The Value of Pursuing an MPA
Earning an MPA is an investment of your time and money. So, it’s important to know the qualities you should look for when selecting the right master’s program for you. In this chapter, we breakdown the characteristics of a quality MPA program and why this degree is worth it.
What Makes a Quality MPA Program?
When considering a mission-driven career in public affairs with a Master of Public Administration degree, it’s important to understand what qualities in an MPA program will make you a competitive, marketable, and driven leader — a leader prepared to succeed in a results-driven field.
It’s important to understand that relative to other professional degrees, the MPA is far more interdisciplinary, drawing on the fields of economics, finance, management, political science, and psychology.
By effectively promoting this interdisciplinary perspective, a valuable MPA program will provide students with the tools required to improve people’s lives. In addition, a quality MPA gives graduates the hard and soft skills required to forge solutions across sectors in a strategic, mission-oriented, and equitable manner.
Employment Breakdown by Sector/ Further Education
Average Reported Salary
This data represents the Class of 2022’s employment rate with a 56% response rate as of December 7, 2022.
Every professional who chooses to invest the time, money, and energy in a graduate degree hopes for some reassurance that upon graduation, there will be real, measurable ROI (return on investment) — both professionally and personally.
In general, professionals who invest in a graduate degree are reported to earn an average of 21 percent more in salary compared to those who hold only a bachelor’s degree, according to the National Center for Education Statistics in 2021.
One reason for this is that they enter the workforce with a competitive edge because graduate-degree coursework cultivates critical thinking skills and increases knowledge of a particular subject. So, these individuals often have an advantage when it comes to securing senior leadership roles.
Choosing to invest in an advanced academic program isn’t for the faint of heart. Graduate level coursework is rigorous and intellectually challenging. But for those who are passionate about lifelong learning, earning a graduate degree is the perfect opportunity to continue to broaden your knowledge base, while providing the foundation you need to cultivate a successful career.
2023 Master of Public Administration (MPA) Employment Statistics:
| % Of Respondents Employed or Pursuing Graduate Studies | 100% |
| % Employed | 97% |
| % Pursuing further Graduate Studies | 3% |
| Total | 100% |
This data represents the Class of 2023’s employment rate.
2022 Master of Public Administration (MPA) Employment Statistics:
| % Of Respondents Employed or Pursuing Graduate Studies | 100% |
| % Employed | 89% |
| % Pursuing further Graduate Studies | 11% |
| Total | 100% |
This data represents the Class of 2022’s employment rate with a 56% response rate as of December 7, 2022.
