Career advice request

Hi all, I’m a 28 y/o woman working in public policy looking for some career advice.

Here’s a bit of background on my journey to date:
I received a First Class Honours degree in Politics and International Relations from a Russell Group uni. After uni, I got onto the Civil Service Fast Stream and since finishing that, I’ve been working in the uk Civil Service in a policy focused role. I love policy work but am looking for more stretch in my role and to earn more money.

I was recently successful in getting onto a master of public policy course at a prestigious university but a lack of funding means I’m unlikely to be able to accept this offer. The course is also full time and I’m hesitant to leave the work force given the current job market.

My questions for you all are the following - what actions do you think I should be taking to maximise my earning potential? Is doing a masters the best next step or should I keep applying for new jobs? I’ve applied for a couple of jobs recently and got no where which has been quite disheartening. Equally, do you think I should stay put in my current role and keep building my experience? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!