Quick Highlights
Government agencies, nonprofits and public media outlets often need communicators who can explain complex issues to the people they serve. Arkansas State University’s online M.S. in Media Management, Public Administration program combines media communications with administrative coursework for roles in government, public media and nonprofits. The program is 30 credits and can be completed in as few as 12 months.
If you work in government, nonprofit, public media or organizational communications, the next career step may be moving from delivering messages to leading the teams, strategies and operations behind them. The online Master of Science (M.S.) in Media Management, Public Administration program at Arkansas State University (A-State) offers concentration courses on topics including administrative leadership, ethics and human resources, as well as core media management courses. Unlike a traditional Master of Public Administration (MPA), this degree combines media communications coursework with public administration studies, making it a distinctive option for professionals who manage public-facing communication efforts.
Public and Nonprofit Media Careers by Employer Type
Where you work shapes the job and the pay: a city public information officer, a public broadcaster’s development director and a nonprofit communications manager use similar media skills in different settings. Median pay differs by employer type and level, and BLS reports specialist and manager roles separately.
| Employer type | Typical titles | What the job involves | Pay data (BLS, May 2025) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Government agencies | Public information officer, communications director, public affairs specialist | Keeps the public informed about officials, programs and emergencies | $81,350 public relations (PR) specialists and $127,720 for PR managers in government, excluding state and local education and hospitals |
| Nonprofits and advocacy | Media relations specialist, communications manager | Tells the mission’s story to donors, members and policymakers | $71,720 for PR specialists in grantmaking, giving and social advocacy organizations; $134,400 for PR managers in religious, grantmaking, civic and professional organizations |
| Healthcare and higher education | Communications specialist, public affairs director | Manages news, internal messaging and reputation for an institution | $64,550 for PR specialists in healthcare and social assistance and $66,220 in educational services; $116,650 for PR managers in educational services |
| Public media and educational broadcasting | Producer, outreach manager, development communications manager | Builds audience, member and underwriter relationships for noncommercial media | BLS does not report pay separately for public or noncommercial media. Closest categories across all industries: producers and directors, $90,360; fundraising managers, $125,470. |
Important Note
BLS reports national median pay by occupation and industry, not by degree, and public relations and fundraising manager roles typically require five or more years of related experience. Use these figures to compare employer types; they are not a promise of a job or raise.
What the Track Teaches
Public information work draws on research, regulation and audience skills, and the core covers all three. The core curriculum consists of six courses (18 credit hours), including:
- Advanced Studies in Broadcast Management
- Theory of Mass Communication
- Quantitative Research Methods
- Communication Regulation and Policy
- Audience Market Analysis
- Media Management Applications capstone
The Public Administration concentration adds four courses (12 credit hours), allowing students to tailor the program to public-sector and nonprofit leadership interests:
- Administrative Behavior
- Seminar in Public Administration
- Seminar in Human Resources Management
- Administrative Leadership
- Administrative Ethics
- Advertising Account Management
- Social Media in Strategic Communication
Administrative Leadership, Administrative Ethics and Seminar in Human Resources Management apply to managing people and decisions inside a public organization. The full curriculum is on A-State’s online M.S. in Media Management – Public Administration track page.
Public Information and Crisis Response
Public information officers are expected to inform the public accurately and quickly, and a crisis tests that expectation. Communication Regulation and Policy and Administrative Ethics are the track courses most relevant to that work.
Nancy Meador, then a communications coordinator at First Electric Cooperative in Jacksonville, Arkansas, described how the broader Media Management curriculum influenced her approach to communications and stakeholder engagement: “It makes you stop and think before you draft a news release or post something on social media about what message you are sending and how it will be interpreted by your stakeholders.” Read her story.
Commercial Media Fields as a Bridge
If you want to stay close to commercial media, Audience Market Analysis in the core is the most relevant course. Advertising Account Management and Social Media in Strategic Communication are matching concentration choices.
BLS reports a 2025 median annual salary of $62,200 for news analysts, reporters and journalists, $77,920 for editors and $74,750 for public relations specialists. All three typically require a bachelor’s degree; Advanced Studies in Broadcast Management and Administrative Leadership are relevant to supervising people in these roles.
Is an M.S. in Media Management, Public Administration Track Right for You?
Yes, if one of the circumstances below describes your current role or the one you want next. Check each statement that fits:
- You work in a city, state agency, utility or school system and handle public information.
- You run communications at a nonprofit and want the management and ethics grounding to lead it.
- You want to manage a public media or educational broadcasting operation.
- You are seeking a flexible online master’s degree that can be completed in as few as 12 months.
Admission is based on factors including academic background, professional experience, a resume, a letter of recommendation and a statement of purpose. Prospective students should review current admissions requirements before applying. Applicants without either can address that in their statement.
Important Note
Total tuition is currently $10,500. Tuition and fees are subject to change. A nonrefundable $30 application fee also applies. Completing the program in as few as 12 months depends on taking courses in the program’s seven-week terms (five weeks in summer).
If you lead or want to lead public information, nonprofit or public media communications, explore Arkansas State University’s online M.S. in Media Management, Public Administration program.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is an M.S. in Media Management, Public Administration the same as a Master of Public Administration?
No. This track is a 30-credit media degree with public administration coursework. The Master of Public Administration is a separate 36-credit degree for public service leadership.
How long does it take and what does it cost?
Students can complete the program in as few as 12 months. Total tuition is currently $10,500. Tuition and fees are subject to change. A nonrefundable $30 application fee also applies.
What can I do with the M.S. in Media Management, Public Administration besides government work?
The media core also fits roles in nonprofit communications, public media, healthcare, higher education communications, journalism, advertising and public relations.