Public Policy Analysis: degree ROI, salary & best colleges
Public Policy Analysis graduates earn a median $73,721 four years after finishing — $25,361/yr above the $48,360 high-school baseline. At a typical $16,906/yr net price ($67,624 over four years), that pays back in about 2.7 years. Federal data pools 113 bachelor's programs graduating roughly 2,557 students a year. (Scorecard field-of-study, 2026 · our math.)
Public Policy Analysis ranks #60 of 202 bachelor's fields by earnings — pays more than 71% of majors.
| # | College | State | Grad earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cornell University | NY | $126,767 |
| 2 | Princeton University | NJ | $107,792 |
| 3 | Duke University | NC | $103,071 |
| 4 | Brown University | RI | $94,962 |
| 5 | University of Chicago | IL | $94,237 |
| 6 | Vanderbilt University | TN | $91,265 |
| 7 | University of Mississippi | MS | $85,338 |
| 8 | Trinity College | CT | $82,638 |
| 9 | Northwestern University | IL | $78,752 |
| 10 | Brandeis University | MA | $75,580 |
| 11 | Rutgers University-New Brunswick | NJ | $74,865 |
| 12 | University of Southern California | CA | $74,511 |
College Scorecard field-of-study (2026), program-level median earnings for this CIP · our ranking.
How we compute this. Earnings are the national median for graduates of this field measured 1 and 4 years after completion (Scorecard field-of-study, bachelor's). Premium = 4-year earnings − the $48,360 high-school baseline. Payback = a representative 4-year net cost (median college net price × 4) ÷ premium. Field medians blend every school — a specific program can pay far more or less. Full method on the methodology page; the field ranking is on ROI by major.