Public Administration

Majoring in public administration is perfect for community-minded individuals who want to improve the environments in which they live. Emphasis is placed on leadership, management and organizational skills, which are applied in public service. Students must become effective communicators who can work well with others. They will learn about laws, finance, social problems and the measures that must be taken to cultivate change. Classes in the major usually relate to the legislative process, policy formulation and implementation, management science, program evaluation and nonprofits management.

Public administrators are employed by nonprofit agencies and the government. Some work as tax administrators or city planners. Many work on the policies they find most important, related to issues of health, education and commerce. It’s their duty to best serve the interests of their constituents – or people who share their interests, but don’t share the same kind of power. These individuals are selfless, hard-working, and persistent. They possess the proper temperament required to effectively manage people. Pay is decent for public administrators: those with 10 or more years of experience average a median salary of $72,094, according to PayScale. But the biggest reward is a sense of self-satisfaction after change has been implemented that will positively affect our society.