People who work in public service, from workers in government offices to military service members and legislators, often feel drawn to the opportunity to make a positive difference in people's lives and create a better society.
Government and public administration careers available with a high school diploma include transportation security screeners, court clerks, postmasters, and license clerks.
An associate’s degree or certificate program is required for: eligibility interviewers for government programs, aviation inspectors, many compliance officer positions, coroners, construction and building inspectors, and tax examiners.
Many fields in this cluster require a bachelor’s degree or further education, for example: city managers, policy or budget analysts, parks directors, federal or state agency directors, urban planners, financial examiners, regulatory affairs specialists, statistical assistants, and real estate appraisers.
Military occupations vary tremendously; enlisted service members may operate equipment, conduct combat operations, or build airfields, bridges, and water purification systems.
They must complete basic military and specialty training after signing on. Officers typically enter the military with a bachelor’s degree, and perform duties such as organizing operations, managing enlisted personnel and providing medical, legal, and technical services.
Legislators must be elected to hold office; they create laws and oversee government operations at different levels. Typically, they have at least a bachelor’s degree and a law degree is common, though most offices have no formal education requirements.
Is a career in Government and Public Administration for you? Keep these points in mind:
- Careers in this cluster may offer the opportunity to influence public policy and programs that impact many people’s lives.
- In general, people who work in government and public administration experience high job satisfaction.
- Typically, 9-to-5 work schedules (without overtime), flexible schedules, and part-time opportunities are more common than in private sector jobs.
- Elected positions require campaigning, public speaking, handling conflict, and maintaining voter support.
- High-demand fields include government program eligibility interviewers, construction and building inspectors, license clerks, and revenue agents.