Doctoral (Research)+3% vs national median193 grads tracked
Public Administration and Social Service Professions at Virginia Commonwealth University
Ranked 11th of 33 doctoral (research) programs in Public Administration and Social Service Professions by 5-year earnings.
Median · 1 year out
$87,772
middle 50%: $65,106 – $114,196
Median · 5 years out
$103,104
middle 50%: $81,923 – $130,088
Median · 10 years out
$103,276
middle 50%: $79,576 – $141,309
Salary trajectory
Median earnings vs the national median for Public Administration and Social Service Professions (doctoral (research)) graduates.
This program (median)National median, same major & degreeMiddle 50% of graduates
Public Administration and Social Service Professions research doctorates at Virginia Commonwealth University command $88k in year one. Median pay hits $103k by year five.
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
3.7 yrs
≈ $3,862 total interest
Same major at other universities
University of Colorado Denver
$120,903 · 5 yrs out
University of Texas at Dallas
$114,273 · 5 yrs out
CUNY Graduate School & University Center
$110,405 · 5 yrs out
University of Wisconsin - Madison
$109,693 · 5 yrs out
University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill
$106,181 · 5 yrs out
Ohio State University (The)
$104,398 · 5 yrs out
University of Alabama
$102,996 · 5 yrs out
University of Texas at Austin
$102,715 · 5 yrs out
Indiana University - Bloomington
$102,614 · 5 yrs out
Arizona State University
$100,394 · 5 yrs out
North Carolina State University
$99,994 · 5 yrs out
University of Texas at Arlington
$99,433 · 5 yrs out
Other majors at Virginia Commonwealth University
Dentistry (Doctorate)
$175,347 · 5 yrs out
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Doctorate)
$157,685 · 5 yrs out
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (Doctorate)
$154,279 · 5 yrs out
Health Professions and Related Programs (Doctorate)
$152,472 · 5 yrs out
Medicine (Doctorate)
$131,725 · 5 yrs out
Engineering (Doctorate)
$130,026 · 5 yrs out
Physical Sciences (Doctorate)
$128,182 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Master's)
$123,259 · 5 yrs out
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Master's)
$122,217 · 5 yrs out
Physical Sciences (Master's)
$105,799 · 5 yrs out
Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs (Master's)
$105,500 · 5 yrs out
Education (Doctorate)
$105,054 · 5 yrs out