Public Administration graduates from California State University-Northridge earn $85,789 median salary — above the national average for this program. Median debt: $36,442.
Public Administration at California State University-Northridge
Northridge, California • Bachelor's
What the IPEDS & College Scorecard Data Shows for Public Administration at California State University-Northridge
This page combines two federal data products: IPEDS institutional characteristics for California State University-Northridge and the College Scorecard field-of-study (FOS) file for Public Administration at the bachelor's credential level. The FOS file is keyed by CIP (Classification of Instructional Programs) code, which means earnings and debt figures here reflect only graduates of this specific program — not the school as a whole. IPEDS reports 27 completers in the most recent cohort for this program at California State University-Northridge, the denominator behind the median earnings figure.
Median graduate earnings of $85,789 represent Treasury-verified wages approximately one year after program completion, drawn from Social Security Administration records linked to federal financial aid applicants. Compared to the national mean of $59,573 across all institutions offering Public Administration, graduates here earn above the national average for this program. Across all programs at California State University-Northridge, the mean median-earnings figure is $69,264, providing internal context for whether this specific field out-earns other options at the same institution.
Debt signals complete the ROI picture. The median cumulative federal loan debt for Public Administration graduates at California State University-Northridge is $36,442, which translates to roughly $304 per month on a standard 10-year repayment plan. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.42 is under the 1.0 threshold the College Scorecard uses to flag favorable gainful-employment outcomes — earnings in year one already exceed cumulative borrowing. Program-level debt and earnings come from the Department of Education’s College Scorecard FOS release, updated annually.
Earnings Comparison
Program Details
Debt & ROI
Public Administration at Other Schools
| School | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|
| Barry University | $97,702 | $33,381 |
| Syracuse University | $89,732 | $26,000 |
| University of Maryland Global Campus | $85,909 | $21,169 |
| California State University-Northridge (this school) | $85,789 | $36,442 |
| Indiana University-Bloomington | $77,422 | $19,500 |
| California Baptist University | $75,949 | $36,707 |
| National University | $74,576 | $29,181 |
| West Texas A & M University | $74,261 | — |
| Southern New Hampshire University | $72,437 | $23,014 |
| University of Nevada-Las Vegas | $72,433 | — |
Other Programs at California State University-Northridge
| Program | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | $178,136 | — |
| Manufacturing Engineering | $129,151 | — |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | $116,613 | $15,041 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $115,123 | $34,195 |
| Education, General | $113,493 | — |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | $112,522 | — |
| Taxation | $108,576 | $41,000 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | $105,747 | $18,875 |
| Civil Engineering | $104,388 | — |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | $104,065 | $16,382 |
View all 95 programs at California State University-Northridge →
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About the Data
Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard Field of Study file. Earnings are median earnings for graduates after completion, drawn from U.S. Treasury tax records linked to federal financial aid applicants. Institutional characteristics come from IPEDS. Debt figures represent the median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation.
Debt-to-earnings ratio compares cumulative debt to annual earnings. A ratio below 1.0 indicates that annual earnings exceed total debt, generally considered favorable. Estimated monthly payments assume a standard 10-year repayment plan.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.