How long does this program take to complete?

Courses run in eight-week sessions with six start dates a year, so you move through the 36 credits required to graduate one session at a time. Full-time students take more courses per session and part-time students take fewer, and approved transfer credit reduces the credits you have left.

What does the Master of Public Administration (MPA) cost?

Tuition is $680 per credit, about $24,480 for the full 36 credits before aid. There are no technology or graduation fees, employers can be billed directly, and service members, veterans, and their spouses receive a 10% tuition discount.

Is APU Global accredited?

Yes. APU Global is separately accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC), reaffirmed in 2024, and is a nonprofit institution sharing a Christ-centered mission and a heritage dating back to 1899 with Azusa Pacific University. That accreditation is what makes federal financial aid and credit transfer possible.

Are there application fees or test requirements?

There is no application fee. No GRE or GMAT is required; admission is based on a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution and your official transcripts (3.0 GPA preferred). Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis against each session's deadline rather than a single annual cutoff.

Master's · Public Service

Master of Public Administration (MPA)

Lead in government, nonprofits, and mission-driven organizations.

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Download the program brochure (PDF)

At a glance

What is the online Master of Public Administration (MPA) at APU Global?

This program is a 36-credit, 100% online master's from APU Global, a WSCUC-accredited nonprofit Christian university. Tuition is $680 per credit and courses run in eight-week sessions with six starts a year. There is no application fee and no GRE or GMAT requirement. Next session begins September 8, 2026.

Credits to graduate

Per credit

$680

Next start

September 8, 2026

Format

Online

Overview

A master's that fits the life you already have.

The Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree program is designed to prepare individuals for leadership opportunities in the field of public governance and, increasingly, in non-governmental organizations and the nonprofit sector. The MPA student will apply professional knowledge, practical skills, and a Christian worldview to graduate-level topics including organizational leadership, public policy development and evaluation, political strategy for problem solving, finance for decision making, stakeholder engagement with diverse populations, and values-based ethics. Students are equipped to pursue administrative careers in public service including various levels of government, law enforcement, nonprofit organizations, and public works.

What you'll learn

Outcomes

Build and defend public budgets
Analyze policy with quantitative and qualitative tools
Lead public-sector teams and partnerships
Manage grants, contracts, and compliance
Engage stakeholders and communities
Apply ethics to public decision-making

Why APU Global

Why earn your degree at APU Global?

A degree from APU Global doesn't just check a credential box. It's shaped by a distinctly Christian mission, taught by scholar-practitioners, and built around the realities of working adult life.

The APU Global difference

At APU Global, your program is built to equip you to serve communities with integrity, blending public administration and policy fundamentals with the ethics and empathy the work actually demands.

Christ-centered, God First
Faith isn't bolted on. Coursework engages ethics and vocation directly, and the university's beliefs are published rather than implied, so you know the tradition you're studying in.
Taught by working practitioners
Your instructors are executives, clinicians, educators, and leaders in the field, not graduate assistants. You'll leave with mentors, not just credits.
Regionally accredited, nonprofit
APU Global is WSCUC-accredited and a mission-driven nonprofit. Your degree carries the credibility of a Christian university heritage dating back to 1899, and your tuition funds your education, not shareholders.
One team, start to finish
Three named people stay with you: an enrollment counselor through admission, a success coach through course planning and graduation, and a student accounts specialist for aid and billing. Free 24/7 tutoring and writing support through Tutor.com is included.

Curriculum

Coursework and credit breakdown

This program takes 36 credits of coursework to graduate. The worksheet below mirrors the Academic Catalog category by category with verbatim course titles and credit values.

Where your credits land

Transfer-credit worksheet

Major Requirements12 courses36 credits

Courses you take at APU Global for this program.

CourseCredits

Total credits to graduate36 credits

The Academic Catalog page for this program is the official source for degree requirements.

Career outcomes

Where Public Service graduates go to work

Median salary

$106,470

Range $64,000 – $172,000

10-year job growth

+5%

U.S. BLS, Administrative Services & Facilities Managers, 2024–34 projection

Top industries

· Public safety administration
· Transportation & infrastructure
· Housing & community development
· Parks & utility districts

Common job titles

City / Assistant City Manager$116,000
Urban & Regional Planner$83,720
Emergency Management Director$83,960
Social & Community Service Manager$79,920

Types of employers hiring for these roles

City and county governmentState agenciesSpecial districts and public authoritiesRelief and development organizationsPolicy and research organizations

Salary and job growth figures are national data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook (2024). Employer categories reflect where these roles are commonly posted, not a list of APU Global hiring partners. Outcomes vary by region, experience, and program of study.

Faculty

Faculty in this program

Working scholars and practitioners who teach in this field. You'll be taught by them, not graduate assistants.

Michael Knetzger

Criminal Justice / Public Administration

Latricia Kyle

Criminal Justice / Public Administration

View full faculty directory →

Tuition & aid

Tuition, transfer credit, and financial aid

Our 2025–26 tuition rate is $680 per credit. Every figure below is calculated from that rate, so what you see here is what you pay.

Cost per credit: $680 (2025–26 graduate rate)
Estimated cost: About $24,480 for the 36 credits of program coursework, before aid. Your total depends on how much credit transfers in.
Financial aid: FAFSA-eligible. Federal loans, Pell Grant, Yellow Ribbon, employer billing and deferred payment, and institutional scholarships.
Military: Active-duty and veteran service members and their spouses receive a 10% tuition discount, on top of GI Bill® and Yellow Ribbon benefits.
Fees: No application fee, no technology fee, no graduation fee.

Run your own numbers with the tuition calculator, see the full tuition and aid breakdown, or review how transfer credit is evaluated.

Admissions

What you'll need

Completed online application (no fee)
Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution
Official transcripts (3.0 GPA preferred)

Request info

Get the program info packet

An enrollment counselor responds within one business day with a personalized cost estimate, a transfer-credit review, and your fastest path to graduation.

Next start: September 8, 2026
Application deadline: August 22, 2026
No application fee

FAQ

Common questions

Format, cost, transfer credit, and start dates for this program, answered before you apply.

Yes. This program is delivered 100% online with no required campus visits or live class meetings. Coursework is asynchronous with weekly deadlines, and everything you need, including the digital library and 24/7 Tutor.com support, is reachable from the Digital Campus.