Northern Illinois University
Department of Public Administration
School of Public and Global Affairs

Highly Ranked Program

Our fully accredited M.P.A. degree program is ranked No. 5 in the nation for Local Government Management, No. 12 in Public Finance and Budgeting and No. 53 in overall public affairs by U.S. News & World Report. These rankings are ahead of programs at all public and private institutions in Illinois and at many elite schools nationwide.

Paid Internships

Students who qualify gain experience working for governmental and non-profit agencies. The average wage for an internship is $16.10 per hour. Our pre-career students gain over 1,600 hours of on-the-job experience in their internships and they are uniquely prepared for employment in the public sector where opportunities are expanding.

High Completion Rate and 95% Job Placement

A majority of our students complete the program within the recommended time frame and secure positions in public service agencies.

Graduation Rates for MPA Cohort (Academic Year 2022 - 2023)

Categories are cumulative. Program length for part-time students is defined as five years. Program length for full-time students is defined as four full semesters and one or two summer semesters.

Here is our ARY-5 Cohort Data provided to NASPAA for our most recent Annual Data Report. Our ARY-5 Cohort Data covers the graduation rates for the students that entered the program five academic years before the annual report year. This data is based off of the cohort that began their MPA degree in the 2017-2018.

Job Placement (Academic Year 2022-23)

Twenty-seven students graduated in fall '22, spring '23 and summer '23. The chart below shows their job placement within six months of graduation. 

Total Enrolled Students (Academic Year 2023)

The Full Time Equivalency (FTE) of total enrolled master of public administration (MPA) students is 63.2. This calculation includes 87 MPA students. The FTE calculation does not include students pursuing a graduate certificate in public management (GCPM). The total number of students currently enrolled in the program is 87 split between those pursuing an MPA and/or a GCPM.

Executive Class Format

Classes are taught in an eight-week format for intensive learning. Our class sizes average between 14-18 students so you get the attention you need!

Significant Alumni Network

One-third of all city and county managers in Illinois are alumni of our program.