New Jersey · Public Administration

Best colleges for Public Administration in New Jersey

Ranked by graduate earnings

Rutgers University - Newark, Fairleigh Dickinson University - Metropolitan Campus and Kean University award the most Public Administration degrees and certificates in New Jersey: 106, 57 and 53 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 9 New Jersey colleges offer Public Administration and award 264 degrees and certificates a year in all.

The Public Administration program focuses on the principles and practices involved in managing public sector organizations and services. It is designed for individuals interested in pursuing careers that contribute to the effective…

Institutions
9
offering CIP 44.04
States & territories
53
with a program page
Degrees / yr
264
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median starting salary
$45,850
1 yr after graduation, College Scorecard
With earnings data
1
College Scorecard
Median net price
$18,059
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
53%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · General and Operations Managers
$205,250
BLS OEWS May 2025

Top institution, ranked by graduate earnings

Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.

Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionStarting salary (1 yr)Graduates / yrGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1Kean University
Union Public · Bachelor's degree
$45,8505347%—$31,000

Colleges awarding the most Public Administration degrees in New Jersey

Top 8 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.

Graduates / yr: degrees and certificates awarded in a year, IPEDS completions. Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionGraduates / yrStarting salary (1 yr)
1Rutgers University - Newark
Newark Public
106Not reported
2Fairleigh Dickinson University - Metropolitan Campus
Teaneck Private not-for-profit
57Not reported
3Kean University
Union Public
53$45,850
4Rutgers University - Camden
Camden Public
24Not reported
5Centenary University
Hackettstown Private not-for-profit
6Not reported
6Saint Peter's University
Jersey City Private not-for-profit
6Not reported
7Seton Hall University
South Orange Private not-for-profit
6Not reported
8Fairleigh Dickinson University - Florham Campus
Madison Private not-for-profit
2Not reported
Show the other 1 New Jersey colleges offering Public Administration
InstitutionCityControlGraduates / yr
Strayer University - New Jersey (Online)PiscatawayPrivate for-profit4

Career outlook

What this program leads to: General and Operations Managers (SOC 11-1021).

Projected growth (2024–2034)
+4.4%
About as fast as average
Openings / yr (US)
~308,700
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$102,950
typically Bachelor's degree

Top skills

Reading ComprehensionActive ListeningSpeakingMonitoringCritical ThinkingActive Learning

What General and Operations Managers earn in New Jersey

Jobs in New Jersey
53,000
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$205,250
median $173,690
Best-paying metro
$216,150
Trenton-Princeton, NJ

Related careers

General and Operations Managers
$205,250 avg · 53,000 jobs
Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers
$145,200 avg · 9,120 jobs
Construction Managers
$151,170 avg · 6,910 jobs
Social and Community Service Managers
$101,660 avg · 5,530 jobs
Chief Executives
$372,910 avg · 2,430 jobs

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Public Administration programs in New Jersey.

Which New Jersey colleges award the most Public Administration degrees?+

Rutgers University - Newark (106 graduates a year), Fairleigh Dickinson University - Metropolitan Campus (57 graduates a year) and Kean University (53 graduates a year) award the most Public Administration degrees and certificates in New Jersey, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 9 New Jersey colleges offer Public Administration.

Which Public Administration program in New Jersey has the highest-earning graduates?+

By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Kean University tops the list at $45,850. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.

How much do General and Operations Managers earn in New Jersey?+

The average annual wage for General and Operations Managers in New Jersey is $205,250 (median $173,690), across about 53,000 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.

What is the focus of the Public Administration program?+

The Public Administration program focuses on the principles and practices involved in managing public sector organizations and services. It is designed for individuals interested in pursuing careers that contribute to the effective…

What skills will I develop in this program?+

You will develop reading comprehension, active listening, speaking, monitoring, and related professional skills.

What is the job outlook for General and Operations Managers?+

The national job outlook is about +4.4% growth with around 308,700 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).

What is the typical education requirement?+

A Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).

About the data on this page

Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.

IPEDSFall 2025–26 release, published July 28, 2026
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
PSEO graduate earnings2019–21 graduation cohorts (release V4.13.0)
Earnings and employment outcomes of graduates by institution, degree level, and field of study, measured from state wage records.
BLS wages & outlookOEWS May 2025 release
Occupational employment and wage estimates plus 10-year job outlook, used to connect programs to real-world earnings.
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.

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