Bachelor’s Degrees in Public Policy
Education Levels of Public Policy Majors
During the most recent year for which data is available, 2,471 people earned their bachelor's degree in public policy. This earns it the #121 spot on the list of the most popular bachelor's degree programs in the nation.
The following table shows the number of diplomas awarded in public policy at each degree level.
| Education Level | Number of Grads |
|---|---|
| Master’s Degree | 3,391 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 2,471 |
| Graduate Certificate | 379 |
| Doctor’s Degree | 280 |
| Basic Certificate | 214 |
| Undergraduate Certificate | 3 |
| Associate Degree | 2 |
Earnings of Public Policy Majors With Bachelor’s Degrees
The median salary for graduates holding a bachelor's degree in public policy is $44,740. This number may vary for a lot of reasons. For instance, you may decide to move to a location where people with your degree are rare and make more money. A better approximation of salary is to look at the typical range of salaries. In this case the low is $37,615 and the high is $52,456.
Student Debt
The median student debt for graduates holding a bachelor's degree in public policy is $46,132. The length of time it takes you to graduate and what college you attend can affect this number quite a bit. The chart below shows the range of accumulated debt loads. On the high side of the range, $57,612 is the debt load, and the debt load on the low side is $22,176.
The median monthly payment of a public policy graduate with a 10-year repayment plan is $549.
Student Diversity
More women than men pursue their bachelor's degree in public policy. About 63.8% of graduates with this degree are female.
| Gender | Number of Grads |
|---|---|
| Men | 894 |
| Women | 1,577 |
The racial-ethnic distribution of public policy bachelor’s degree students is as follows:
| Race/Ethnicity | Number of Grads |
|---|---|
| Asian | 275 |
| Black or African American | 203 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 399 |
| White | 1,341 |
| International Students | 54 |
| Other Races/Ethnicities | 199 |
Most Popular Public Policy Programs for Bachelor’s Degrees
There are 109 colleges that offer a bachelor’s degree in public policy. Learn more about the most popular 20 below:
The most popular school in the United States for public policy students seekinga bachelor's degree is Duke University. Roughly 16,100 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $63,450 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $62,620 per year. During the most recent year for which we have data, 190 people received their bachelor's degree in public policy from Duke. Around 35% of these students were from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group, and 54% were women. Duke University public policy graduates who receive their bachelor's degree go on to jobs earning a median salary of $44,740.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill comes in at #2 on our list of the most popular colleges offering bachelor's degrees in public policy. Each year, around 30,000 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $7,019 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $10,552 per year. During the most recent year for which we have data, 186 people received their bachelor's degree in public policy from UNC Chapel Hill. Around 36% of these students were from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group, and 65% were women. Those who complete their bachelor's degree in public policy at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill make a median salary of 44,740.
Princeton University is the 3rd most popular school in the nation for students seeking a bachelor's degree in public policy. Roughly 7,800 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $59,710 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $59,710 per year. During the most recent year for which we have data, 123 people received their bachelor's degree in public policy from Princeton. Of these students, 62% were women and 44% were members of underrepresented racial-ethnic groups. Those who complete their bachelor's degree in public policy at Princeton University make a median salary of 44,740.
Brandeis University is the 4th most popular school in the nation for students seeking a bachelor's degree in public policy. Roughly 5,400 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $64,348 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $61,458 per year. During the most recent year for which we have data, 113 people received their bachelor's degree in public policy from Brandeis. Around 49% of these students were from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group, and 76% were women. Brandeis University public policy graduates who receive their bachelor's degree go on to jobs earning a median salary of $44,740.
The 5th most popular school in the country for public policy majors who are seeking their bachelor's degree is University of Chicago. Roughly 17,800 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $63,801 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $65,145 per year. During the most recent year for which we have data, 105 people received their bachelor's degree in public policy from UChicago. Around 60% of these students were from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group, and 70% were women. Those who complete their bachelor's degree in public policy at University of Chicago make a median salary of 44,740.
Arizona State University - Tempe is the 6th most popular school in the nation for students seeking a bachelor's degree in public policy. Each year, around 74,700 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $11,308 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $12,376 per year. During the most recent year for which we have data, 97 people received their bachelor's degree in public policy from ASU - Tempe. Around 46% of these students were from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group, and 46% were women. Data shows that ASU - Tempe graduates that hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $44,740.
The 7th most popular school in the country for public policy majors who are seeking their bachelor's degree is University of California - Riverside. Each year, around 26,400 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $11,834 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $12,264 per year. During the most recent year for which we have data, 91 people received their bachelor's degree in public policy from UCR. Around 89% of these students were from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group, and 61% were women. Data shows that UCR graduates that hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $44,740.
University of Maryland - College Park is the 8th most popular school in the nation for students seeking a bachelor's degree in public policy. Each year, around 40,700 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $9,889 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $16,560 per year. During the most recent year for which we have data, 89 people received their bachelor's degree in public policy from UMCP. About 67% of this group were women, and 38% were students from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group. University of Maryland - College Park public policy graduates who receive their bachelor's degree go on to jobs earning a median salary of $44,740.
The 9th most popular school in the country for public policy majors who are seeking their bachelor's degree is SUNY Empire State College. Each year, around 10,700 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $7,070 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $11,310 per year. During the most recent year for which we have data, 83 people received their bachelor's degree in public policy from SUNY Empire. Of these students, 37% were women and 19% were members of underrepresented racial-ethnic groups. Those who complete their bachelor's degree in public policy at SUNY Empire State College make a median salary of 44,740.
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor comes in at #10 on our list of the most popular colleges offering bachelor's degrees in public policy. Each year, around 47,900 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $17,977 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $27,192 per year. During the most recent year for which we have data, 82 people received their bachelor's degree in public policy from U-M. About 68% of this group were women, and 22% were students from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor public policy graduates who receive their bachelor's degree go on to jobs earning a median salary of $44,740.
Arizona State University - Skysong is the 11th most popular school in the nation for students seeking a bachelor's degree in public policy. Each year, around 53,900 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $11,308 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $10,170 per year. During the most recent year for which we have data, 81 people received their bachelor's degree in public policy from ASU - Skysong. About 48% of this group were women, and 41% were students from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group. Those who complete their bachelor's degree in public policy at Arizona State University - Skysong make a median salary of 44,740.
University of Virginia - Main Campus comes in at #12 on our list of the most popular colleges offering bachelor's degrees in public policy. Each year, around 25,600 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $18,823 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $19,118 per year. During the most recent year for which we have data, 76 people received their bachelor's degree in public policy from University of Virginia. About 68% of this group were women, and 30% were students from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group. Data shows that University of Virginia graduates that hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $44,740.
The 13th most popular school in the country for public policy majors who are seeking their bachelor's degree is Cornell University. Roughly 23,600 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $65,204 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $29,500 per year. During the most recent year for which we have data, 73 people received their bachelor's degree in public policy from Cornell. Around 39% of these students were from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group, and 61% were women. Cornell University public policy graduates who receive their bachelor's degree go on to jobs earning a median salary of $44,740.
The 14th most popular school in the country for public policy majors who are seeking their bachelor's degree is Brown University. Each year, around 9,900 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $65,656 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $65,656 per year. During the most recent year for which we have data, 68 people received their bachelor's degree in public policy from Brown. Around 40% of these students were from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group, and 53% were women. Those who complete their bachelor's degree in public policy at Brown University make a median salary of 44,740.
The 15th most popular school in the country for public policy majors who are seeking their bachelor's degree is University of California - Los Angeles. Roughly 44,500 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $11,834 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $12,264 per year. During the most recent year for which we have data, 61 people received their bachelor's degree in public policy from UCLA. Around 66% of these students were from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group, and 72% were women. Data shows that UCLA graduates that hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $44,740.
The 16th most popular school in the country for public policy majors who are seeking their bachelor's degree is William & Mary. Roughly 8,900 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $18,253 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $10,905 per year. During the most recent year for which we have data, 52 people received their bachelor's degree in public policy from William & Mary. About 73% of this group were women, and 27% were students from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group. Those who complete their bachelor's degree in public policy at William & Mary make a median salary of 44,740.
The 17th most popular school in the country for public policy majors who are seeking their bachelor's degree is University of Mississippi. Roughly 21,000 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $9,252 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $9,252 per year. During the most recent year for which we have data, 51 people received their bachelor's degree in public policy from Ole Miss. Around 14% of these students were from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group, and 66% were women. Data shows that Ole Miss graduates that hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $44,740.
Southern Methodist University is the 18th most popular school in the nation for students seeking a bachelor's degree in public policy. Roughly 12,300 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $57,212 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $31,590 per year. During the most recent year for which we have data, 49 people received their bachelor's degree in public policy from SMU. Around 30% of these students were from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group, and 70% were women. Data shows that SMU graduates that hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $44,740.
Northwestern University comes in at #19 on our list of the most popular colleges offering bachelor's degrees in public policy. Roughly 22,600 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $64,887 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $52,698 per year. During the most recent year for which we have data, 45 people received their bachelor's degree in public policy from Northwestern. Of these students, 75% were women and 42% were members of underrepresented racial-ethnic groups. Those who complete their bachelor's degree in public policy at Northwestern University make a median salary of 44,740.
University of Delaware comes in at #20 on our list of the most popular colleges offering bachelor's degrees in public policy. Roughly 23,600 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $14,040 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $18,504 per year. During the most recent year for which we have data, 44 people received their bachelor's degree in public policy from UD. Around 20% of these students were from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group, and 70% were women. University of Delaware public policy graduates who receive their bachelor's degree go on to jobs earning a median salary of $44,740.
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Related Majors
Below are some popular majors that are similar to public policy that offer bachelor’s degrees.
| Major | Annual Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| Human Services | 5,919 |
| Public Administration | 2,383 |
| Community Organization & Advocacy | 1,553 |
| Other Public Administration | 183 |
References
*The racial-ethnic minority student count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the percentage of racial-ethnic minorities.
- College Factual
- National Center for Education Statistics
- O*NET Online
- Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Image Credit: By The Official CTBTO Photostream under License
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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