Pursuing a Public Administration Doctorate Online
Online Ph.D. in public administration programs are the most convenient for senior-level government managers who elect to further their policymaking endeavors. According to the NASPAA, the 78 schools conferring public administration doctorates suit officials wishing to undertake substantive research in academia and politics. Reaching the highest echelon makes doctoral grads competitive for a federal sector with 1.7 million managerial jobs across 100+ agencies. The Economist reported that only 18 politicians, or 3 percent, of the 112th Congress studied beyond the master's, so your advanced education will stand out.
Pursuing a Ph.D. public administration online places professionals among elite doctoral-trained world leaders like Joe Biden, Angela Merkel, Xi Jinping, Hassan Rouhani, and Woodrow Wilson. Becoming a government policy expert on a civil servant's modest salary can be affordable and flexible at online colleges.
Explore these promoted online degree programs.
These top, accredited schools offer a variety of online graduate degree programs. Figuring out where to apply? Consider one of these online Master's or PhD programs.
5 Most Affordable Online Public Administration Ph.D. Programs in 2021
Other Online Public Administration Ph.D. Offerings
Online Doctoral Degree in Public Administration (Launching soon!)
Graduate Tuition: $5,118 per year
DBA Specialized in Public Administration Online
Graduate Tuition: $16,821 per year
Online Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Studies: Public Policy & Social Change Major
Graduate Tuition: $18,636 per year
What Types of Public Administration Doctorate Online Programs are Available?
All doctorates are strenuous, multi-year academic journeys taken to reach the pinnacle of achievement for one field's most exclusive jobs, but different kinds exist. Government officials focused on the practical applications of legislative theory and political science would be suited for Doctor of Public Administration degrees. The DPA covers leadership practices utilized in the public sector with internships and capstone action projects frequently replacing rigorous research. Doctor of Philosophy programs are the broadest and most popular with the National Science Foundation reporting 54,040 conferred in 2014. Online PhD in public administration degrees emphasize the theoretical and analytical skills needed to conduct inquiry-based research, especially the dissertation, in academic settings. Public administration doctorates online could also customize study in different disciplines, such as international affairs, economics, administrative law, municipal management, and public relations.
Related:Top 30 Most Affordable Online Master's in Public Administration Degree Programs
Which Career Pathways Open With an Online Public Administration Ph.D.?
Investing time and money in Ph.D. public administration online degrees means becoming qualified for virtually any upper-level career related to governance. Some could even add credentials after the "Dr." in their names. For instance, the National Certified Public Manager Consortium grants the Certified Public Manager (CPM) title for individuals who've finished 300+ hours of structured training. Since 1997, the Certified Public Finance Officer (CPFO) distinction has been bestowed by the Government Finance Officers Association after passing a 175-question exam. If administrators have 5+ years of communications experience, pursuing the four-step Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) and from the Public Relations Society of America would make sense too. Though not exhaustive, here are some sample jobs for public administration online Ph.D. holders:
County Administrator- Unlike governors and mayors, county administrators are appointed top executives who head the elected governing board to manage regional policies, including for America's biggest counties of San Bernardino, Maricopa, Clark, and Riverside. They're busy supervising personnel like clerks, managing budgets, complying with state laws, seeking economic development, reviewing legislative proposals, coordinating commissioner agendas, setting purchasing practices, maintaining infrastructure, and representing the board at hearings.
Public Administration Faculty- Top public affairs schools, including Syracuse University, American University, Arizona State University, and the University of South California, need tenured, PhD-level professors to carry out academic and research activities. Faculty is responsible for shaping curricula, selecting textbooks, teaching U.S. government courses, evaluating student learning, keeping office hours for mentoring, assigning final grades, supervising field trips to cities like Washington DC, performing professional development, and finding pedagogical advances.
Executive Officer- The federal government is filled with agencies, such as the Congressional Budget Office, Federal Trade Commission, Office of Veterans Affairs, Census Bureau, and National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, that need executive directors, sometimes appointed by the President into the Cabinet. Their CEO-like duties include effecting organizational goals, authorizing policies, facilitating program innovations, modifying budget funding, auditing for compliance, attending legislative committee meetings, hiring staff, and developing governmental relationships.
Foreign Service Officer- Going global after online Ph.D. public administration programs is possible if graduates pass the Foreign Service Officer Test and travel to assignments at 265 embassies around the world from Portugal to Peru and Pakistan. FSOs represent the United States abroad with free overseas housing to create diplomacy channels, facilitate trade interests, report on political strife, advocate for human rights, negotiate peace treaties, protect tourist citizens, fill consulate vacancies, and network with world leaders.
Government Affairs Director- One of the few private-sector jobs for public administration doctorate online graduates would be government affairs director. Current job listings show that corporations like Chobani, Comcast, and Cigna are hiring directors to set strategies complying with federal regulation, identify operational law issues, collaborate with elected officials, lobby for beneficial legislation, influence policy outcomes, promote corporate market positions, give congressional testimony, create PR policy messages, and build legislative coalitions.
How Much Do Public Administration Ph.D. Online Graduates Earn?
Cheap online public administration PhD programs are ideal for tight budget keepers to reap good ROI in their civil service calling. For the public policy and law category, the Georgetown Center on Education and the Workforce report average doctoral pay of $84,000. PayScale estimates that Doctor of Public Administration graduates make a median wage of $127,000 as executive directors. The Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that political scientists snag average income of $114,290 each year. Urban planners bring home top pay of $105,320. Public management analysts consult their way to $91,910 annually. Postsecondary teachers in public administration departments generate mean profits of $96,770. According to Salary.com, public administration online Ph.D. grads can excel in careers like government affairs director, regulatory relations manager, and quality control executive for median wages of $144,305, $118,438, and $186,016. City managers and governors fall into the CEO umbrella for an average salary of $103,950.
What is Current Hiring Like After Ph.D. Public Administration Online Programs?
Government hiring outlooks have been doom and gloom over the last decade. According to a CNS News report, federal employment has declined by 11,000 and state government jobs slid by 2,000 in 2017 alone. College tenureships are the best bet for public administration PhD online grads since the Bureau of Labor Statistics is projecting a 15 percent rise in higher education for 1.51 million faculty jobs. In comparison, the expected growth through 2026 is 2 percent for political scientists, 6 percent for government economists, 10 percent for administrative services managers, 8 percent for emergency management directors, and 9 percent for lawyers. Another burgeoning U.S. demand is for public management consultants, where 96,500 new hires are expected over the next 10 years. Choosing affordable online Ph.D. in public administration degrees could give post-grads the edge needed for the appointed leadership job of their dreams.
