La Follette School of Public Affairs
Inspiring evidence-based policymaking

Graduate career outcomes

Learn where our master’s degree graduates found work by employer and sector.

Where our 2023 graduates work

Pie chart of six-month job outcomes for 2023 graduates of our master’s degree programs. Placements are as follows: 2.4% local government, 42.9% state government, 14.3% federal government, 16.7% NGO or nonprofit, 16.7% private sector, and 7.1% are pursuing further education.

Data shows where students who earned one of our master’s degrees in 2023 found work six months after graduating.

Of 43 La Follette School 2023 Master of Public Affairs (MPA) and Master of International Public Affairs (MIPA) graduates, 40 entered the workforce and three sought additional degrees. Of those entering the workforce, 97.5% (39 out of 40 graduates) reported that they had secured employment in their fields by December 2023.

Of those who secured employment, 95% of graduates found jobs focused on domestic policy and management and 5% found jobs focused on international policy and management.

Employers that hired our 2023 graduates

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Local Government (2.4%)

  • Waukesha County

State Government (42.9%)

  • Wisconsin Department of Corrections
  • County Health Rankings & Roadmaps
  • Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau
  • Public Service Commission
  • Wisconsin Department of Health Services
  • Wisconsin Legislative Audit Bureau
  • Department of Workforce Development
  • Arizona Joint Legislative Budget Committee
  • Legislative Audit Bureau
  • State of Maine Department of Labor
  • WISDOT

Federal Government (14.3%)

  • Government Accountability Office
  • USAID (United States Agency for International Development)
  • Veterans Benefits Administration
  • Peace Corps
  • U.S. Department of Labor

NGO/Nonprofit (16.7%)

  • Madison Regional Economic Partnership (MadREP)
  • University of Wisconsin–Madison
  • Wisconsin School of Business, UW-Madison
  • Great Lakes Intertribal Food Coalition
  • Community Service Society of NY
  • CALSTART

Private Sector (16.7%)

  • Associated Physicians, LLP
  • Alight Solutions
  • Hoffman
  • University of Chicago – UrbanLabs
  • MetaPhase consulting
  • Management Science and Innovation
  • Mathematica

Career outcomes by graduation year

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Class of 2022 career outcomes

Of 46 La Follette School 2022 Master of Public Affairs (MPA) and Master of International Public Affairs (MIPA) graduates, 42 entered the workforce and four sought additional degrees. Of those entering the workforce, 93% (39 out of 42 graduates) reported that they had secured employment in their fields by December 2022.

Of those who secured employment, 93% of graduates found jobs focused on domestic policy and management and 2% found jobs focused on international policy and management, and 5% have jobs that focus on both areas.

Pie chart of job placement of the Class of 2022 (MPA/MIPA) six months after graduation. Placements are as follows: 7% local government, 34.9% state government, 9.3% federal government, 16.3% non-profit, 23.3% private sector, and 9.3% are pursuing further education.

Employers by sector

Local government (7%)
  • Bakersfield California City Council
  • Dane County
  • Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office
State government (34.9%)
  • Colorado Department of Higher Education
  • New York State Senate
  • Office of Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers
  • Wisconsin Department of Children and Families (DCF)
  • Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WISDOT)
  • Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS)
  • Wisconsin DHS, Bureau of Rate Setting, Division of Medicaid Services
  • Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI)
  • Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC)
  • Wisconsin Legislative Audit Bureau (LAB)
  • Wisconsin Public Service Commission (PSC)
  • Wisconsin State Budget Office
Federal government (9.3%)
  • Federal Highway Administration, Colorado Division
  • Housing and Urban Development
  • U.S. Department of Energy (contracted to Pacific Northwest National Laboratory)
  • U.S. Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy
NGO/Nonprofit (16.3%)
  • Children’s Institute
  • Data for Progress
  • Down Syndrome Association of Wisconsin
  • Electrification Coalition
  • Iowa State Public Science Collaborative
  • Kids Forward
  • University of Wisconsin–Madison
Private sector (23.3%)
  • Albee Law PC
  • Breakwater Solutions
  • Gorman Company
  • Grant Thornton/Guidehouse
  • Mathematica Policy Research
Pursuing additional graduate school (9.3%)
  • University of Wisconsin–Madison Ph.D. programs
  • University of Wisconsin–Madison Law School