The Bush School of Government & Public Service

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Funding & Cost Overview

Master of Public Service & Administration 5-year (3+2) Degrees 

5Year-MPSA Funding & Cost

Overview | Cost | Funding | Return on Investment

Financial assistance comes in many forms for students pursuing a bachelor’s degree at Texas A&M University in one of the following undergraduate majors and a Master of Public Service & Administration in five years:

  • Political Science
  • Economics
  • Sociology
  • Agricultural Economics
  • Wildlife & Fisheries Sciences (for those admitted to Texas A&M prior to or for fall 2022)
  • Range, Wildlife & Fisheries Sciences (for those admitted to Texas A&M for fall 2023 or after)

The centerpiece of our funding are competitive Bush School Scholarships, which provide some support for our students. The Bush School is dedicated to making graduate education affordable. We know the majority of our students are seeking purpose-driven lives and cannot take on an enormous amount of debt. By providing some financial assistance, The Bush School supports students choosing jobs that matter to them. Alumni are free to pursue their passions, not their pocketbook, as they enter the workforce.

For that reason, all admitted students enrolled full-time in the Master of Public Service & Administration 3+2 program will receive funding assistance from The Bush School. That’s right, you will receive funding help! No separate funding application is required for our scholarship awards.

The cost and funding for the student’s first three years of undergraduate study at Texas A&M University is entirely through the student’s undergraduate program. Refer to the SBS Tuition Calculator for an estimate of undergraduate tuition and required fees. Consult your undergraduate department for funding opportunities.

During the student’s fourth and fifth years when enrolled in the 3+2 MIA program, the student’s cost and funding is bit different. In the student’s fourth year, students are still billed undergraduate tuition and fees, but will receive a $1,000 competitive Bush School Scholarship of some amount. In the student’s fifth year, students are billed graduate tuition and fees and are eligible to receive a higher Bush School Scholarship.

Refer to the Cost & Funding pages for additional information.

Tips for Funding your Education

Student’s in their fourth year at Texas A&M (first year in the MIA) are classified as U4 student and charged undergraduate tuition rates. However, students in their fifth year at Texas A&M (second year in the MIA) are now classified as a G7 graduate student. Graduate aid is packaged differently from undergraduate aid, so familiarize yourself on the various funding options.

For starters, grad school applicants are considered independent, so you are tagged for higher need. This means that you may qualify for aid in the form of loans, especially those with competitive interest rates. But before you start borrowing, be sure to look for money you don’t have to pay back.

Order of Financing

  1. Free Money
    • Scholarships / Fellowships – earned through merit, eligibility criteria, or need
    • Grants – usually given based on financial need; often state based 
    • Waivers – avoiding certain fees based on designations or qualifications; can include waiving non-resident tuition, application fees, and more.
  2. Earned Money
    • Work – seek on-campus or off-campus options.
    • Graduate Assistantships – work for faculty or staff in research, teaching, or support roles; most require 20 hours per week and may include some tuition remission and insurance benefits.
    • Military Benefits – utilize GI Bill, Hazelwood, and other earned support.
  3. Borrowed Money
    • Loans (fill out FAFSA) –borrowed money that has to be repaid, with interest, usually after you graduate/leave the university
      • Subsidized – government pays the interest until you graduate.
      • Unsubsidized – you pay interest throughout, including while in school and in deferment periods.
      • Private – also pay interest throughout; check those interest rates!

Financial Resources

Check out some helpful financial resources from some sites below to help you learn more about financing your graduate education, navigating student loan options, and what to consider when taking on more debt. These are just a few of the hundreds of sites out there.

Return on Investment: Is it worth it?

We know you are asking yourself “Is a master’s degree really worth it?” As with any decision, you have to look at the whole picture.

Obviously, the biggest benefit of the 5-year/3+2 program is the ability for students to double count 15-18 credit hours of Bush School courses toward their bachelor’s and MPSA, allowing them to earn both degrees in only five years. As a result, the student pays tuition and fees for five years, instead of six (4-year bachelors + 2-year MPSA).

Not only does the 5-year MPSA save students time and money, but also allows them to build specialized skills and expand their career network to match their desired interest in the job market. The Bush School has a dedicated Career & Student Services team committed to helping students in their career development, as demonstrated by our employment statistics. Of course, how quickly you get a job and how closely it matches your interests depend on many factors, including how diligently you search and how prepared you are for your search, the economy, your qualifications, your desired location, your salary expectations, etc. By taking advantage of Bush School resources in the Office of Student Services, and by continually developing your network of contacts, you will increase your chances of securing a job upon graduation.

Other factors to consider when determining the value of the MPSA:

  • What are your long-term career goals?
    Most students who pursue the 5-year MPSA degree are young and lack professional experience. Therefore, some struggle to know with certainty if the Public Service career field is right for them. We encourage students applying to the 3+2 program to attend lectures, speak to people in their field of interest, complete an internship, or work part-time somewhere prior to applying so they have some idea if an international affairs career is what they want. The more committed a student is to the degree, and can show that growth, the more successful they can be.
  • What salary are you looking at earning upon graduation?
    Most students who earn a master’s degree in public affairs related fields enter careers in the state or local government, whose starting salaries vary greatly depending on the specific sector and location of the job. Research careers you’re interested in, then research salaries in the locations you are considering. Ask colleagues in those fields what you would likely make upon graduation. Inquire through employers to see if they could provide starting salary ranges.

    For students entering a career in the federal government, your salary will be determined using a General Schedule (GS) pay scale. An employee’s base pay depends on their GS Paygrade of their job and the Paygrade Step they have achieved. Most students who graduate with a masters are looking at entering a federal government career at the GS-9 pay grade. Let’s compare two locations for 2022 with and without a master’s degree:


    • Washington, DC – A starting salary for a bachelor’s degree typically starts at a GS-7 pay grade, which offers a minimum salary (step 1) of $50,643 in the nation’s capital. With your master’s degree completed, alumni move to the GS-9 level, which pays a minimum salary (step 1) of $61,947.

    • Houston, TX – A starting salary for a bachelor’s level at a GS-7 pay grade in Houston offers a minimum salary (step 1) at $51,579. With your master’s degree completed, alumni qualify at the GS-9 level, which pays a minimum salary (step 1) of $63,091

This means that earning your master’s degree helps qualify you for an additional $11,000 per year for the rest of your federal working career. Now, knowing how much you can earn, just how much debt are you willing to take on?

  • How long will it take you to pay off school debt?
    Using any of the online debt payoff calculators, you can calculate your expected payoff date using the monthly payment you feel you would be comfortable making upon graduation. Keep in mind the salary you will be earning as you decide on the monthly payment you are comfortable making.
    For example:
    The average interest rate for a student loan is 5.28%. Let’s say you make monthly payments of $600 to pay off your student loans in the amount of $77,369 ($29,314 for fourth year + $8,431 in tuition/fees the fifth year + $20,610 for cost of living in the fifth year). With an interest rate of 5.28%, your estimated payoff date for the loan would be July 2038.

We leave it to you to dive deeper into the cost-benefit analysis. After all, you have a better idea/definitive cost of attendance in your undergraduate college (for your fourth year) and how much debt you are willing to take on. You can reach out to us if we can address your concerns or questions. Staff, faculty, and current students are ready to help!