Degree Dividend
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Best colleges for Public Administration in California

By the Degree Dividend editorial data teamEvery figure verified against its federal source — methodologyData updated June 2026

Program-level earnings — not school prestige — rank these. Among the California programs in the federal field-of-study file, California State University-Northridge leads: its Public Administration graduates earn a median $85,789 four years after finishing, against the field's $65,093 national median. (Scorecard field-of-study, 2026.)

California Public Administration programs by graduate earnings
#CollegeGrad earnings, 4 yrsVs field median
1California State University-Northridge$85,789+$20,696
2California Baptist University$75,949+$10,856
3California State University-Fullerton$68,497+$3,404

How big is the earnings gap between California Public Administration programs?

$17,292 separates the top and bottom of this list — $85,789 at California State University-Northridge against $68,497 at California State University-Fullerton, four years after finishing. Same field, same state, same federal measure: where you study moves pay by that much.

Do California Public Administration graduates earn more than the national median?

The state's strongest program pays $20,696 above the $65,093 national median for the field. Program-level medians come from federal tax records of graduates who received aid, so they track actual pay rather than advertised salaries.

Frequently asked questions

Which California college is best for Public Administration?
By graduate earnings, California State University-Northridge — its Public Administration bachelor's graduates earn a median $85,789 four years out, the highest of the 3 California programs in the federal file.
What do Public Administration graduates earn in California?
Across the ranked California programs, median earnings four years after completion run from $68,497 to $85,789. The field's national median is $65,093.
Is a Public Administration degree worth it?
On national medians, yes — Public Administration graduates earn $16,733/yr above the $48,360 high-school baseline. See the full field profile for payback math.