Location: Oakland, CA•In-State Tuition: $63,949•Admission Rate: 17%•Avg SAT: 1472
Est. Earnings (1yr)
$58,420
Est. from CA median (6 programs)

Earnings Over Time

How earnings evolve from 1 year to 4 years after graduation

School1 Year4 YearsGrowth
Northeastern University Oakland—$73,249—
Harvard University$87,444$109,723+25%
University of California-Los Angeles$66,078$91,755+39%
Pepperdine University$63,804$88,181+38%
University of Southern California$64,952$86,507+33%

Compare to Similar Programs in California

Public Policy Analysis masters's programs at peer institutions in California (16 total in state)

SchoolIn-State TuitionEarnings (1yr)*Earnings (4yr)Median DebtDebt/Earnings
Northeastern University OaklandOakland$63,949$58,420*$73,249——
University of California-Los AngelesLos Angeles$13,747$66,078*$91,755——
University of Southern CaliforniaLos Angeles$68,237$64,952*$86,507——
Pepperdine UniversityMalibu$66,742$63,804*$88,181——
University of California-San DiegoLa Jolla$15,265$53,035*———
University of California-RiversideRiverside$14,170$40,275*———
National Median—$61,558*———
* Estimated from similar programs

Career Paths

Occupations commonly associated with public policy analysis graduates

Political Scientists

Study the origin, development, and operation of political systems. May study topics, such as public opinion, political decision-making, and ideology. May analyze the structure and operation of governments, as well as various political entities. May conduct public opinion surveys, analyze election results, or analyze public documents.

$139,380/yrJobs growth:Master's degree

Medical and Health Services Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate medical and health services in hospitals, clinics, managed care organizations, public health agencies, or similar organizations.

$117,960/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary

Teach courses in political science, international affairs, and international relations. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

$83,980/yrJobs growth:

Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary

Teach courses in health specialties, in fields such as dentistry, laboratory technology, medicine, pharmacy, public health, therapy, and veterinary medicine.

$83,980/yrJobs growth:

Education Teachers, Postsecondary

Teach courses pertaining to education, such as counseling, curriculum, guidance, instruction, teacher education, and teaching English as a second language. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

$83,980/yrJobs growth:

Legislators

Develop, introduce or enact laws and statutes at the local, tribal, State, or Federal level. Includes only workers in elected positions.

Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other

All social scientists and related workers not listed separately.

Social Science Research Assistants

Assist social scientists in laboratory, survey, and other social science research. May help prepare findings for publication and assist in laboratory analysis, quality control, or data management.

About This Data

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (October 2025 release)

Population: Graduates who received federal financial aid (Title IV grants or loans). Students who did not receive federal aid are not included in these figures.

Earnings: Median earnings from IRS W-2 data for graduates who are employed and not enrolled in further education, measured 1 year after completion. Earnings are pre-tax and include wages, salaries, and self-employment income.

Debt: Median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation. Does not include private loans or Parent PLUS loans borrowed on behalf of students.

Estimated Earnings: Actual earnings data is not available for this program (typically due to privacy thresholds when fewer than 30 graduates reported earnings). The estimate shown is based on the median of 6 similar programs in CA. Actual outcomes may vary.