Careers with an MPA Degree

“The Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree is the core professional degree for a management career in public service. The curriculum is designed to aid students in developing the skills and techniques used by leaders and managers to implement policies, projects, and programs that resolve important societal problems. Graduates of an MPA program work in all levels of government (federal, state, and local), in nonprofits, in international organizations, consulting firms, and in the private sector.” (for further information see: NASPAA and Public Services Careers).

• “Since the degree programs offer so many different specializations and class options, assembling a comprehensive list of jobs that graduates may have is impossible. Common starting jobs for graduates include policy analysts, program managers, grant writers, researchers, and budget analysts. As their experience grows, many graduates rise to upper-level positions in government, nonprofit and even business organizations. The MPA degree program will help you to ascend the ladder.” (NASPAA)

• What jobs are available to PA Grads?

• The following is an excerpt from the MPA Employer Survey of 2016 conducted by the MPA student, Gerald Schneider, as part of the culminating MPA 780 Capstone Seminar project in the MPA program at UW-Oshkosh. The survey reveals data about the relevance of the MPA program to local government employers in Wisconsin.

• • MPA Employer Survey

• According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projection program, 0verall employment of administrative services and facilities managers is projected to grow 4 percent from 2024 to 2034, about as fast as the average for all occupations. About 36,400 openings for administrative services and facilities managers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire. See the annual wage.
• According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of medical and health services managers is projected to grow 23 percent from 2024 to 2034, much faster than the average for all occupations. The UWO MPA program has a health agency administration emphasis, as well as a Graduate Health Care Management Certificate program.
• The industries employing the most administrative service managers held about 271,200 jobs in 2024. The largest employers of administrative services managers were as follows: health care and social assistance; education services [state, local, private], professional, scientific, and technical services, finance and insurance, and local government, excluding education and hospitals.
• Occupations with Most Job Growth 2024 Projected Data provided by the Unites States Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that demand especially for medical and health services managers is likely to increase by 2034.

• NASPAA’s website provides information about MPA graduates and employment facts, career resources and alumni survey salary data.
• Public Administration Salary by State/Industry
• Salary information for medical and health services managers (nursing home administrators, clinical managers, health information managers, assistant administrators, and similar occupations) can be found on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and Payscale.com. Health care administration salaries vary depending on the size of the organization, the corresponding level of responsibility, as well as career experience. An MPA graduate degree with health care agency administration emphasis is the first step toward earning a higher salary in the field.