by our College Data Analytics TeamWe've pulled together some essential information you should know about the program, including how many students graduate each year, the ethnic diversity of these students, average starting salaries, and more. We've also included details on how Vanderbilt ranks compared to other colleges offering a major in public policy.
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The bachelor's program at Vanderbilt was ranked #19 on College Factual's Best Schools for public policy list. It is also ranked #1 in Tennessee.
| Ranking Type | Rank |
|---|---|
| Best Public Policy Master’s Degree Schools | 11 |
| Best Public Policy Graduate Degree Schools | 13 |
| Best Public Policy Bachelor’s Degree Schools | 16 |
| Best Public Policy Schools | 19 |
During the 2021-2022 academic year, Vanderbilt University handed out 42 bachelor's degrees in public policy. This is an increase of 20% over the previous year when 35 degrees were handed out.
In 2022, 24 students received their master’s degree in public policy from Vanderbilt. This makes it the #33 most popular school for public policy master’s degree candidates in the country.
The median salary of public policy students who receive their bachelor's degree at Vanderbilt is $57,023. This is higher than $44,740, which is the national median for all public policy bachelor's degree recipients.
During the 2022-2023 academic year, part-time undergraduate students at Vanderbilt paid an average of $2,567 per credit hour. No discount was available for in-state students. Information about average full-time undergraduate tuition and fees is shown in the table below.
| In State | Out of State | |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | $61,618 | $61,618 |
| Fees | $2,328 | $2,328 |
| Books and Supplies | $1,194 | $1,194 |
| On Campus Room and Board | $21,054 | $21,054 |
| On Campus Other Expenses | $3,396 | $3,396 |
Learn more about Vanderbilt tuition and fees.
Of the 42 students who earned a bachelor's degree in Public Policy from Vanderbilt in 2021-2022, 45% were men and 55% were women.
The majority of bachelor's degree recipients in this major at Vanderbilt are white. In the most recent graduating class for which data is available, 52% of students fell into this category.
The following table and chart show the ethnic background for students who recently graduated from Vanderbilt University with a bachelor's in public policy.
| Ethnic Background | Number of Students |
|---|---|
| Asian | 3 |
| Black or African American | 9 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 6 |
| White | 22 |
| Non-Resident Aliens | 1 |
| Other Races | 1 |
Online degrees for the Vanderbilt public policy bachelor’s degree program are not available at this time. To see if the school offers distance learning options in other areas, visit the Vanderbilt Online Learning page.
Public Policy majors graduating with a master's degree from Vanderbilt make a median salary of $63,324 a year. This is a better than average outcome since the median salary for all public policy graduates with a master's is $61,558.
For the most recent academic year available, 38% of public policy master's degrees went to men and 63% went to women.
The majority of master's degree recipients in this major at Vanderbilt are white. In the most recent graduating class for which data is available, 75% of students fell into this category.
The following table and chart show the ethnic background for students who recently graduated from Vanderbilt University with a master's in public policy.
| Ethnic Background | Number of Students |
|---|---|
| Asian | 1 |
| Black or African American | 1 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 2 |
| White | 12 |
| Non-Resident Aliens | 0 |
| Other Races | 0 |
Take a look at the following statistics related to the make-up of the public policy majors at Vanderbilt University.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Community Organization & Advocacy | 17 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.