What can you do with a public admin degree?

Imagine an uptick in juvenile crime in your community where unsupervised young people are smashing windows, scrawling graffiti and committing other property crimes.

Some might lock their doors and lament the state of today’s youth. Others might roll up their sleeves, write a grant to secure funding for a youth center, and work with local nonprofit agencies to offer a mix of programs, mentoring and education for young people.

The latter is just one of many examples of what you can do with a public admin degree and how it can be applied to improve community life. Whether it’s addressing crime, connecting communities through bike trails and sidewalks, creating vibrant parks or addressing traffic safety issues, the role of public administration in communities is vital.

Here are some questions to ask yourself to see if a public admin degree might be right for you:

• Do you think about making a difference in your community?
• Can you solve problems and shape or direct public policy?
• Can you facilitate collaboration?
• Can you manage fiscal resources?
• Do you have a heart for serving a diverse public?
• Do you think big picture?

If this sounds like you, a public administration degree might be a good fit.

Over time, public administration has changed from a field that carried out public services at minimum cost to one that responds more to public needs. Reflecting this evolution are the following three major schools of thought:

Classical public administration: This theory suggests public administration should be run like a business. It’s all about efficiency.

New public administration: Advanced in the 1960s and ’70s, this theory looked at public administration through the lens of an obligation to society. It’s born from activism and ethics.

Postmodern public administration: This theory of planning had its beginnings in the 1990s. It espouses public-sector solutions rooted in pluralism and relativism.

A Bachelor of Science in Public Administration can give you a foundation in civil leadership, business and governmental law, and finance and budgeting. A Master of Public Administration (MPA) is a broad-based, versatile degree that can develop your leadership, public policy, communication, problem-solving and management skills.

An MPA is for anyone looking to move out of a silo (police, planning or parks, for instance) and into general management of a city, county, state or federal agency or a nonprofit or community-based organization.

An MPA creates leaders who know how law, policy and the public intersect, and can communicate to internal and public stakeholders effectively. 

From the water that comes from your tap, to the streets that get you to work, to the parks your kids play in, to the airports that connect you to business and leisure travel, the duties of a public administrator are vast. So are the job possibilities.

Whether you’re looking to enter public administration with a bachelor’s degree or enhance your expertise with a master’s degree (and possibly move into general management of a city or a nonprofit organization), a range of job possibilities is available. Public administration includes jobs in:

• City management
• Policy planning
• Economic development
• Parks, recreation and libraries
• Public works and infrastructure
• Courts
• Program analysts
• Courts
• Housing
• Transportatopm
• Code enforcement/zoning
• Airport administration
• Public safety

A  master's of public admin degree can prepare you to be a: 

• Chief operating officer
• General manager
• Operations director
• Regulatory affairs director
• Compliance manager

More detailed overviews and salary information are available from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for specific job possibilities, which include:

A  master's of public admin degree can prepare you to be a: 

• Chief operating officer
• General manager
• Operations director
• Regulatory affairs director
• Compliance manager

More detailed overviews and salary information are available from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics  for specific job possibilities, which include:

Overview: The role of a general or operations manager  is to plan, direct or coordinate the operations of public- or private-sector organizations and oversee multiple departments or locations.

Annual salary range: $45,850 to $161,190 in May 2020, according to BLS .

Education requirements: At minimum, a bachelor’s degree and work experience are required for roles as top executives, according to BLS .

Job outlook: Roles as top executives are projected to grow at 8%, which is average, according to BLS .

Salary ranges are not specific to students or graduates of University of Phoenix. Actual outcomes vary based on multiple factors, including prior work experience, geographic location and other factors specific to the individual. University of Phoenix does not guarantee employment, salary level or career advancement. BLS data is geographically based. Information for a specific state/city can be researched on the BLS website.

BLS Occupational Employment Projections, 2022-2032 is published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This data reflects BLS’ projections of national (not local) conditions. These data points are not specific to University of Phoenix students or graduates.

Overview: Social and community service managers coordinate and supervise programs and organizations that support public well-being.

Annual salary range: $42,230 to more than $115,800 in May 2020, according to BLS .

Education requirements: A bachelor’s degree and work experience are typically required, according to BLS .

Job outlook: Positions are projected to grow 15% between 2020 and 2030, according to BLS .

Earning a public admin degree can lead to various career paths. University of Phoenix also offers a master’s in public administration (MPA).

Contact University of Phoenix for more information.