What Can I do With a Master's Degree in Public Administration?

Career Center Library Resources
The Career Center Library has a variety of resources to help students explore potential career fields. These resources include information about typical responsibilities, qualifications, career paths, job outlook, salary, and related careers.

Career-Related Books for Master of Public Administration Degrees

• 100 Jobs in Social Change
• Careers for Good Samaritans and Other Humanitarian Types
• Making a Living While Making a Difference: A Guide to Creating Careers with a Conscience
• Careers in Focus: Government

Vocational Biographies
Vocational Biographies describes the career success stories of 1001 real people. Search by career title, keyword, topic, and career cluster. Username: portland su and pass code: 3w9n.

• City Management Analyst
• Economic Development Director
• Economic Diversification Coordinator
• Municipal Budget Director
• University Government Relations Lobbyist
• Victim's Impact Panel Director

Professional Associations

• American Humanics
• American Society for Public Administration
• American Evaluation Association (AEA)
• Association of Oregon Counties (AOC)
• Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management (APPAM)
• National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration
• National Association of Counties (NACo) — NACo: Western Interstate Region
• National Association of State Budget Officers (NASBO)
• National League of Cities (NLC)
• Oregon Program Evaluator's Network (OPEN)

Internet Sites with Career-Related Information for Master of Public Administration Degrees

• Profiles of Alumni — From the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration.
• Budget Analysts — From the Occupational Outlook Handbook.
• Public Service Careers — From The National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration.
• Masters of Public Administration: What Can I Do With This Major? — Outlines common career areas, identifies typical employers, and suggests general strategies to enhance employability. From Career Services at the University of Tennessee.

Internet Sites with Job Search Information for Master of Public Administration Degrees

• The Recruiter Online — From the American Society for Public Administration
• Community Career Center — Search database of nonprofit jobs by type, employer, job title, salary, skills, keyword, or location.
• Idealist Job Search — From Action Without Borders. Search database of nonprofit jobs by job category, keyword, or location.
• Careers in Government — Careers In Government is a clearinghouse of information, resources and jobs available in public sector organizations in America and abroad.
• Local Government Job Net — From the Local Government Institute. Lists local government jobs available nationally.
• League of Oregon Cities — Intern Placement & Referral Service
• Peace Corps Masters International (PCMI) at Portland State University - Nonprofit Management Specialization

Places of Employment

Students who earn a master's degree in public administration develop skills that are valued by employers. These skills include: research, analysis, writing, oral presentation, critical thinking, synthesis, and problem solving. Students and alumni may find employment in city, state, and federal government; nonprofits; social services; and educational institutions depending on their skills and experience. Career-related internships may be a prerequisite to finding employment.

The following list of employers and job titles was derived from the Career Center's jobs database where the employer specifically requested master's in public administration. This list does not reflect all potential places of employment or kinds of jobs for master's in public administration. This list does not reflect current openings.

• Better Business Bureau (BBB) — Marketing Assistant
• Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) — Public Utilities Specialist
• C-Tran — Training & Benefits Specialist, Senior Transportation Planning Manager
• Cascade Policy Institute — Director of Sponsor Relations
• Children's Relief Nursery — Executive Director
• City of Beaverton — Organization Development Consultant, Senior Planner, Econimic Development Project Coordinator, Mediation Services Program Coordinator, Purchasing Agent, Management Analyst, Program Manager
• City of Corvallis — Airport Coordinator Traffic Technician
• City of Eugene — Grant Management Analyst I/II
• City of Hillsboro — Management Analyst, Development Project Coordinator, Public Affairs Manager, Assistant Water Director, Water Resources Manager
• City of Milwaukie — Community Development/Public Works Director, Project Manager
• City of Portland — Children's Investment Fund Specialist, Management Auditor
• City of Salem — Public Works/Transportation Planning, Urban Planning Administrator, Treasury Manager, Management Analyst I, Contract Administrator, Natural Resources Outreach Specialist
• City of Tigard — Management Analyst, Right-of-Way Administrator
• City of Vancouver — Innovative Funding Manager, Human Resources Specialist, Financial Analyst - Fire, Parks & Recreation Director
• Coalition for a Livable Future — Development Coordinator
• Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission — Public Information Specialist
• Construction Contractors Board — Prinicpal Executive Manager B
• Corvallis Neighborhood Housing Services (CNHS) — Housing Developer, Home Ownership Program Assistant, Microenterprise Program Coordiantor
• Cowlitz County — Senior Planner - Quality Manager, Associate Planner
• Douglas County — Deputy Administrator
• FACT - Foundation for Accountability — Finance Director
• Housing Authority of Portland (HAP) — Community Revitalization Director, Sector 8 Director
• Housing Division of Oregon and Community Services — Governmental Auditor 2
• Human Services Council — Employment Transportation Coordinator I
• IRCO - Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization — Events Planner
• Independent Living Resources — Director of Programs and Services
• Lattice Semiconductor Corporation — Sales Analyst I
• League of Oregon Cities — Staff Associate
• Legislative Administration — Policy Director, Senior Budget Analyst, Committee Administrator, Publications Coordinator, Office Manager
• McCullough Research — Energy Consultant Associate
• Metro/MERC — Financial Planning Manager, Deputy Finance and Administrative Services Director
• Montana State University - Billings — Coordinator of Services Programs, Development and Marketing Coordinator
• Multnomah County Sheriff's Office — Finance Manager
• Native American Youth Association — NAYALP Education Coordinator, VISTA Financial Analyst
• Northwest Jewish Environmental Project — Washington Program Director
• Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board — Adult Tobacco Survey Specialist
• NPC Research (Northwest Professional Consortium, Inc.) — Data Collector/Interviewer (Community Research Project)
• Oregon Board of Tax Practitioners — Principal Executive/Manager C
• Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services — Human Resources Analyst 3
• Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) — Principal Contributor 1, Budget Analyst, Air Quality Program Analyst, Land Quality Division Manager
• Oregon Department of Human Services — Child Welfare Program Supervisor
• Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) — Bridge/Landscape Maintenance Manager, Technical Support Manager, Process Improvement Lead - Project Manager, Management Analyst 2, Procurement & Contract Specialist 1, Agreement Specialist
• Oregon Food Bank — Public Policy Advocate II
• Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) —Research Unit Manager, Budget & Resources Management Director
• Oregon Lottery — Internal Audit Assitant
• Oregon Army National Guard, The — Human Resources Analyst I
• Oregon Office of Homeland Security — Program Analyst 2
• Oregon Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) — Human Resources Analyst 1, Training and Development Specialist I, Porgram Technician I
• Oregon Secretary of State Audits Division — Records Management Analyst 1, State Auditor 1
• Oregon State Bar — Human Resources Manager
• Oregon State University (OSU) — Licensing & Marketing Coordinator, Program Coordinator for Community and Diversity
• Page One Northwest — Account Manager
• Portland Community College (PCC) — Grants Officer, Replication Training Coordinator, Employee and Labor Relations Manager
• Portland Development Commission (PDC) — Senior Operations Manager - Development, Senior Development Manager, Asset/Portfolio Manager, Real Estate Coordinator, Risk Management Coordinator, Project/Program Coordinator, Housing Director
• Portland Public Schools — Compensation and Benefits Manager
• Portland Veterans Affairs Medical Center — Medical Administration Specialist Trainee
• Raphael House of Portland — Project Coordinator
• Salem Area Mass Transit District — Specialized Transportation Director, Procurement Specialist, Human Resources Specialist
• Seattle-Northwest Securities — Public Finance Associate
• Springdale Job Corps Center — Transition Coordinator, Specialized Transportation Program Coordinator
• Tacoma Public Schools — Legislative and Labor Relations Director
• TriMet — Planner III - Elderly & Disabled Planning Coordinator, Director of Community Affairs, Executive Director of Goverment Affairs, Fixed Route Accessibility Programs Manager, Event Representative
• Umatilla County — Director of Economic Development
• US Department of Agriculture (USDA) — Agricultural Marketing Specialist
• US District Court - Oregon — Division Manager
• US Forest Service — Student Career Experience Program
• Vancouver Housing Authority — Emergency Shelter Clearinghouse Coordinator

Division of Public Administration - Portland State University