Public Management and Public Services often come in the same field because both focus on the community’s needs and demands. Despite some of their shared duties, these majors are very different.
Both fields aim to improve society, but management and services approach this goal from distinct perspectives and with different methods. Public Management involves strategic planning, resource allocation, and policy implementation, while Public Service involves direct interaction with individuals and communities.
In addition to their methods, Public Management and Public Services have other key differences. This includes their career Return on Investment (ROI). While both fields offer opportunities for meaningful work and societal impact, the nature of the ROI can vary significantly.
A Quick Look At the Differences Between Public Management and Public Service
Public Management emphasizes leadership and strategic planning within governmental contexts, while Public Service encompasses a broader spectrum of roles dedicated to serving the public good, ranging from frontline workers to policymakers across various sectors.
Let’s explore the key features of each discipline:
| Public Management | Public Service | |
| Average Salaries | $92,198 | $62,575 |
| Job Growth | 6 percent from 2022 to 2032 | 6 percent from 2022 to 2032 |
| Focus and Scope | Administration, organization, and implementation of policies and programs within the public sector. | Covers several job responsibilities but mainly delivers services and assistance to the community. |
| Education Required | Master’s in Public Management | It will depend on which Public Service sector you pursue |
What is Public Management?
Public Management is where managerial operations for the public take place. Public administration aims to optimize the effectiveness and guarantee the caliber of services provided by public organizations.
Public Management is actually used in both nonprofit and governmental organizations. It manages the Public Service delivery system using business and management strategies from the commercial sector.
As a public manager, your task will also involve interpreting public policies and exacting the necessary course of action to deliver. You can work internally or externally within the private, nonprofit, and public sectors with the responsibility of making the most use of available resources and seeing that projects under your direction succeed.
There are several challenges you’ll face in Public Management. Before pursuing a career in this industry, you should be aware of the most common challenges, which include:
- Developing effective strategies for communication and collaboration with political leaders and within the regulatory framework.
- Establishing and maintaining connections with diverse networks of organizations spanning public, private, and nonprofit sectors and engaging with citizens and clients to foster transparency and responsiveness.
- Implementing efficient management practices within their organizations to ensure clarity of objectives, accountability, and optimal performance among staff.
Public Management: Education and Career Path
A Public Management degree will be interdisciplinary at the undergraduate/bachelor’s level. This means you can expect various disciplines to be integrated into your curriculum, including Political Science, Economics, Strategic Planning, and Human Resources. This level will prepare you for entry-level roles in public and private firms dealing with government agencies.
With a bachelor’s degree in Public Management, you can assume positions as
- Public Administrator
- Policy Analyst
- Budget Analyst
After earning your bachelor’s degree, you can pursue professional experiences or directly enroll for advanced studies. The most common continuing education pursued by Public Management is a Master of Public Management (MPM).
However, you have other options, including a Higher Certificate in Public Management (HCPM), a Postgraduate Diploma in Public Management (PDPM), or a Public Administration and Management Diploma (PAMD).
An MPM degree will open doors to higher roles and career advancement opportunities. MPM programs focus on ethical leadership and sound governance in the Public Service. As a student, you will undergo training to increase your potential to accomplish the more ambitious objectives of transforming communities and strengthening the country.
MPM title holders can pursue leadership positions, such as:
- Urban and Regional Planner
- Community Relations Manager
- City Manager
- Director of Economic Development
- Senior Policy Analyst
- Budget Manager
If you want to teach at postsecondary institutions, you should obtain a Ph.D.
Public Management ROI: Education Cost and Salaries
On-campus learning is costly, which is why many students are now opting for online programs. According to the US News and World Report, Public Management can cost between $25,000 and $68,000 in tuition for a four-year degree program. An on-campus master’s degree costs an average of $20,513.
If you don’t have the financial resources to pursue a graduate degree program, you can opt for short, career-focused postgraduate certificates and diplomas. These options will provide you with specialized skills at a fraction of the time and cost of a traditional degree program.
Public Management salaries vary greatly, depending on which sector you pursue a career in. However, ZipRecruiter listed an average salary of $92,198 per year for public sector management jobs.
A career in Public Management is for you if:
- You place a high value on your leadership skills.
- You have a desire to reshape relationships between the government and the public.
- You want to impact your local, state, and federal governments directly.
A career in Public Management is not a great fit if:
- You want a slower-paced career. Public Management careers are dynamic and constantly changing due to their strong connection to the sociopolitical context in which they operate.
- You don’t want to focus on various issues at a time. Public Management frequently has to respond to changes in various fields, including public health policy and urban planning.
What is Public Service?
As a taxpayer, have you ever wondered where your taxes go? Well, your taxes help support local, state, or federal government projects for the betterment of communities.
By definition, services rendered to the broad public by a public body are considered Public Services. Public Service also includes aid rendered by nonprofit, philanthropic groups, which may operate entirely independently of any government.
Thus, Public Service can be seen as an act carried out by an organization whose goal is to further the greater good rather than to benefit the organization itself.
Public Service and Administration workers are often called public servants. Public Management is under the purview of Public Service. The main difference is that Public Service encompasses a broader spectrum of roles and responsibilities beyond just management. Public Service extends to all activities and positions dedicated to serving the public good.
Their employment position mostly determines a public servant’s particular responsibility. Public servants can include not only managers and administrators but also frontline workers, policymakers, social workers, educators, healthcare professionals, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and many others.
However, the main tasks of a public servant include:
- Offering customers/the public direct consultation services and specialized programs.
- Conducting needs analyses and creating services and systems.
- Creating, hiring, and implementing programs that are both specialized and have a wide scope.
- Providing advice and consultations with a high degree of independence in a complex specialty field.
- Performing highly influential performance evaluations.
- Increasing funding from outside sources by creating tailored growth plans.
- Use individual discretion to do tasks under general supervision.
Public Service: Education and Career Path
There are several types of Public Service careers. Earning a bachelor’s degree is your starting point. To rise through the ranks, you need to earn a Master of Public Service degree and pursue a doctorate for research-focused work.
Here are some of the most popular Public Service career paths and the required training and education.
- Politics, Policy, and Advocacy
- If you want to be part of these fields, you need to earn these degrees:
- Attorney: Bachelor’s, LLM, and JD
- Politicians: Bachelor’s and Master’s In History, Political Science, or Business
- Lobbyist: Bachelor’s in Political Science, Public Relations, Law, Communications, or Economics
- If you want to be part of these fields, you need to earn these degrees:
- Education
- Foundations, NGOs, and Nonprofits
- Intelligence and Security
- International Development and Humanitarianism
- This work falls into two categories:
- High-level diplomacy. This includes politics and management positions requiring a bachelor’s degree and relevant experience.
- On-the-ground work. This includes constructing infrastructure or providing medical care. Experience is preferred.
- This work falls into two categories:
- International Relations and Cultural Diplomacy
- Federal, Tribal, State, and Local Government
Public Service ROI: Education Cost and Salaries
The education cost for a career in Public Service varies significantly. But the average costs of undergraduate tuition are as follows:
For a master’s degree, the averages are:
According to ZipRecruiter, Public Service and government employees make $62,575 on average. The highest-paid employees are those in the medical, technical, and engineering fields.
A career in Public Service is for you if:
- You are committed to serving the needs of your community or country. This means that you are ready to put public interests first – ahead of your interests.
- You have a strong sense of ethics and integrity.
- You want to be involved in regularly adapting policies and services to meet current needs.
A career in Public Service is not a great fit if:
- You dislike the challenge of navigating complex problems or systems.
- You struggle with public speaking.
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