point →

WHAT THIS DEGREE PAYS

Observed national outcomes

$67,522Median reported earnings · year 4

Not availableAverage reported earnings · year 5

$20,125Median federal debt

81thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential

3Reporting programs

3With year-4 earnings

COMPARE CREDENTIAL LEVELS

The same field can produce a different equation.

Keep the federal field fixed and compare observed outcomes at every reportable credential level. These are separate graduate cohorts—not a promise that more schooling causes the difference.

CURRENT VIEW

Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma

Year-4 earnings: $67,522
Federal debt: $20,125
Reporting programs: 3

3 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Bachelor's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $64,953
Federal debt: $23,626
Reporting programs: 52

47 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Post-baccalaureate Certificate

Year-4 earnings: $76,815
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 2

2 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Master's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $77,329
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 244

244 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Doctoral Degree

Year-4 earnings: $100,861
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 1

1 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

First Professional Degree

Year-4 earnings: $78,355
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 1

1 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Graduate/Professional Certificate

Year-4 earnings: $74,416
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 5

5 report earnings →

COLLEGE-TO-COLLEGE RANGE

Where the middle half of programs lands

Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.

Median

25th percentile$60,537National median$67,52275th percentile$67,522

3 programs report year‑4 earnings.

WHERE OUTCOMES ARE STRONGEST

See the spread, not just the national number.

1Arizona State University Campus Immersion$72,965 2Florida State University$67,522 3University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus$60,537

Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking

WHERE THIS FIELD CAN LEAD

Related occupations

Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.

Managers, All OtherSOC 11-9199 · 3 crosswalk linksTransportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersSOC 11-3071 · 2 crosswalk linksChief ExecutivesSOC 11-1011 · 1 crosswalk linksConstruction ManagersSOC 11-9021 · 1 crosswalk linksGeneral and Operations ManagersSOC 11-1021 · 1 crosswalk linksLegislatorsSOC 11-1031 · 1 crosswalk linksPostmasters and Mail SuperintendentsSOC 11-9131 · 1 crosswalk linksSocial and Community Service ManagersSOC 11-9151 · 1 crosswalk linksTraffic TechniciansSOC 53-6041 · 1 crosswalk linksUrban and Regional PlannersSOC 19-3051 · 1 crosswalk links

BEST COLLEGES FOR PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

Same degree, different outcomes

Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. Automated ROI is withheld when an exact program price or personal earnings baseline is required.

#	College	Location	Earnings, year 4	Federal debt	ROI status	Cost context
1	Arizona State University Campus ImmersionUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Tempe, AZ	$72,965	Not available	Baseline needed	$14,967
2	Florida State UniversityUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Tallahassee, FL	$67,522	$20,125	Baseline needed	$11,297
3	University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh CampusUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Pittsburgh, PA	$60,537	Not available	Baseline needed	$30,434

This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.