Joint Program in Survey Methodology (JPSM)

What Joint Program in Survey Methodology (JPSM) does

Joint Program in Survey Methodology (JPSM), founded in 1993, is a graduate academic program housed within the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences at the University of Maryland, College Park. It educates survey methodologists, survey statisticians, and data scientists through an MS in Survey and Data Science (46 credits, three specialization tracks: Statistical Science, Social and Psychological Science, and Data Science), a PhD program, an online Master's in Professional Studies (30 credits), three online graduate certificates, professional short courses, and joint AAPOR/JPSM Citation Programs. Faculty are drawn from the University of Maryland, the University of Michigan, and Westat, and the program is STEM-designated for international students.

Technically, JPSM delivers both online and on-site instruction covering sampling theory, questionnaire design, survey weighting, data visualization, machine learning for social science, and statistical modeling using R, Python, SQL, SAS, and STATA. Research capabilities include the Social Data Science Center (SoDa) and large-scale applied work such as the Global COVID-19 Trends and Impact Survey partnership with Facebook.

Revenue is generated through tuition and fees rather than commercial sales. The MS program costs approximately $1,260 per credit (flat rate regardless of residency, including for federal employees), with a 46-credit MS totaling roughly $56,258 in tuition plus $2,908 in university fees. Short courses are priced at $700 for the general public and $600 for AAPOR members, with an introductory course at $400. Additional revenue streams include application fees ($75 one-time) and certificate program tuition. The program does not generate traditional company revenue and instead operates as a self-sustaining academic unit within the University of Maryland.

Name

Joint Program in Survey Methodology (JPSM)

Legal name

Joint Program in Survey Methodology (JPSM)

Website

https://jpsm.umd.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

JPSM is a graduate academic program at the University of Maryland offering MS, PhD, certificates, and short courses in survey methodology and data science, serving working professionals and federal statistical agency staff.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

College Park

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Graduate Tuition: JPSM charges a flat tuition rate per credit hour for its graduate programs. The M.S. program costs $1,223 per credit (Fall 2025) or $1,260 per credit (Fall 2026), with a 46-credit program totaling approximately $56,258 in tuition plus fees.
2. Short Course Fees: Professional development short courses offered at $700 per course for the general public and $600 for AAPOR members. Introduction to Survey and Data Science costs $400 for all participants.
3. Certificate Programs: Online Graduate Certificates in Fundamentals of Survey Methodology, Survey Statistics, and Survey and Data Science with tuition charged per credit at the JPSM flat rate.
4. Application Fees: One-time application fee of $75 for admissions processing.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

JPSM is an academic graduate program offering an M.S. in Survey and Data Science, a Ph.D. in Survey Methodology, an online Master's in Professional Studies (MPDS), three online graduate certificates in survey methodology and statistics, JPSM Short Courses for professional development, and joint AAPOR/JPSM citation programs. All offerings are centered on educating survey methodologists, statisticians, and data scientists through degree, certificate, and professional development pathways.

Product overview

JPSM is an academic program offering a portfolio of educational products including graduate degrees (M.S. and Ph.D. in Survey and Data Science), online professional degrees (MPDS), graduate certificates, professional short courses, and citation programs. The M.S. program has three specialized tracks (Statistical Science, Social and Psychological Science, Data Science), while the short courses and citation programs provide flexible professional development options. All programs focus on survey methodology, data collection, statistical analysis, and data science skills.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• M.S. in Survey and Data Science
• Ph.D. in Survey and Data Science
• Online Master's in Professional Studies (MPDS)
• Online Graduate Certificate in Fundamentals of Survey Methodology (Z127)
• Online Graduate Certificate in Fundamentals of Survey Statistics (Z133)
• Online Graduate Certificate in Fundamentals of Survey and Data Science (Z129)
• Non-Degree Seeking Student Courses
• JPSM Short Courses
• AAPOR/JPSM Citation in Survey Methodology
• AAPOR/JPSM Citation in Data Analytics for Social Science

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% job placement rate for graduates
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• FacebookmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 April 2020JPSM partnered with Facebook to conduct the Global COVID-19 Trends and Impact Survey, a large-scale data collection initiative tracking COVID-19 symptoms and trends worldwide. This partnership leveraged JPSM's survey methodology expertise with Facebook's reach for real-time pandemic data.
• World BankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJPSM-World Bank Training Program in Sampling Techniques provides specialized training in survey sampling methods to World Bank staff and partner organizations. This program extends JPSM's educational mission to international development organizations.
• American Association for Public Opinion Researchers (AAPOR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJPSM and AAPOR jointly offer the Citation Program in Survey Methodology and Citation Program in Data Analytics for Social Science. This professional certification program requires completion of specific JPSM courses and AAPOR short courses/webinars.
• WestatcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWestat, a leading survey research organization, provides faculty to JPSM and serves as a major employer of graduates. Westat's involvement includes contributing to curriculum development and providing internship and employment opportunities for students.
• University of MichigancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFaculty members from the University of Michigan contribute to JPSM's academic programs, bringing additional expertise in survey methodology and statistics from one of the premier survey research institutions in the country.
• United NationsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJPSM students gain international experience through partnerships with United Nations agencies, providing exposure to global survey and data collection operations.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Gallup: A major survey and analytics firm that recruits from the same methodology talent pool and conducts methodologically rigorous polling work that JPSM graduates feed into.
• Mathematica Policy Research: A large policy research firm employing survey methodologists and data scientists for federal and foundation surveys, comparable as a destination employer and methods shop.
• NORC at the University of Chicago: A large independent research organization affiliated with the University of Chicago that conducts large-scale surveys and recruits the same data science and survey methodology talent pool that JPSM trains.
• Pew Research Center: A methodologically prominent survey research organization whose work on polling, sampling, and data quality is closely tied to JPSM's curriculum and recruitment.
• RTI International: An independent research institute with deep survey methodology practice and a recurring recruiter of JPSM-trained methodologists for federal and health surveys.

Others

• Westat: A major survey research firm that co-governs JPSM (supplies faculty) and is the largest private-sector employer of JPSM graduates; comparable in capability rather than competing for students.
• American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR): The primary professional association for the survey methodology field and JPSM's core partner for the Citation Program and short courses, providing the industry certification ecosystem JPSM plugs into.

Direct peers

• University of Michigan Survey Research Center / Program in Survey Methodology: The historical anchor for survey methodology graduate training in the United States and the closest direct peer to JPSM; UMich faculty also teach into JPSM, so the two programs are explicitly interlinked.
• Cornell University Survey Research Institute: A university-based survey research and training organization that trains graduate students and federal staff in sample design and questionnaire methodology, comparable to JPSM's academic-mission focus.

Emerging players

• Duke University Social Science Research Institute: A university-wide institute supporting social and data science research with training and methods cores that overlap with JPSM's graduate methodology mission, although broader in scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/tweet
• Facebookfacebook.com/sharer.php
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/joint-program-in-survey-methodology-jpsm

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Joint Program in Survey Methodology (JPSM)