Master's · Kingston, Rhode Island

Is Public Administration at University of Rhode Island worth it?

Low confidence Low confidence: fewer than 40 graduates behind the earnings figures.

The verdict · all families, in-state, half paid with loans

Pays back in time: graduates typically recover the cost in about 4.4 years.

Earnings 1 year after graduating: $73,501; Treasury AY2020-21, AY2021-22 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
Earnings 4 years after graduating: $92,749; Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
Typical federal debt at graduation: $32,350; NSLDS pooled AY2022-23, AY2023-24 cohort
Typical borrowing (no graduate net price is published): $34k (likely $34k – $34k); AcadYr 2024-25, reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26
Earnings bump, year 4: $22k a year vs bachelor's graduates 4 years out in RI; 2023 ACS 5-year pooled, adjusted to 2024 dollars
Payback: 4.4 years (likely 2.7–9.6); Bump vs net cost plus loan interest
10-year net return: −$13k (likely −$164k – $157k); Today's dollars
20-year net return: $291k (likely −$34k – $669k); Today's dollars

Scorecard reports no net price for graduate programs; cost is based on what graduates typically borrowed.