WhatGradsMake
Associate+9% vs national median105 grads tracked

Public Administration and Social Service Professions at Palo Alto College

Ranked 45th of 132 associate programs in Public Administration and Social Service Professions by 5-year earnings.

Median · 1 year out
$30,437
middle 50%: $23,172 – $44,737
Median · 5 years out
$43,497
middle 50%: $31,104 – $58,858
Median · 10 years out
n/a
not enough graduates to report

Salary trajectory

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

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

Graduates of Palo Alto College's associate program in Public Administration and Social Service Professions earn a median $30,437 one year after graduating, rising to $43,497 by year five. Five years out, earnings run 9% above the national median of $39,857 for this field, ranking 45th of 132 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
10.5 yrs
≈ $12,211 total interest

Same major at other universities

Virginia Peninsula Community College
$44,911 · 5 yrs out
Casper College
$44,700 · 5 yrs out
Austin Community College
$44,612 · 5 yrs out
Eastfield College
$44,398 · 5 yrs out
Mount Wachusett Community College
$43,842 · 5 yrs out
Snow College
$43,722 · 5 yrs out
Inver Hills Community College
$43,416 · 5 yrs out
Honolulu Community College
$43,384 · 5 yrs out
College Of DuPage
$43,384 · 5 yrs out
Hudson Valley Community College
$43,195 · 5 yrs out
Rochester Community and Technical College
$43,047 · 5 yrs out
York County Community College
$43,047 · 5 yrs out

Other majors at Palo Alto College

Engineering (Associate)
$87,351 · 5 yrs out
Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians (Certificate)
$64,834 · 5 yrs out
Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians (Associate)
$62,224 · 5 yrs out
Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services (Associate)
$58,998 · 5 yrs out
Health/Medical Preparatory Programs (Associate)
$56,877 · 5 yrs out
Health Professions and Related Programs (Associate)
$56,272 · 5 yrs out
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies (Associate)
$55,746 · 5 yrs out
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other (Associate)
$55,746 · 5 yrs out
Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services (Certificate)
$55,181 · 5 yrs out
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Associate)
$54,286 · 5 yrs out
Marketing (Associate)
$53,921 · 5 yrs out
Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics (Associate)
$53,793 · 5 yrs out

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