Program directoryPROGRAM-CATEGORY PAYOFF

Public Policy Analysis master's degree outcomes at Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN · 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.

$3,285 above the national median for the same field and credential.

Debt pressure
Not available
Positive-payoff price ceiling
$211,525 / 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.

+28%Earnings growth, year 1 → 5$63,324$81,298
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
24Year-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.

15Students receiving federal aid2024–25 Title IV enrollment
Not reportedFederal-aid completers2024–25 program completers
Not reportedPell Grant recipients2024–25 program count
15Federal loan borrowers2024–25 unduplicated count
Preliminary federal earnings benchmark$46,158Informational preview, not a final accountability result
Observed year-4 earnings$96,305$50,147 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$15,846

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$96,305

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$15,846Institution-wide annual figure
COST OF ATTENDANCE$89,590Institution-wide annual budget
ADMISSION RATE5.9%Institution context
COMPLETION RATE93.5%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.

$63,324Year 1
$96,305Year 4
$81,298Year 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$8,025
Estimated loan paymentNot available
Not availableborrowers represented where reported
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?

$96,305 vs. $93,020

$3,285 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$46,410 median wageTN estimate · 140 jobs · 19-4061+5.0% projected U.S. growth · 4.9k openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreePolitical Science Teachers, Postsecondary$81,330 median wageTN estimate · 250 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$80,860 median wageTN estimate · 320 jobs · 19-3099-0.2% projected U.S. growth · 2.7k openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeMedical and Health Services Managers$107,120 median wageTN estimate · 14,160 jobs · 11-9111+24.2% projected U.S. growth · 62.3k openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeHealth Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary$98,870 median wageTN estimate · 4,400 jobs · 25-1071+17.9% projected U.S. growth · 24.9k openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeEducation Teachers, Postsecondary$72,390 median wageTN estimate · 950 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.

Princeton, NJ

Princeton University

$23,858 higher earnings · $9,718 lower annual net price

Earnings
$120,163
Debt
Not available
Annual net price
$6,128
View outcomes →
Chicago, IL

University of Chicago

$16,422 higher earnings · $986 lower annual net price

Earnings
$112,727
Debt
Not available
Annual net price
$14,860
View outcomes →
Ann Arbor, MI

University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

$11,087 higher earnings · $2,708 lower annual net price

Earnings
$107,392
Debt
Not available
Annual net price
$13,138
View outcomes →
Los Angeles, CA

University of California, Los Angeles

$4,620 higher earnings · $3,298 lower annual net price

Earnings
$100,925
Debt
Not available
Annual net price
$12,548
View outcomes →
Compare these programs →
DATA QUALITY

Check the evidence behind the estimate.

24 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 →