COLLEGE + DEGREE OUTCOMES
Public Administration master's degree at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Blacksburg, VA · 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.
$7,553 above the national median for the same field and degree level.
- Debt as a share of earnings
- Not available
- Highest price with a positive payoff
- $174,805 / year
- Modeled 10-year payoff
- Withheld by data safeguards
- Available price data
- College-wide context only
OUTCOME SIGNALS
Graduate outcomes from several angles.
Follow earnings over time and inspect the cohort behind each federal measure.
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.
Preliminary federal earnings benchmark$46,158Informational preview, not a final accountability result
Observed year-4 earnings$88,961$42,803 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. Completion and employment measures use older cohorts shown above and are not combined into the payoff estimate.
GRADUATE-DEGREE BASELINE
$88,961 vs. $65,093
$23,868 above the national bachelor’s median in the same field.
Comparison basis47 bachelor’s program records
This is a cross-cohort benchmark, not the salary increase caused by earning this graduate credential. Your current earnings remain the correct baseline for personal ROI.
01 · PRICE CONTEXT$24,953
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$88,961
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.
Enter my price →AVERAGE NET PRICE$24,953Institution-wide annual figure
COST OF ATTENDANCE$36,951Institution-wide annual budget
ADMISSION RATE54.8%Institution context
COMPLETION RATE86.2%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.
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$7,413
Estimated loan paymentNot available
Not availableborrowers represented where reported
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?
$88,961 vs. $81,408
$7,553 above the national median for the same field and credential.
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$166,230 median wageVA estimate · 21,560 jobs · 11-9199$138,670–$195,190 middle 50% of VA wages+4.9% projected U.S. growth · 100,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeTransportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$119,140 median wageVA estimate · 3,380 jobs · 11-3071$93,570–$157,250 middle 50% of VA wages+6.1% projected U.S. growth · 18,300 openings/yrTypical entry: High school diploma or equivalentChief Executives$310,740 median wageVA estimate · 4,870 jobs · 11-1011$193,700–$434,580 middle 50% of VA wages+3.2% projected U.S. growth · 19,100 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeGeneral and Operations Managers$122,080 median wageVA estimate · 103,590 jobs · 11-1021$78,240–$178,490 middle 50% of VA wages+5.0% projected U.S. growth · 285,000 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeConstruction Managers$119,110 median wageVA estimate · 7,290 jobs · 11-9021$96,390–$153,220 middle 50% of VA wages+9.1% projected U.S. growth · 49,700 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeSocial and Community Service Managers$94,970 median wageVA estimate · 3,300 jobs · 11-9151$74,080–$120,180 middle 50% of VA wages+7.2% projected U.S. growth · 18,500 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreePostmasters and Mail Superintendents$94,790 median wageVA estimate · 370 jobs · 11-9131$89,770–$101,310 middle 50% of VA wages-0.3% projected U.S. growth · 900 openings/yrTypical entry: High school diploma or equivalentUrban and Regional Planners$86,030 median wageVA estimate · 1,740 jobs · 19-3051$70,530–$107,110 middle 50% of VA wages+3.9% projected U.S. growth · 3,200 openings/yrTypical entry: Master's degreeTraffic Technicians$62,270 median wageVA estimate · 90 jobs · 53-6041$54,250–$80,650 middle 50% of VA 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.
Public Administration
Educational Services
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
Health Care and Social Assistance
Other Services (except Public Administration)
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.
George Mason University
$11,731 higher earnings · $7,038 lower annual net price
- Earnings
- $100,692
- Debt
- Not available
- Annual net price
- $17,915
Old Dominion University
$10,315 lower annual net price
- Earnings
- $84,367
- Debt
- Not available
- Annual net price
- $14,638
James Madison University
$1,631 lower annual net price
- Earnings
- $81,363
- Debt
- Not available
- Annual net price
- $23,322
Regent University
$5,030 lower annual net price
- Earnings
- $79,312
- Debt
- Not available
- Annual net price
- $19,923
DATA QUALITY
Check the evidence behind the estimate.
32 observations in the earnings cohort
June 10, 2026 College Scorecard release
Observed, estimated and contextual figures are labeled separately throughout this page
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 →