Program directoryPROGRAM-CATEGORY PAYOFF

Public Policy Analysis master's degree outcomes at American University

Washington, DC · Private nonprofit · Federal field 4405

Data scope

Federal records group outcomes by college, four-digit field and credential level. A record may cover several catalog programs or concentrations.

The short version

Reported earnings are close to the same-degree benchmark.

$5,568 above the national median for the same field and credential.

Debt pressure
Not available
Positive-payoff price ceiling
$222,940 / year
10-year scenario
Withheld by data safeguards
Price evidence
College-wide context only
OUTCOME SIGNALS

Graduate outcomes from several angles.

Follow earnings over time and inspect the cohort behind each federal measure.

+58%Earnings growth, year 1 → 5$67,929$107,080
Not availableEarn above high-school thresholdGraduate count in the year-4 cohort
23Working in the college’s stateGraduate count in the year-4 cohort
68Year-5 earnings observationsCohort behind the year-5 median
Not availableBorrowers representedCohort behind the debt median
Not availableAwarding-school debtDebt attributed to the college granting the credential
Not availableRecent awardsIPEDS 2023–24 first-major completions in this field and credential
NEW FEDERAL PROGRAM CONTEXT

Size, aid and an earnings floor.

The Department of Education’s 2026 informational preview adds current program participation and a preliminary earnings comparison. It does not make a final eligibility determination.

132Students receiving federal aid2024–25 Title IV enrollment
51Federal-aid completers2024–25 program completers
Not reportedPell Grant recipients2024–25 program count
94Federal loan borrowers2024–25 unduplicated count
Preliminary federal earnings benchmarkNot availableInformational preview, not a final accountability result
Observed year-4 earnings$98,588A like-for-like comparison is unavailable

Additional borrowing reported for this category: Parent PLUS not reported · 30 Grad PLUS borrowers.

Source: U.S. Department of Education PPD:2026 informational preview. Program categories use OPEID, four-digit field and credential level; federal-aid counts do not represent every enrolled student.

01 · PRICE CONTEXT$41,943

Institution-wide annual average net price, not this program’s price.

02 · BORROWINGNot available

Median federal debt across schools attended at this academic level.

03 · EARNINGS$98,588

Observed median earnings four full years after completion.

04 · REPAYMENTNot available

Estimated standard 10-year federal payment.

WHAT WILL IT COST?

Published college costs provide the starting point.

Your exact offering, aid, residency and time to finish determine the price you actually pay.

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AVERAGE NET PRICE$41,943Institution-wide annual figure
COST OF ATTENDANCE$76,058Institution-wide annual budget
ADMISSION RATE62.0%Institution context
COMPLETION RATE75.5%Institution-wide completion rate
WHAT DO GRADUATES EARN?

Reported earnings after completion.

Each point may represent a different federal cohort. A missing bar means the figure was unavailable or suppressed.

$67,929Year 1
$98,588Year 4
$107,080Year 5
CAN THE EARNINGS SUPPORT THE DEBT?

Repayment pressure is not available

Estimated monthly payment divided by observed gross monthly earnings. This excludes taxes, other debts and income-driven repayment.

Gross monthly earnings$8,216
Estimated loan paymentNot available
Not availableborrowers represented where reported
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?

$98,588 vs. $93,020

$5,568 above the national median for the same field and credential.

Same-field national median
WHAT WORK CAN IT LEAD TO?

Related occupations, wages and outlook.

Official CIP–SOC links show careers the curriculum may prepare students for, not observed jobs held by this school’s graduates. BLS wages describe everyone working in an occupation.

BLS May 2025 wage estimates and 2025–35 employment projections.
Social Science Research Assistants$65,330 median wageDC estimate · 1,560 jobs · 19-4061+5.0% projected U.S. growth · 4.9k openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreePolitical Science Teachers, Postsecondary$102,310 median wageDC estimate · 1,120 jobs · 25-1065+2.5% projected U.S. growth · 1.5k openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreePolitical Scientists$152,530 median wageDC estimate · 3,070 jobs · 19-3094-2.0% projected U.S. growth · 0.4k openings/yrTypical entry: Master's degreeSocial Scientists and Related Workers, All Other$128,440 median wageDC estimate · 2,480 jobs · 19-3099-0.2% projected U.S. growth · 2.7k openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeHealth Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary$167,520 median wageDC estimate · 1,460 jobs · 25-1071+17.9% projected U.S. growth · 24.9k openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeMedical and Health Services Managers$155,140 median wageDC estimate · 2,010 jobs · 11-9111+24.2% projected U.S. growth · 62.3k openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeEducation Teachers, Postsecondary$80,810 median wageDC estimate · 230 jobs · 25-1081+2.5% projected U.S. growth · 5.3k openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeLegislatorsNot available median wageU.S. estimate · Unreported jobs · 11-1031NO MATCHNot available median wageU.S. estimate · Unreported jobs · 99-9999
Possible alternatives

Same degree, stronger on at least one reported measure.

Every option below reports higher earnings, lower federal debt or a lower college-wide net price. Same-state options appear first.

Washington, DC

Georgetown University

$12,046 higher earnings · $1,128 lower annual net price

Earnings
$110,634
Debt
Not available
Annual net price
$40,815
View outcomes →
Washington, DC

George Washington University

$5,357 lower annual net price

Earnings
$94,862
Debt
Not available
Annual net price
$36,586
View outcomes →
Cambridge, MA

Harvard University

$31,390 higher earnings · $22,877 lower annual net price

Earnings
$129,978
Debt
Not available
Annual net price
$19,066
View outcomes →
Princeton, NJ

Princeton University

$21,575 higher earnings · $35,815 lower annual net price

Earnings
$120,163
Debt
Not available
Annual net price
$6,128
View outcomes →
Compare these programs →
DATA QUALITY

Check the evidence behind the estimate.

68 observations in the earnings cohort

June 10, 2026 College Scorecard release

Observed, estimated and contextual figures are labeled separately throughout this page

IS IT WORTH IT AT YOUR PRICE?

Your price and current earnings determine the result.

Add your grants, borrowing and current salary to estimate payment pressure, break-even time and ten-year payoff.

Calculate my payoff →