WhatGradsMake
Master's+46% vs national median566 grads tracked

Public Administration and Social Service Professions at Northern Illinois University

Ranked 11th of 180 master's programs in Public Administration and Social Service Professions by 5-year earnings.

Median · 1 year out
$72,263
middle 50%: $58,582 – $92,483
Median · 5 years out
$95,329
middle 50%: $74,205 – $120,734
Median · 10 years out
$119,554
middle 50%: $86,601 – $152,098

Salary trajectory

Median earnings vs the national median for Public Administration and Social Service Professions (master's) graduates.

This program (median)National median, same major & degreeMiddle 50% of graduates

Graduates of Northern Illinois University's master's program in Public Administration and Social Service Professions earn a median $72,263 one year after graduating, rising to $119,554 by year ten. Five years out, earnings run 46% above the national median of $65,401 for this field, ranking 11th of 180 reporting programs.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau PSEO, release V4.13.0 2025Q4. Earnings are for graduates working in covered states; figures are medians in nominal dollars.

Will the degree pay for itself?

Drag the sliders — payback uses this program's actual salary curve.

Assumes a 6.5% APR loan and this program's median salary trajectory (interpolated between years 1, 5 and 10).

Paid off in
4.3 yrs
≈ $4,614 total interest

Same major at other universities

University of Virginia
$102,359 · 5 yrs out
Framingham State University
$102,295 · 5 yrs out
Hamline University
$101,906 · 5 yrs out
George Mason University
$99,571 · 5 yrs out
CUNY Bernard M. Baruch College
$98,535 · 5 yrs out
College of William & Mary
$96,105 · 5 yrs out
University of Texas at Dallas
$92,196 · 5 yrs out
University of Massachusetts at Boston
$92,187 · 5 yrs out
Penn State World Campus
$91,987 · 5 yrs out
Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University
$91,476 · 5 yrs out
CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice
$89,278 · 5 yrs out
Georgia Institute of Technology
$88,072 · 5 yrs out

Other majors at Northern Illinois University

Education (Doctorate)
$119,874 · 5 yrs out
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Master's)
$115,599 · 5 yrs out
Engineering (Master's)
$111,551 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Master's)
$111,291 · 5 yrs out
Mathematics and Statistics (Doctorate)
$109,443 · 5 yrs out
Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians (Master's)
$102,156 · 5 yrs out
Biomedical/Medical Engineering (Bachelor's)
$97,392 · 5 yrs out
Psychology (Doctorate)
$97,297 · 5 yrs out
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's)
$95,041 · 5 yrs out
Mathematics and Statistics (Master's)
$93,400 · 5 yrs out
Social Sciences (Doctorate)
$92,787 · 5 yrs out
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services (Doctorate)
$92,521 · 5 yrs out

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