This study was designed to assess major linkages of professionalism and professional education with the public service, to highlight some of the resulting problems within, and among, different professions, and to set forth hypotheses and questions to provoke and guide more intensive future research. Results indicate that professionalism is rapidly rising in American society, government at all levels leads in the employment of professionals, and administrative leadership is growing more and more professional in terms of education and experience. An increasingly direct and binding tie between professional education and careers, the relatively low prestige of government employment, notably among men, the inhibition of liberal arts in professional curriculums in favor of scientific subjects, bias against politics and government in professional faculties and curriculums, and limited attention to the special problems of management and administration in government agencies are among the other trends suggested. Moreover, public administration still seems to lack real professional standing. Research is needed on career and educational choice, social systems in higher education, roles and performance of educational systems, professional recruitment and employment, and related topics. (Eleven tables are included.) (ly)