public administration

If recent newspaper headlines are to be believed, many people are wondering if the U.S. government is getting too large. While it’s true that over 15% of the workforce is involved in the military, public and national service, the size of the U.S. government proportionate to the total population has actually shrunk in the last 50 years. Beyond that, we’re facing an aging government workforce, of which one third will be eligible to retire by 2025.1

According to The Balance Small Business, a website providing guidance on entrepreneurship and management, economies of countries including the United States are divided between public and private sectors (or sections), for the purpose of considering economic activity and the contribution of each sector to the gross domestic product. The basic distinction between the two sectors? “Businesses that make a profit commonly represent the private sector, while government agencies tend to represent the public sector.”

COVID-19 has disrupted every facet of life, especially the working lives of countless people across the globe. National and statewide lockdowns have caused mass shutdowns, layoffs and furloughs. There have been upheavals in work schedules, changes in work locations and often simultaneous struggles to meet children’s educational needs at home. Dealing with this strange new reality has been challenging, to say the least. Across the public and private sectors, organizations have scrambled to navigate chaotic work environments. Stepping out of back offices and into center spotlights, the leaders of human resources management are transforming HR, rising to meet the new and pressing needs of today’s disrupted workforces.

Public sector government agencies are present in every city and town around the world, with employees undertaking a wide variety of projects aimed at improving their local community. These involve things like health and safety, transport infrastructure, parks and recreation, sewage and water, schools, hospitals and municipal buildings. As a public service, these agencies rely on government funding and, in many cases, don’t have access to the same high budgets that private sector companies have.

Before you commit to an advanced degree such as a master’s of public administration, it’s important to consider whether it will be worth the investment of your time and money. For some people, an MPA program can be a life-changing experience that prepares them for professional success and greater personal fulfillment. For others, an MPA may not be the right choice.

It’s easy to think of technology as flashy and fun: the newest TikTok video, the latest virtual background, the most thrilling special effects. Though we may not realize it, technology also plays an enormous role in the progress and achievements of the public sector.

As noted elsewhere on this site, “Broadly speaking, the public sector refers to any part of a state or national economy that is tied to public programs or services and is controlled by the government.” You may find public sector employment opportunities in the military, law enforcement, organizations managing infrastructure (public roads, bridges, tunnels, water supply, sewers, electrical grids, telecommunications, and so on), departments of public transit or public education, and in healthcare and the government itself.

Many companies hire MPA graduates knowing that the skills they’ve acquired are as valuable in the for-profit sector as they are in the government and not-for-profit worlds. Among the many companies likely to hire MPA graduates, these 10 stand out.

When you think of “public administration,” you may envision managing budgets for a city transportation department or improving the efficiency of a town’s public health division. But for graduates with a master’s degree in public administration, there are many career possibilities that might not come to mind right away. A public administrator plans, organizes, directs, coordinates and controls operations in a government office, private company or nonprofit organization. This can be in positions as diverse as that of a community health director or the budget director at an environmental justice nonprofit. An MPA opens a world of opportunities.

Careers in government and public administration often attracts idealistic people who want to make a difference in our democracy and in the lives of their fellow citizens. But what does it actually take to become a leader in bureaucratic structures at the municipal, state and federal levels?