10 Jobs You Can Do with an MPA

By SPA Staff

1. Policy Analyst

Determine what effects policy decisions will have on the population they govern.

2. Research Associate

Use your research skills at a university or research institute.

3. CEO, COO, or CFO

Apply your management and development skills for high-level management positions. AU MPA grad Gwen Sykes is currently the CFO of the United States Secret Service.

4. City Manager

Help a city’s bureaucracy run smoothly and advise other government officials.

5. Budget Analyst

Ensure that budgetary plans are legal, accurate and will fulfill their designated purpose.

6. Program Coordinator

Oversee the daily operations of a program within a nonprofit or corporation.

7. Human Resources Management

Help create a positive workplace by enforcing fair standards and assisting fellow employees.

8. Nonprofit Fundraiser

Drum up financial support for a nonprofit with your networking abilities and charm.

9. Urban Planner

Improve a community by figuring out how best to utilize public land.

10. Law Enforcement

Be a leader in the criminal justice system. Just ask AU MPA grad Hassan Aden (pictured above) whose MPA propelled him to Chief of Police in Greenville, N.C.

Interested in one of these careers? Check out American University’s Master of Public Administration today!