Public Policy Analysisat Duke University
Graduates earn $60,501/yr in their first year — about 30.0% above the national Public Policy Analysis average. Base-case 10-year earnings $918K; scenarios range from $770K to $957K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at Duke University
Duke's elite status and rigorous analytical training mean your Public Policy Analysis degree opens doors across diverse sectors. The program's interdisciplinary approach, combining economics, statistics, and political science, prepares you for complex problem-solving. This explains why graduates secure roles in top-tier consulting firms, federal agencies, and major non-profits, as well as leadership positions within healthcare and tech companies with policy divisions, leveraging the robust Research Triangle ecosystem. Your ability to dissect policy challenges and formulate evidence-based solutions is highly valued. While some analytical tasks may face AI disruption, the strategic judgment and communication skills honed here remain indispensable. To maximize your outcome, actively pursue internships aligned with your specific interests and diligently cultivate the extensive Duke alumni network.
Three scenarios, ten years out
Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.
10 year projection
Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Duke University's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.
Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.
Peer schools offering Public Policy Analysis
How Duke University stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at Duke University
Other highest-scoring programs offered at Duke University, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Frequently asked about Public Policy Analysis at Duke University
How does Duke University's Public Policy Analysis program score?
This program scores 59/100, reflecting respectable but not exceptional financial outcomes for Public Policy Analysis graduates.
How vulnerable is Public Policy Analysis to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Public Policy Analysis careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 49% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.
Why does Duke University rank so high for Public Policy Analysis?
The #5 ranking out of 40 programs is driven by strong financial outcomes — graduates earn well, debt is manageable relative to income, and the job market supports the field.