What Difference Does Having an MPA Make?

Abstract

The value of the master of public administration (MPA) degree is arguably a big question in public administration graduate education. This exploratory study of a national sample employs four outcome measures of master’s-level education, including return on educational investment (ROI), willingness to recommend degree program to others, salary, and satisfaction with salary. Furthermore, this research draws distinctions between MPAs and those who work for government but hold the competitive MBA degree. Additional insights are gained by restating the ROI measure as either pass/fail. Advice is derived for MPA programs. The results buttress NASPAA’s call for program assessment based on outcome measures.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Samuel J. Yeager

Samuel J. Yeager, professor of public administration in the Hugo Wall School of Urban and Public Affairs, Wichita State University, teaches organization theory and behavior, ethics, and computer applications. He may be contacted at [email protected].

W. Bartley Hildreth

W. Bartley Hildreth is the Regents Distinguished Professor of Public Finance and director of the Kansas Public Finance Center in the Hugo Wall School of Urban and Public Affairs and the W. Frank Barton School of Business at Wichita State University. During fall 2005, he served as the Fulbright visiting research scholar in public policy at McGill University in Montreal. He may be contacted at [email protected].

Gerald J. Miller

Gerald J. Miller, professor in the Graduate Department of Public Administration at Rutgers University, the State University of New Jersey, Newark Campus, teaches public budgeting and finance. He may be contacted at [email protected].

Jack Rabin

Jack Rabin, 1945–2006, professor of public administration and public policy at The Pennsylvania State University in Harrisburg, was universally regarded as one of the foremost figures in public administration scholarship. He was the author, editor, and coeditor of more than 30 books and seven journals. In addition, he was executive editor of the Taylor and Francis/CRC Press Public Administration and Public Policy book series of 122 titles and the Taylor and Francis/CRC Press Encyclopedia of Public Administration and Public Policy.