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Public Policy Analysis master's degree outcomes at Princeton University

Name: Public Policy Analysis Master's Degree outcomes at Princeton University
Creator: U.S. Department of Education

Princeton, NJ · 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 notably above the same-degree benchmark.

$27,143 above the national median for the same field and credential.

Debt pressure: Not available
Positive-payoff price ceiling: $330,815 / 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.

+32%Earnings growth, year 1 → 5$85,111 → $112,516

Not availableEarn above high-school thresholdGraduate count in the year-4 cohort

Not availableWorking in the college’s stateGraduate count in the year-4 cohort

18Year-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.

71Students receiving federal aid2024–25 Title IV enrollment

36Federal-aid completers2024–25 program completers

Not reportedPell Grant recipients2024–25 program count

Not reportedFederal loan borrowers2024–25 unduplicated count

Preliminary federal earnings benchmark$46,158Informational preview, not a final accountability result

Observed year-4 earnings$120,163$74,005 above the preliminary benchmark

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$6,128

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$120,163

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$6,128Institution-wide annual figure

COST OF ATTENDANCE$84,040Institution-wide annual budget

ADMISSION RATE4.6%Institution context

COMPLETION RATE97.6%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.

$85,111Year 1

$120,163Year 4

$112,516Year 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$10,014

Estimated loan paymentNot available

Not availableborrowers represented where reported

HOW DOES IT COMPARE?

$120,163 vs. $93,020

$27,143 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$62,760 median wageNJ estimate · 370 jobs · 19-4061+5.0% projected U.S. growth · 4.9k openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreePolitical Science Teachers, Postsecondary$100,260 median wageNJ estimate · 650 jobs · 25-1065+2.5% projected U.S. growth · 1.5k openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreePolitical Scientists$142,080 median wageU.S. estimate · 5,540 jobs · 19-3094-2.0% projected U.S. growth · 0.4k openings/yrTypical entry: Master's degreeSocial Scientists and Related Workers, All Other$101,260 median wageNJ estimate · 350 jobs · 19-3099-0.2% projected U.S. growth · 2.7k openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeMedical and Health Services Managers$145,650 median wageNJ estimate · 16,900 jobs · 11-9111+24.2% projected U.S. growth · 62.3k openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeHealth Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary$96,630 median wageNJ estimate · 2,960 jobs · 25-1071+17.9% projected U.S. growth · 24.9k openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeEducation Teachers, Postsecondary$77,600 median wageNJ estimate · 2,580 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.

Cambridge, MA

Harvard University

$9,815 higher earnings

Earnings: $129,978
Debt: Not available
Annual net price: $19,066

View outcomes →

San Francisco, CA

University of California, San Francisco

$4,006 higher earnings

Earnings: $124,169
Debt: Not available
Annual net price: Not available

View outcomes →

Compare these programs →

DATA QUALITY

Check the evidence behind the estimate.

18 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.

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