MPP Salary--GW, GT and UMaryland?

[erin85]

Does anyone have info on what the "average" salary of graduates leaving UMaryland's MPP program vs. George Washington? Georgetown is the only school that I can see it posted... If it's posted anywhere, or you know where to look/who to ask, can you give a fellow MPP applicant a hand ?

I'm just trying to sort which school would be best when you calculate in cost of tuition, location, and final job salary. If I can go to UMaryland for 1/2 the cost of GT or GW, but the ending salary is that much less than a GW or GT grad, is it worth it? And for the record, although I'm only looking into the immediate results, I'm actually interested in evaluating it on the long term (eg if I go to Georgetown and make $5,000 a year more than maryland, how many years would it take me to pay off that extra loan, if it is not that much, GT would be worth it).

and yes, I know much more goes into salary than just a school, but the averages and means can be pretty helpful...

If it offers any help, I'm looking into policy analysis and program evaluation (with a social policy focus) for the program I'm going into...

Thanks!!!!

-Erin

(who is nervously feeling her chances of a GT scholarship fade by the minute, but is still holding out for the Ford School...)

[Paradoxex22]

You would have to call the Career Services department for the programs you are interested in. I can guarantee they have the information, but that they don't all publicly release it.

Some things to keep in mind:

1. MPPs don't all go into high grossing consulting jobs. Many go to work in highly prestigious, low paying NGOs or other nonprofit entities.

2. Many go to work for the federal government, earning 45k a year at the onset (GS 9 or equivalent) and then escalate from there. These folks may be Presidential Management Fellows, and thus are policy "elites" that could earn substantially more in the private sector. GT in particular has a slew of these.

3. Programs have varying regional and national recognition. So you have to consider if location matters. UMD may have an identical average salary, but all of their graduates may be working in the Baltimore-DC area. Do you accept these potential restrictions?

4. Many may be supplementing a law/business degree, causing their starting salary to be rather gaudy.

I have some opinions on what the value of those educations are, but I won't give it, because you didn't ask. =P Anyway, I think it's probably possible to get the data you seek, but you'll have to call the universities to get the scope that you need.

[erin85]

You would have to call the Career Services department for the programs you are interested in. I can guarantee they have the information, but that they don't all publicly release it.

Some things to keep in mind:

1. MPPs don't all go into high grossing consulting jobs. Many go to work in highly prestigious, low paying NGOs or other nonprofit entities.

2. Many go to work for the federal government, earning 45k a year at the onset (GS 9 or equivalent) and then escalate from there. These folks may be Presidential Management Fellows, and thus are policy "elites" that could earn substantially more in the private sector. GT in particular has a slew of these.

3. Programs have varying regional and national recognition. So you have to consider if location matters. UMD may have an identical average salary, but all of their graduates may be working in the Baltimore-DC area. Do you accept these potential restrictions?

4. Many may be supplementing a law/business degree, causing their starting salary to be rather gaudy.

I have some opinions on what the value of those educations are, but I won't give it, because you didn't ask. =P Anyway, I think it's probably to get the data you seek, but you'll have to call the universities to get the scope that you need.

well ok, give it I'm hearing alot of back and forth, my goal is to work in the DC area, and likely with the Federal Govt., possibly moving later on into the non profit sector...

UMaryland gave me about a 50% scholarship plus a stipend, so I'm basing it off of the other educations at full cost, vs theirs at 1/2 cost...

[Paradoxex22]

Well, okie.

Honestly, for analytical/social policy all three schools have good programs. UMD-CP has a program that was consistently ranked right up there with GT and GW, so as far as the quality of the education goes, it's an easy choice.

GT outpaces UMD in terms of prestige and ease of access for internships/alumni networks.

Overall, I'd not consider GW unless you just love some element of their campus/curriculum. It probably cost as much as GT, and won't open anymore doors in terms of connections etc. Now if you like the program/connections the program has, then go for it, but taking a cold look, I'd not pay full price for GW given your options.

If I was deciding, I'd probably side with UMD, all other things being held equal. Regionally, both programs will hold a lot of weight. Outside the DC Metro area, GT will matter more. If you want to be in DC, and work with the federal government, then you won't make 80k a year off the bat (unless you're amazingly sly or fortunate), so 75-100k debt will matter. That's how I see it, personally. Prestige matters, but only in the context of what you want to do. There's no reason to pay for a Harvard MPP if you plan to work in Texas, for instance, because an LBJ school degree will cost a fraction of the price and work just as well (maybe better). Same way with DC.

But heavens, heavens, do visit the campuses. There isn't much of a starker contrast in school environments than GT and UMD. One isn't worse than the other, but they are very very different. I live in DC, I should know. =)

[orangedonkey]

hi erin and paradox

I also got into UMD-CP/mpp(half grad assistantship), gtown/mpp, gwu/mpp and cant decide which one to choose. it looks like erin is going to UMD-College Park, mainly because of the funding?

Personally, I prefer Gtown's mpp over UMD which emphasizes too much on int'l security. Plus, as far as I know, their int'l development program is a newly established one and kinda lack of sufficient teaching resources( i was told by the assistant dean that the new int'l dev faculty who joined them a couple of years ago is not teaching, but doing her own research projects and they are going to recruit a new one.) This is pretty disappointing, because my interests lie in economic policy and int'l dev, rather than int'l security. So i am afraid i might not be able to get what i want. Besides, UMD's mpp is more about int'l affairs, rather than public policy(personal feeling) and it ranks # 12 according to INT'L AFFAIRS RANKINGS. When I was having the interview with an admissions officer from UCSD's IR/PS, he told me that UMD is not a top program , even tho he s from Maryland but he didnt choose to go to UMD.

However, my friend who knows a lot about schools suggest me go for Gtown. He said its a 1st tier school in the states and even can be comparable to some ivy-league school. Is that true? I spent some time reading their program's website and it looks like GTOWN/MPP is good at public health and education policy, as well as presidential election. Although my main interests dont lie in these aspects, gtown might give me easier access to famous NGO(like world bank and UN) and governmental organizations. But i was kinda upset when I was looking for the job info on their website. The employment resources seem less than other departments, such as MSFS. And I am still waiting for the funding decision. They said they'd notify me by letter if i the school decided to grant me any kind of financial aid. but I guess it is slim chance and gtown/mpp costs too much,and i dont know if its worthwhile, or i should go for UMD??????

So, any advice? what do u think, erin and paradox?

BTW, erin, would u like to tell me your contact info, like e-mail, msn? Maybe we could be classmates in the future