Public Administration Degree Online Bachelor’s in Business Administration Concentration

At SNHU, a public administration degree is a type of online business degree that combines tools and theories from diverse disciplines, including public policy, political science and organizational management. Public administration is similar to business administration, except that its goal is working for the public good instead of the good of a specific business or organization.

Your public administration courses will cover public policy analysis and management, legislative relations, budgeting, fiscal management, politics and more. Through these courses, you can explore the relationship between government and business, learn important data analysis skills and gain a better understanding of how public policy impacts daily life.

You’ll also explore the shifting needs of communities in your area and around the country, and prepare to apply your learning to this evolving field.

Public administration is a concentration of the business administration bachelor’s degree program. With a public administration degree concentration, you’ll start with a strong foundation of general education and core business courses. These courses explore topics including finance, accounting, business law, marketing, human relations and operations management.

A bachelor's in public administration is typically a full-time four-year program. But the actual length of your education depends on your past educational experience and the time you have to dedicate to your coursework.

At SNHU, online courses are available 24/7 so you can fit learning into your schedule, even if you’re working full time or balancing family obligations. With six 8-week undergraduate terms each year at SNHU, you can also work on your degree year round. The flexibility of earning a public administration degree online means it is easier to take a full load of courses and move through your degree faster.

For students like Michael Ramella '20, the benefits of time and flexibility were the biggest reasons to apply.

"What originally attracted me to SNHU was two-fold," he said. "First, I was in the process of working on my degree in a typical brick and mortar fashion and their undergraduate programs weren’t geared toward adult learners. The schedule just wasn’t going to work. Second, the time to degree completion at SNHU was much quicker than the traditional school."

If you have past college experience, you may also be able to transfer up to 90 credits to a bachelor's program – saving you time and money. With 120 total credits required for a bachelor's program, that means you could already be up to 75% of the way to earning your degree.

It depends on your career goals. If you’re passionate about implementing change for the public good and want to help build strong communities at the local, state or national level, a public administration degree could be right for you.

Public administrators help manage government services, lead the economic development of a community and guide public health, urban planning and other community initiatives. As the needs of communities evolve and become more diverse, jobs for public administrators continue to be in high demand.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), jobs for administrative services managers, for example, are projected to grow 6% through 2032. Social and community services manager jobs are projected to grow 9%, and medical and health services managers jobs are projected to grow 28% in the same time period.²

Beyond a promising job outlook, a public administration degree from SNHU can help you grow in a number of ways.

"Hands down, 100%," said Michael Ramella '20, a graduate of the public administration concentration at SNHU. "10 years ago I had an associate degree that I believed was the only education I ever needed or wanted. In 3 weeks, I’ll be holding onto a master's degree. I never envisioned this path for myself or the pride that would come with it."

According to Ramella, a public administration degree not only proved his worth to employers and colleagues – but also to himself.

"My SNHU degree has advanced my career and my self-image," he said. "I no longer shy away from conversations about education, I lean into them. What originally started as an investment into my career quickly and fortuitously became a long term investment in myself. It sounds corny, but I am the person I am today largely in part due to my SNHU education and degrees."

Today, Ramella advocates for the power a degree can have on others' lives – no matter where they are in their career.

"I will forever be a champion of SNHU and the educational opportunities it provides," he said. "Too many people consider age as a determinant for whether or not they should pursue a degree. Entering a classroom 20 years older than everyone else in the room is scary! I know, I did it! But SNHU provides a platform where you can learn at your own pace, on your own time, in the classroom of your choice."

With a public administration degree online, you can find a wide variety of jobs working for the public good. Whether you dream of a career fighting the opioid epidemic as part of a public health department or want to help bring more economic development to your local community, a public administration degree can help you get there.

Jobs for public administration degree holders include:²

• Administrative services manager: Plan, coordinate, and direct a broad range of activities that allow community organizations and government agencies to run smoothly, including record-keeping, security, building maintenance, and supply management.
• Social and community services manager: Coordinate and supervise social service programs and community organizations and manage the workers who provide key social services to the public.
• Budget analyst: Advise governments, businesses and organizations on how to organize their finances, analyze data to determine the costs and benefits of various programs and recommend funding levels based on the data.
• Health services manager: Plan, direct, and coordinate medical and health services, monitoring and adapting to changes in healthcare laws, regulations and technology.
• Emergency management director: Prepare plans and procedures for responding to natural disasters and other emergencies, and lead emergency response in coordination with public safety officials, elected officials, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies.

“I see our field growing exponentially in the coming years as people become more and more educated in the importance of civic involvement,” said Dr. Karen Versuk, adjunct instructor. “That means many more jobs on the horizon... I see the sky as the limit for the future of this discipline."

According to Chris Insco '21, a public administration concentration set him apart in a new job market.

"Since starting my degree program my wife and I have relocated to a metropolitan area from a very rural area," he said. "Since graduating and receiving my degree I did get many more job offers and I was able to make many eligibility lists for government positions. Having my degree got me noticed much more in the larger job market."

Additionally, if you're looking to put your degree to good use, volunteering with local nonprofits and community organizations or running for public office in your town or county is a great way to enhance your resume, practice key soft skills and start working toward the common good right away.

It depends. Jobs for public administration degree holders vary widely, and salary is dependent on your specific job description, professional experience and education.

Administrative services managers, for example, earned a median salary of $106,470 in 2023, according to BLS.² Social and community services managers earned a median salary of $77,030, and health services managers earned a median salary of $110,680 in the same time period.²

While many public administration jobs require a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree may be required for some leadership positions. Earning an online MBA with a focus in public administration can boost your long-term career and earning potential. In 2022, median weekly earnings for master’s degree holders were 16% higher than earnings for bachelor’s degree holders, and 65% more than earnings for associate degree holders.²