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MASTER'S DEGREE · DEGREE PAYOFF · FEDERAL FIELD 4405

Public Policy Analysis: is this master's degree worth it?

National picture across 50 reporting college programs.

Personal baseline needed

$89,111 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.

$89,111Median year-4 earnings

$22,694Average institution net-price context

Not availableMedian federal debt

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

WHAT THIS DEGREE PAYS

Observed national outcomes

$89,111Median reported earnings · year 4

$95,888Average reported earnings · year 5

Not availableMedian federal debt

61thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential

50Reporting programs

50With 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.

OPEN PROFILE

Bachelor's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $69,656
Federal debt: $22,000
Reporting programs: 40

34 report earnings →CURRENT VIEW

Master's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $89,111
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 50

50 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

First Professional Degree

Year-4 earnings: $113,884
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 1

1 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Graduate/Professional Certificate

Year-4 earnings: $89,003
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 1

1 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$80,100National median$89,11175th percentile$96,919

50 programs report year‑4 earnings.

WHERE OUTCOMES ARE STRONGEST

See the spread, not just the national number.

1Harvard University$129,978 2University of California, San Francisco$124,169 3Princeton University$120,163 4University of Chicago$112,727 5Georgetown University$110,634 6Duke University$109,274 7Johns Hopkins University$107,692 8University of Michigan-Ann Arbor$107,392 9Carnegie Mellon University$103,268 10University of California, Los Angeles$100,925

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.

Social Science Research AssistantsSOC 19-4061 · 4 crosswalk linksPolitical Science Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1065 · 3 crosswalk linksPolitical ScientistsSOC 19-3094 · 2 crosswalk linksSocial Scientists and Related Workers, All OtherSOC 19-3099 · 2 crosswalk linksEducation Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1081 · 1 crosswalk linksHealth Specialties Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1071 · 1 crosswalk linksLegislatorsSOC 11-1031 · 1 crosswalk linksMedical and Health Services ManagersSOC 11-9111 · 1 crosswalk linksNO MATCHSOC 99-9999 · 1 crosswalk links

BEST COLLEGES FOR PUBLIC POLICY ANALYSIS

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	Harvard UniversityMaster's Degree	Cambridge, MA	$129,978	Not available	Baseline needed	$19,066
2	University of California, San FranciscoMaster's Degree	San Francisco, CA	$124,169	Not available	Baseline needed	Not available
3	Princeton UniversityMaster's Degree	Princeton, NJ	$120,163	Not available	Baseline needed	$6,128
4	University of ChicagoMaster's Degree	Chicago, IL	$112,727	Not available	Baseline needed	$14,860
5	Georgetown UniversityMaster's Degree	Washington, DC	$110,634	Not available	Baseline needed	$40,815
6	Duke UniversityMaster's Degree	Durham, NC	$109,274	Not available	Baseline needed	$29,612
7	Johns Hopkins UniversityMaster's Degree	Baltimore, MD	$107,692	Not available	Baseline needed	$18,809
8	University of Michigan-Ann ArborMaster's Degree	Ann Arbor, MI	$107,392	Not available	Baseline needed	$13,138
9	Carnegie Mellon UniversityMaster's Degree	Pittsburgh, PA	$103,268	Not available	Baseline needed	$31,944
10	University of California, Los AngelesMaster's Degree	Los Angeles, CA	$100,925	Not available	Baseline needed	$12,548
11	University of Virginia-Main CampusMaster's Degree	Charlottesville, VA	$99,110	Not available	Baseline needed	$21,565
12	American UniversityMaster's Degree	Washington, DC	$98,588	Not available	Baseline needed	$41,943
13	George Mason UniversityMaster's Degree	Fairfax, VA	$97,926	Not available	Baseline needed	$17,915
14	University of ConnecticutMaster's Degree	Storrs, CT	$96,919	Not available	Baseline needed	$25,097
15	University of Connecticut-Waterbury CampusMaster's Degree	Waterbury, CT	$96,919	Not available	Baseline needed	$10,875
16	University of Connecticut-Avery PointMaster's Degree	Groton, CT	$96,919	Not available	Baseline needed	$13,807
17	University of Connecticut-StamfordMaster's Degree	Stamford, CT	$96,919	Not available	Baseline needed	$16,798
18	University of Connecticut-Hartford CampusMaster's Degree	Hartford, CT	$96,919	Not available	Baseline needed	$16,403
19	University of Maryland-College ParkMaster's Degree	College Park, MD	$96,792	Not available	Baseline needed	$15,678
20	Vanderbilt UniversityMaster's Degree	Nashville, TN	$96,305	Not available	Baseline needed	$15,846
21	George Washington UniversityMaster's Degree	Washington, DC	$94,862	Not available	Baseline needed	$36,586
22	University of Southern CaliforniaMaster's Degree	Los Angeles, CA	$94,114	Not available	Baseline needed	$32,740
23	Temple UniversityMaster's Degree	Philadelphia, PA	$91,832	Not available	Baseline needed	$28,198
24	The New SchoolMaster's Degree	New York, NY	$89,713	Not available	Baseline needed	$58,741
25	Rutgers University-CamdenMaster's Degree	Camden, NJ	$89,111	Not available	Baseline needed	$18,745
26	Rutgers University-New BrunswickMaster's Degree	New Brunswick, NJ	$89,111	Not available	Baseline needed	$24,406
27	University of Massachusetts-DartmouthMaster's Degree	North Dartmouth, MA	$87,730	Not available	Baseline needed	$20,927
28	Teachers College at Columbia UniversityMaster's Degree	New York, NY	$87,221	Not available	Baseline needed	Not available
29	Brown UniversityMaster's Degree	Providence, RI	$87,139	Not available	Baseline needed	$25,184
30	The University of Texas at AustinMaster's Degree	Austin, TX	$84,618	Not available	Baseline needed	$19,857
31	University of Washington-Seattle CampusMaster's Degree	Seattle, WA	$84,234	Not available	Baseline needed	$14,091
32	University of Washington-Bothell CampusMaster's Degree	Bothell, WA	$84,234	Not available	Baseline needed	$12,319
33	Walden UniversityMaster's Degree	Minneapolis, MN	$84,035	Not available	Baseline needed	$33,817
34	University of Massachusetts-AmherstMaster's Degree	Amherst, MA	$82,435	Not available	Baseline needed	$22,383
35	The University of Tennessee-KnoxvilleMaster's Degree	Knoxville, TN	$82,094	Not available	Baseline needed	$18,976
36	Pepperdine UniversityMaster's Degree	Malibu, CA	$81,037	Not available	Baseline needed	$58,098
37	William & MaryMaster's Degree	Williamsburg, VA	$80,402	Not available	Baseline needed	$19,096
38	University of Minnesota-Twin CitiesMaster's Degree	Minneapolis, MN	$80,100	Not available	Baseline needed	$16,778
39	Brandeis UniversityMaster's Degree	Waltham, MA	$79,908	Not available	Baseline needed	$35,736
40	University of Wisconsin-MadisonMaster's Degree	Madison, WI	$78,939	Not available	Baseline needed	$17,354
41	Liberty UniversityMaster's Degree	Lynchburg, VA	$78,054	Not available	Baseline needed	$29,357
42	Stony Brook UniversityMaster's Degree	Stony Brook, NY	$77,523	Not available	Baseline needed	$18,784
43	University of California, RiversideMaster's Degree	Riverside, CA	$76,103	Not available	Baseline needed	$14,304
44	University of New Hampshire-Main CampusMaster's Degree	Durham, NH	$75,424	Not available	Baseline needed	$23,805
45	University of California, IrvineMaster's Degree	Irvine, CA	$75,045	Not available	Baseline needed	$14,251
46	Portland State UniversityMaster's Degree	Portland, OR	$73,504	Not available	Baseline needed	$9,552
47	Michigan State UniversityMaster's Degree	East Lansing, MI	$72,828	Not available	Baseline needed	$19,680
48	Trinity CollegeMaster's Degree	Hartford, CT	$72,738	Not available	Baseline needed	$34,832
49	University of HoustonMaster's Degree	Houston, TX	$72,392	Not available	Baseline needed	$14,276
50	University of Southern MaineMaster's Degree	Portland, ME	$66,469	Not available	Baseline needed	$13,596

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.