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2026 Highest Paid Public Administration Grads in Michigan

[Public Administration](/majors/social-services-public-administration/public-administration/) graduates earn very different salaries depending on where they study. The schools below stand out for the salaries their public administration graduates go on to command.

College Factual analyzed 3 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the highest-paying public administration schools.

What’s on this page:

• Highest Paid Public Administration Grads in Michigan

2026 Highest Paid Public Administration Grads in Michigan

Below are the schools whose public administration graduates go on to earn the most.

Highest Paid Public Administration Graduates

1

Central Michigan University
Mount Pleasant, MI

$46,301 Average Early-Career Salary

For graduate earnings in public administration, no school beat Central Michigan University this year. Located in the town of Mount Pleasant, Central Michigan University is a public institution. Students who complete the public administration program here go on to a median salary of roughly $46,301.

2

Grand Valley State University
Allendale, MI

$50,338 Average Early-Career Salary

Grand Valley State University came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying public administration schools. Set in the town of Allendale, Grand Valley State University is a public institution. Early-career public administration graduates from Grand Valley State University make a median of around $50,338 per year.

3

Wayne State University
Detroit, MI

$38,767 Average Early-Career Salary

Wayne State University produces some of the highest-paid graduates in public administration, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the city of Detroit, Wayne State University is a public institution. Public Administration graduates of Wayne State University earn a median of about $38,767 a year early in their careers.

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Notes and References

This list is compiled by College Factual, 2026 edition. Schools are ranked on the median early-career earnings of their public administration graduates, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).

Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 3 schools evaluated.

*Salary figures reflect median early-career earnings (about 5 years after graduation) and may vary by how long a person takes to complete their degree.

• The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
• Graduate earnings data comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard) field-of-study earnings.

More about our data sources and methodologies.