Public Administration graduates from University of Southern California earn $103,721 median salary — above the national average for this program. Median debt: $75,887.
Public Administration at University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California • Master's
What the IPEDS & College Scorecard Data Shows for Public Administration at University of Southern California
This page combines two federal data products: IPEDS institutional characteristics for University of Southern California and the College Scorecard field-of-study (FOS) file for Public Administration at the master'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 111 completers in the most recent cohort for this program at University of Southern California, the denominator behind the median earnings figure.
Median graduate earnings of $103,721 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 $73,748 across all institutions offering Public Administration, graduates here earn above the national average for this program. Across all programs at University of Southern California, the mean median-earnings figure is $96,402, 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 University of Southern California is $75,887, which translates to roughly $632 per month on a standard 10-year repayment plan. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.73 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Harvard University | $177,149 | $70,763 |
| Anna Maria College | $123,207 | $20,759 |
| Golden Gate University | $122,598 | $41,000 |
| Johns Hopkins University | $122,517 | $39,301 |
| Calumet College of Saint Joseph | $121,754 | — |
| Columbia University in the City of New York | $115,874 | $71,000 |
| George Washington University | $113,891 | $46,979 |
| New York University | $109,946 | $75,234 |
| San Francisco State University | $108,093 | $25,864 |
| Syracuse University | $107,868 | $51,317 |
Other Programs at University of Southern California
| Program | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|
| Law | $203,028 | $138,518 |
| Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other | $195,019 | — |
| Computer Science | $192,897 | $19,625 |
| Computer Science | $188,871 | $51,250 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | $187,852 | $100,338 |
| Real Estate Development | $185,174 | — |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $181,250 | $77,686 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | $180,468 | — |
| Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration | $179,146 | $283,763 |
| Computer Software and Media Applications | $179,055 | $63,625 |
View all 150 programs at University of Southern California →
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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.