by our College Data Analytics TeamStudying Non-Profit/Public/Organizational Management involves the study of Non-Profit/public/organizational Management. A Program That Prepares Individuals To Manage The Business Affairs Of Non-Profit Corporations, Including Foundations, Educational Institutions, Associations, And Other Such Organizations, And Public Agencies And Governmental Operations. Includes Instruction In Business Management, Principles Of Public Administration, Principles Of Accounting And Financial Management, Human Resources Management, Taxation Of Non-Profit Organizations, And Business Law As Applied To Non-Profit Organizations. Continue reading for the essential details every non-profit/public/organizational management student should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering non-profit/public/organizational management programs.
In the U.S., non-profit/public/organizational management is a widely-pursued major, with 2,454 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Non-Profit/Public/Organizational Management Schools ranking analyzes these 185 schools to determine the best overall colleges for non-profit/public/organizational management students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of non-profit/public/organizational management programs later in this article.
Coursework for Non-Profit/Public/Organizational Management develop a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations non-profit/public/organizational management graduates commonly enter.
Skills emphasized by a non-profit/public/organizational management program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
According to O*NET, a non-profit/public/organizational management major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several non-profit/public/organizational management degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 12 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 19 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 528 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 1,885 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 9 |
People currently working in careers related to non-profit/public/organizational management tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 47.9% |
| Master’s degree | 25.9% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 5.7% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 4.4% |
| Doctoral degree | 4.2% |
| Some college courses | 4.1% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 2.8% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 1.9% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 1.7% |
| Post-doctoral training | 0.6% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 0.4% |
| First professional degree | 0.4% |
View the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in non-profit/public/organizational management careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Majoring in non-profit/public/organizational management opens doors to a variety of career paths. These are some of the most common occupations related to non-profit/public/organizational management.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to non-profit/public/organizational management.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Financial Specialists, All Other | 691,110 | 6.5% |
| Fraud Examiners, Investigators and Analysts | 471,150 | -1.2% |
| Managers, All Other | 468,025 | 6.2% |
| Chief Sustainability Officers | 440,982 | 0.5% |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | 419,330 | 8.8% |
| Chief Executives | 374,558 | -2.8% |
| Fundraising Managers | 340,731 | -1.0% |
| Financial Quantitative Analysts | 337,391 | 10.7% |
The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of non-profit/public/organizational management graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $62,537 |
| 4 years | $63,883 |
| 5 years | $71,749 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for non-profit/public/organizational management graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers non-profit/public/organizational management grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Wind Energy Development Managers | $169,952 |
| Loss Prevention Managers | $165,723 |
| Social and Community Service Managers | $156,089 |
| General and Operations Managers | $149,694 |
| Chief Executives | $138,534 |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | $129,557 |
| Financial Quantitative Analysts | $126,371 |
| Wind Energy Operations Managers | $122,567 |
With 185 different non-profit/public/organizational management programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased non-profit/public/organizational management school rankings to help you.
Students interested in non-profit/public/organizational management, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Business Administration and Management, General | 336,590 |
| Organizational Leadership | 15,674 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations, Other | 12,497 |
| Operations Management and Supervision | 12,273 |
| Logistics, Materials, and Supply Chain Management | 10,865 |
| Project Management | 4,784 |
| Office Management and Supervision | 3,126 |
| Retail Management | 1,434 |
| Purchasing, Procurement/Acquisitions and Contracts Management | 1,230 |
| Transportation/Mobility Management | 579 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
