MPP Careers

Well-planned and implemented policies can make people’s lives better and strengthen citizens’ trust in their communities.

A career in public policy means having a direct influence on how the government and other institutions approach issues such as affordable housing, biotechnology development, education funding, sustainable energy, justice and equality, urban redevelopment, and more.

Below is a brief overview of the career landscape for Master of Public Policy graduates. You can also download our detailed career guide for more information.

What Can You Do With an MPP From Northeastern?

Public policy jobs generally involve analyzing problems, weighing solutions, implementing changes, and then assessing whether the solutions worked (and fixing those that do not).

Many positions require employees to take on a variety of responsibilities and so a well-rounded, interdisciplinary education like that offered by the Northeastern University MPP program is essential.

Plus, the hands-on experience students gain through internships, co-ops, capstone projects, and other activities gives Northeastern graduates a competitive edge when pursuing new job prospects or seeking a promotion. They prepared with specific examples they can use on their resumé, CV, or in a job interview.

Northeastern’s MPP program has a 100% employment rate for the class of 2021–22.

In terms of compensation, the median salary for a public policy analyst is $75,200, according to the labor analytics site Lightcast. The same data shows that graduates with a master’s degree earn a salary 4 percent higher than those with a bachelor’s degree alone.

However, salaries can vary widely depending on whether someone is working in the public, private, or nonprofit sector, and even within those categories compensation may depend on the size and type of the organization.

Why Get an MPP Degree?

Earning a master’s degree in public policy offers a variety of career benefits for professionals at any stage of their career.

• Recent graduates: Many students join the MPP program directly from their undergraduate degree. There is no requirement for a students’ previous degree to come from a related field, and no need for test scores like the GRE.
• Career-changers: Professionals who want to move into the public policy field often find that an MPP is an excellent bridge between careers. An MPP provides a deep understanding of the workings and regulations of the policy world, while opportunities like the internship or co-op allows students to get a feel for what it’s like working in a new field.
• Policy professionals: For those who want to advance further in their public policy careers, an MPP can update their technical skills in areas such as data analytics, GIS applications, and artificial intelligence and expand their practical skills in areas such as program evaluation and action research. They can also make new connections that could open doors.

Find out even more about career outcomes and see more potential job titles in our “What Can You Do With a Master’s in Public Policy” article.