What Is Public Administration?

A career in public administration is a career in the public good.

“Public administration is where vision becomes action. It is the process of turning policies, laws, and community needs into real outcomes that improve people's lives,” says Karla Drenner, PhD, legal studies and public policy faculty member at Purdue Global.

“It’s the bridge between government and citizens, where ethical leadership, sound management, and commitment to the public meet. It is both a profession and a calling, built on the belief that government can and should work for everyone.”

Is a career in public administration for you? Learn more about the types of public administration careers available and why this is such an important career field.

The Four Pillars of Public Administration

The 28th president of the United States, Woodrow Wilson, is widely considered the father of public administration. Wilson defined public administration as the detailed and systematic application of public law. Its purpose, he said, is to discover “first, what government can properly and successfully do, and, secondly, how it can do these proper things with the utmost possible efficiency and the least possible cost either of money or of energy.”

Public administration, as both a theory and a discipline, has grown significantly since Wilson first wrote about it. Scholars today break the concept into four pillars:

• Economy
• Efficiency
• Effectiveness
• Equity

“These four pillars define both the science and the soul of public administration,” Drenner says. “Economy reflects stewardship, the responsible and transparent use of public resources to create lasting value. Efficiency focuses on design, building systems that deliver services effectively while reducing waste. Effectiveness emphasizes results, ensuring that efforts produce measurable, meaningful change. Equity represents conscience, which serves as a reminder that every voice and community should benefit from public decisions.”

According to Drenner, the field has evolved to include what some call the new pillars of public administration: empathy, engagement, equity, and ethics, emerging from the New Public Service movement led by Janet and Robert Denhardt, which emphasized that government should serve rather than steer.

“The traditional pillars ensure that government works, while the newer ones ensure that it cares,” Drenner says.

Why Is Public Administration Important?

One of the main goals for any career in public service is to help improve the quality of life for the people and the overall community. Public administrators help translate shared goals into practical outcomes. Their work sustains the systems people rely on every day — schools, safety, infrastructure, and community services.

“Public administration is the quiet engine of society,” Drenner says. “It is how laws and shared values become the schools, roads, parks, and programs that shape our daily lives. Public administrators are translators of values; they turn principles like fairness, transparency, and justice into daily practice.”

What Can You Do With a Master’s in Public Administration?

A master’s degree gives you greater knowledge and access to roles of higher responsibility. You can work in government or the private or nonprofit sectors.

Most urban and regional planning roles require a graduate degree in public administration. In addition, if you’re interested in a career in politics and/or policymaking, earning a master’s in public administration can be a wise choice.

“Whether you work in a city agency, a nonprofit, or the private sector, every career in public administration shares one unshakable commitment: to serve. It is work that demands accountability, courage, and compassion,” says Drenner.

Common courses in Purdue Global's MPA program include classes in leadership, finance and the administration of public funds, administrative law and human resource management, and public policy analysis.

Career Opportunities in Public Administration

The range of roles that fall under the public administration umbrella is vast. Anything related to planning and performing government functions at the local, state, and federal levels could be considered a public administration career. This includes:

• Public policy as it relates to health, finance, labor, and justice
• Security and emergency management positions
• City planning, revenue, and taxation
• Social and community services

Review several MPA career opportunities and local job growth statistics below.

What Skills Do You Learn in a Public Administration Program?

Many skills learned in public administration are applicable to a variety of careers and fields.

“Public administration develops universal leadership tools, strategic thinking, ethical decision-making, communication, and systems analysis,” Drenner says. “Graduates can use these skills to lead community development projects, manage nonprofits, advise policymakers, and design corporate social responsibility initiatives.

“These skills are powerful because they blend structure with empathy. They prepare people to lead with both their head and their heart.”

What Are Common Misconceptions About Careers in Public Administration?

“A common misconception is that public administration is bureaucratic or slow-moving. It’s one of the most dynamic and interdisciplinary fields combining management, policy, ethics, and leadership,” says Drenner.

“Another misconception is that it only leads to government jobs. In truth, a degree in public administration opens doors across sectors, nonprofits, consulting, education, and private industry. Public administration is not about paperwork; it’s about people. It is about understanding systems well enough to make them serve others better.”

The Master’s Program at Purdue Global

Students in the online Master of Public Administration program at Purdue Global learn:

• Budgeting and finance
• Leadership and organizational management
• Policy analysis and evaluation
• Ethics and leadership

“The program is deeply applied,” Drenner says. “Students don’t just study theories; they solve real problems that mirror the complex decisions public administrators face every day. The goal is to prepare graduates who lead with clarity, accountability, and heart.”

A master’s degree in public administration can help students understand the social and ethical implications of policymaking. “Public administration is not glamorous work, but it is meaningful,” says Drenner. “Satisfaction comes from watching a program take shape, seeing policy create opportunities, and knowing that your decisions ripple through communities in ways that matter.”

Purdue Global offers an online MPA degree program that can help you meet your career goals. Request more information today.

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