Online Public Policy Degrees

A bachelor’s degree in public policy often qualifies graduates for entry-level local, state, or federal civil service positions. Graduates can choose to focus on a specific practice area, such as finance, human resources, or organizational leadership.

A bachelor’s degree in public policy satisfies the educational admission requirements of several postgraduate programs. A master’s can lead to jobs such as political scientists or economists, both high-paying jobs in growth-oriented professional areas. Several schools now offer a public policy degree online, further opening the field to students worldwide.

Our guide provides a ranking of the top public policy degrees and outlines their costs, career outlooks, and scholarship opportunities.

National Center for Education Statistics data reports that attendance at public four-year institutions cost on average $20,598 for 2018-19. Students enrolled at private institutions paid an average of $44,662. The amounts include tuition, fees, room and board.

Online enrollees, who do not incur additional on-campus room and board expenses, paid significantly lower amounts. Tuition and fees came to $7,250 for public colleges and universities and $31,519 for private institutions. The typical cost of a bachelor’s degree in public policy likely comes close to these figures.

Students in accelerated online programs often end up paying less for their education since they enroll for fewer semesters. An earlier graduation also means they enter the workforce and start receiving a paycheck sooner.

Students can compare actual attendance costs among schools by using the affordability calculator below. A school’s website often contains much of the required information. Keep in mind that some institutions allow out-of-state online students to pay in-state tuition. Since capitalizing on this option can yield significant savings, students should find out if they qualify.

A bachelor’s degree in public policy typically includes classes in economics, quantitative research, and political science. Many programs include leadership and ethics coursework to provide students a balanced, interdisciplinary framework of public policy practice and processes. The courses below represent a sample of common subjects offered in many public policy programs.

States do not currently require professionals working in public policy to hold a license. Depending on their area of interest or expertise, public policy practitioners can earn a credential in diverse professional arenas, including those below.

Institutions offering a public policy degree online or on campus often give enrollees equal access to scholarship opportunities. Public policy majors can also find financial aid options from professional organizations and private nonprofit agencies with ties to the field, including the two below.