d4r56

Thanks for starting this, @PubPolPal-- it's an important discussion to have. To expand on this: it looks like 27% of graduates (at HKS) go into the private sector and that the median salary in that sector is $125,000, which seems a lot more reasonable than the ~$60,000 you'd be making in the public sector or ~$70,000 in the nonprofit sector [clearly this can vary quite a bit depending on your particular circumstances.]
For those with any experience, is it difficult to find a job in the private sector with an MPP? What does the 'private sector' typically mean, other than consulting firms? I know it's sort of comparing apples to oranges, but is someone with an MBA really that much more qualified? My understanding is that an MPP program teaches you many of the same skills as an MBA program.
I would love to work for a nonprofit or in the public sector, but it'll really depend on how much debt I graduate with (assuming I would even be able to get a decent job in the private sector...)

I think the total dollar amount is roughly right for an "average person", however, the distribution of expenses can be a little wrong! For example, my school's cost of attendance/estimated budget shows $1200 for books. This is way more than most grad students spend on books (in my field anyways). But the ones for my school total around $30,000 (not including tuition and fees) and I would say that this the typical cost for a student in my area of the country (our stipends are a little bit more than that, but after taxes, it is basically equal to the expenses).
I would also be wary of the rent estimates and the personal expenses estimate. I'm sure that some rents like they estimate exist, but your own preferences and needs may require you to have a different rental cost. Similarly, "personal expenses" is super vague and one person's personal expenses is not the same as others. "Transportation" is super vague as well: does this include the cost of owning a car or is it just public transit? etc. My recommendation would be to use these categories as reminders of what to check for, and then look up your own costs based on your own needs.
Don't forget that their definition of "room" often includes utilities and phone service. So it's not just the cost of rent, but remember to add in whatever else you want. And another thing I often have to remind people is to budget for taking trips home to see family etc. if you plan on doing this. Distance from home (and thus the cost of doing so) is a factor when comparing costs of graduate schools.