How much do Public Administration bachelor's degree graduates from Ohio State University-Main Campus earn?

The reported median is $60,678 four years after completion.

How much federal debt do graduates of this program have?

The reported median federal debt among borrowers is $21,887.

Is this program above or below similar programs?

Reported year-four earnings are 7% below the national median for the same field and degree level.

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COLLEGE + DEGREE OUTCOMES

Public Administration bachelor's degree at Ohio State University-Main Campus

Columbus, OH · Public

What this page covers

Federal data group related majors at the same college and degree level. One record can include several named programs or concentrations.

The short version

Reported earnings are close to similar programs.

$4,415 below the national median for the same field and degree level.

Debt as a share of earnings: 36.1% of annual earnings
Highest price with a positive payoff: Not reached
Modeled 10-year payoff: −37% · Negative payoff
Available price data: College-wide context only

PRICE SENSITIVITY

The price can change the verdict.

Hold observed earnings constant and see how the modeled ten-year payoff changes as annual price rises.

← Negative payoff$0Positive payoff →

$0Annual price−$23,220

$8,000Annual price−$55,220

$16,000Annual price−$87,220

$17,000Current college-wide context−$91,220

$24,000Annual price−$119,220

$32,000Annual price−$151,220

$40,000Annual price−$183,220

OUTCOME SIGNALS

Graduate outcomes from several angles.

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

+52%Earnings growth, year 1 → 5$41,650 → $63,423

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

48Working in the college’s stateGraduate count in the year-4 cohort

78Year-5 earnings observationsCohort behind the year-5 median

97Borrowers representedCohort behind the debt median

$19,320Awarding-school debtDebt attributed to the college granting the credential

12Recent awardsIPEDS 2024–25 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.

152Students receiving federal aid2024–25 Title IV enrollment

44Federal-aid completers2024–25 program completers

71Pell Grant recipients2024–25 program count

69Federal loan borrowers2024–25 unduplicated count

65Graduates not recorded as employedHistorical federal cohort, three years after completion

Preliminary federal earnings benchmark$34,808Informational preview, not a final accountability result

Observed year-4 earnings$60,678$25,870 above the preliminary benchmark

Additional borrowing reported for this category: 20 Parent 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. Completion and employment measures use older cohorts shown above and are not combined into the payoff estimate.

01 · PRICE CONTEXT$17,339

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

02 · BORROWING$21,887

Median federal debt across schools attended at this academic level.

03 · EARNINGS$60,678

Observed median earnings four full years after completion.

04 · REPAYMENT$232/mo

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.

Enter my price →

AVERAGE NET PRICE$17,339Institution-wide annual figure

COST OF ATTENDANCE$30,305Institution-wide annual budget

ADMISSION RATE60.6%Institution context

COMPLETION RATE87.7%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.

$41,650Year 1

$60,678Year 4

$63,423Year 5

CAN THE EARNINGS SUPPORT THE DEBT?

4.6% of gross monthly earnings

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

Gross monthly earnings$5,057

Estimated loan payment$232

97borrowers represented where reported

HOW DOES IT COMPARE?

$60,678 vs. $65,093

$4,415 below 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.

Managers, All Other$129,940 median wageOH estimate · 7,360 jobs · 11-9199$92,740–$168,600 middle 50% of OH wages+4.9% projected U.S. growth · 100,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeTransportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$101,550 median wageOH estimate · 9,480 jobs · 11-3071$77,830–$130,860 middle 50% of OH wages+6.1% projected U.S. growth · 18,300 openings/yrTypical entry: High school diploma or equivalentChief Executives$176,440 median wageOH estimate · 4,470 jobs · 11-1011$123,200–$350,670 middle 50% of OH wages+3.2% projected U.S. growth · 19,100 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeConstruction Managers$101,980 median wageOH estimate · 16,130 jobs · 11-9021$80,500–$128,120 middle 50% of OH wages+9.1% projected U.S. growth · 49,700 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeGeneral and Operations Managers$97,700 median wageOH estimate · 153,160 jobs · 11-1021$62,880–$153,310 middle 50% of OH wages+5.0% projected U.S. growth · 285,000 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreePostmasters and Mail Superintendents$97,680 median wageOH estimate · 510 jobs · 11-9131$92,810–$102,960 middle 50% of OH wages-0.3% projected U.S. growth · 900 openings/yrTypical entry: High school diploma or equivalentUrban and Regional Planners$79,950 median wageOH estimate · 760 jobs · 19-3051$62,760–$97,830 middle 50% of OH wages+3.9% projected U.S. growth · 3,200 openings/yrTypical entry: Master's degreeSocial and Community Service Managers$73,890 median wageOH estimate · 209,330 jobs · 11-9151$59,850–$92,750 middle 50% of OH wages+7.2% projected U.S. growth · 18,500 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeTraffic Technicians$61,460 median wageOH estimate · 210 jobs · 53-6041$41,740–$75,420 middle 50% of OH wages+4.0% projected U.S. growth · 900 openings/yrTypical entry: High school diploma or equivalentLegislatorsNot available median wageU.S. estimate · Unreported jobs · 11-1031

CENSUS EMPLOYMENT DESTINATIONS

Where graduates work five years later

The leading industries employing graduates in this college, broad field and credential group.

Health Care and Social Assistance

about 45.9%

Educational Services

about 13.0%

Public Administration

about 11.6%

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

about 5.3%

Other Services (except Public Administration)

about 3.6%

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.

Bloomington, IN

Indiana University-Bloomington

$16,744 higher earnings · $1,156 less debt · $1,075 lower annual net price

Earnings: $77,422
Debt: $20,731
Annual net price: $16,264

View outcomes →

Cullowhee, NC

Western Carolina University

$9,653 higher earnings · $3,512 less debt · $4,024 lower annual net price

Earnings: $70,331
Debt: $18,375
Annual net price: $13,315

View outcomes →

New York, NY

CUNY Bernard M Baruch College

$8,355 higher earnings · $8,637 less debt · $14,306 lower annual net price

Earnings: $69,033
Debt: $13,250
Annual net price: $3,033

View outcomes →

Fullerton, CA

California State University, Fullerton

$7,819 higher earnings · $8,614 less debt · $10,784 lower annual net price

Earnings: $68,497
Debt: $13,273
Annual net price: $6,555

View outcomes →

Compare these programs →

DATA QUALITY

Check the evidence behind the estimate.

78 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 →