Public Administration at Kean University

Kean University's Public Administration program delivers middle-of-the-road outcomes with one notable advantage: graduates carry significantly less debt than peers nationwide. At $31,000, the median debt sits in the 10th percentile nationally—meaning 90% of similar programs burden students with more. That's a meaningful cushion when your first-year salary hovers around $45,850.

The earnings trajectory, however, is essentially flat. Graduates see only a 3% increase between year one and year four, bringing them to $47,167—well below the national 75th percentile of $56,445. This isn't unique to Kean; it's characteristic of public administration as a field, where government and nonprofit employers offer predictable but modest pay progression. Among New Jersey's limited options for this degree (just four schools), Kean lands at the 60th percentile for earnings, performing slightly better than the state median.

The real question is whether your child is committed to public service work. If they're entering this field for mission-driven reasons and understand the salary constraints, the low debt load here makes it workable—your child won't be stretched thin making loan payments on a civil servant's salary. But if they're exploring this program without a clear career path, they should know that bachelor's-level public administration rarely opens doors to higher-paying opportunities without additional credentials.