CollegeRanker · Public Service
Public Service Careers — Salary, Growth & Degrees
Policy, urban planning, nonprofit leadership, and government — public service careers reward graduate credentials and matter for community impact. We mapped the degrees and schools that deliver.
- 7
- Public Service careers
- 15
- Related degrees
- $115,000
- Top median salary
- 2
- Rankings
What the Scorecard Says
Public Service careers span a wide range of earning potential and educational requirements. Of the 7 careers we track in this field, the average median salary is $89,100, with an average difficulty score of /100. The highest-rated career overall is Economist with a grade of C.
7 of 7 careers in this field score 70+ on AI resilience, suggesting low automation risk.
- $89,100
- Avg median salary
- NaN /100
- Avg difficulty
- 76 /100
- Avg AI Resilience
- C 56
- Top-rated career
Highest-Paying Public Service Careers
Median salary from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. These are the roles where the credential pays for itself fastest.
- C
City Manager
$115,000 median 5% growth
Difficulty: AI: 76
- C
Economist
$113,940 median 6% growth
Difficulty: AI: 76
- C
Foreign Service Officer
$92,000 median 4% growth
Difficulty: AI: 76
- C-
Emergency Management Director
$83,960 median 3% growth
Difficulty: AI: 76
- C-
Urban Planner
$81,800 median 4% growth
Difficulty: AI: 76
- C-
Nonprofit Executive Director
$72,000 median 5% growth
Difficulty: AI: 76
Fastest-Growing Public Service Careers
BLS projected growth rates for 2023–2033. The roles where demand is outpacing supply.
- C
Economist
$113,940 median 6% growth
AI: 76 Difficulty:
- C-
Policy Analyst
$65,000 median 5% growth
AI: 76 Difficulty:
- C-
Nonprofit Executive Director
$72,000 median 5% growth
AI: 76 Difficulty:
- C
City Manager
$115,000 median 5% growth
AI: 76 Difficulty:
- C-
Urban Planner
$81,800 median 4% growth
AI: 76 Difficulty:
- C
Foreign Service Officer
$92,000 median 4% growth
AI: 76 Difficulty:
All Public Service Careers
What the work pays, how fast it’s growing, and the degrees that lead there.
- C-
Policy Analyst
$65,000 salary 5% growth
AI: 76 Difficulty:
4 linked degrees →
- C-
Urban Planner
$81,800 salary 4% growth
AI: 76 Difficulty:
4 linked degrees →
- C-
Nonprofit Executive Director
$72,000 salary 5% growth
AI: 76 Difficulty:
3 linked degrees →
- C
City Manager
$115,000 salary 5% growth
AI: 76 Difficulty:
2 linked degrees →
- C
Foreign Service Officer
$92,000 salary 4% growth
AI: 76 Difficulty:
3 linked degrees →
- C
Economist
$113,940 salary 6% growth
AI: 76 Difficulty:
4 linked degrees →
- C-
Emergency Management Director
$83,960 salary 3% growth
AI: 76 Difficulty:
3 linked degrees →
Public Service Rankings
Schools and programs ranked by real outcomes — earnings, mobility, and value. Not reputation.
Related Degree Programs
The degrees that lead into public service careers — with school-level outcomes data.
-
Business Administration
OnlineBachelor's · $76,850 median · 6% growth
-
Economics
OnlineBachelor's · $113,940 median · 6% growth
-
Environmental Science
OnlineBachelor's · $76,480 median · 6% growth
-
Mathematics
Bachelor's · $104,280 median · 8% growth
-
Political Science
OnlineBachelor's · $61,000 median · 3% growth
-
Criminal Justice
OnlineBachelor's · $55,690 median · 3% growth
-
Public Administration (MPA)
OnlineMaster's · $76,000 median · 5% growth
-
Nonprofit Management
OnlineMaster's · $72,000 median · 5% growth
-
International Relations
OnlineBachelor's · $65,000 median · 4% growth
Explore Other Career Fields
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