Home Schools Rutgers Public Policy Analysis
Public Administration · Public Policy Analysis Rank #15 of 40

Public Policy Analysisat Rutgers University-New Brunswick

Graduates earn $51,082/yr in their first year — about 10.0% above the national Public Policy Analysis average. Base-case 10-year earnings $539K; scenarios range from $497K to $543K depending on AI disruption.

New Brunswick, NJ Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
48 AVERAGE
48
Optimistic
43
Pessimistic
Earnings
$51,082
1-year post-graduation
ROI
6.4x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$539K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
High
54% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at Rutgers

At $51,082 per year, Public Policy Analysis graduates from Rutgers University-New Brunswick earn slightly above the $46,424 national median. The premium is real but not dramatic.

The earnings-to-cost ratio of 7.8x signals a solid financial return — projected decade earnings comfortably exceed the tuition investment.

Some AI exposure exists in Public Policy Analysis's typical career paths, with 49% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 8% gap from the optimistic case.

The median debt load of $23,750 represents less than half a year of starting salary — among the lightest debt-to-income ratios we track.

At #15 of 40 Public Policy Analysis programs, Rutgers University-New Brunswick scores above the median — competitive but not a standout.

AI Outlook Integration

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.

Pessimistic
Mass Automation
$497K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score43/100
Earnings Multiple7.2x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$539K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score48/100
Earnings Multiple7.8x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$543K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score48/100
Earnings Multiple7.9x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Rutgers's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.

Career Paths

Where Public Policy Analysis graduates typically work

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.

1
Political scientists
-3.1% 10-yr growth · 500 openings/yr
$139,380/yr
Moderate
2
Medical and health services managers
+23.2% 10-yr growth · 62,100 openings/yr
$117,960/yr
Moderate
3
Health specialties teachers, postsecondary
+17.3% 10-yr growth · 27,400 openings/yr
$105,620/yr
Moderate
4
Social scientists and related workers, all other
-1.7% 10-yr growth · 3,200 openings/yr
$100,340/yr
High
5
Political science teachers, postsecondary
+2.0% 10-yr growth · 1,600 openings/yr
$94,680/yr
Moderate
6
Education teachers, postsecondary
+2.1% 10-yr growth · 5,600 openings/yr
$72,090/yr
Moderate
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. AI exposure from OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs and Felten AIOE research.
Compare & Explore

Peer schools offering Public Policy Analysis

How Rutgers stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
Cornell University
NY · Private nonprofit
60
DW Score
$78K
1-yr earn
3.1x
ROI
Same state (NJ)
Princeton University
NJ · Private nonprofit
59
DW Score
$74K
1-yr earn
3.1x
ROI
Dickinson College
PA · Private nonprofit
45
DW Score
$62K
1-yr earn
1.4x
ROI
Duke University
NC · Private nonprofit
59
DW Score
$61K
1-yr earn
3.3x
ROI
University of Chicago
IL · Private nonprofit
56
DW Score
$60K
1-yr earn
2.7x
ROI
Also at Rutgers

Other top programs at Rutgers

Other highest-scoring programs offered at Rutgers, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

FAQ

Frequently asked about Public Policy Analysis at Rutgers

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Public Policy Analysis at Rutgers University-New Brunswick?

A score of 48/100 indicates below-average financial outcomes for Public Policy Analysis. Earnings, ROI, or AI risk factors are pulling the score down.

Will AI replace Public Policy Analysis careers?

With 49% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $496,995 in decade earnings vs $543,097 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.