Political Science and Government: is it worth it?
A 0–100 score blending this major’s national earnings, ROI and typical debt. How it’s scored.
National picture across 536 college programs, at a typical net price.
Graduate earnings clearly outpace the cost and debt — this degree pays back quickly.
What Political Science and Government pays
Career outlook for Political Science and Government graduates
The job market for the occupations Political Science and Government graduates typically enter, projected through 2034 — from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. This is the demand side, complementing the IRS-verified graduate earnings above.
Top jobs for this major
| Occupation | U.S. jobs | Growth to 2034 | Median pay | Typical entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Managers, all other | 1,333,700 | +4.5% | $136,550 | Bachelor's degree |
| Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education | 1,094,500 | -1.6% | $64,580 | Bachelor's degree |
| Social science research assistants | 40,600 | +4.4% | $58,040 | Bachelor's degree |
| Political science teachers, postsecondary | 21,800 | +2.0% | $94,680 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Economists | 17,600 | +1.2% | $115,440 | Master's degree |
| Economics teachers, postsecondary | 15,800 | +2.1% | $119,980 | Doctoral or professional degree |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections (2024–34) & the NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk. Occupation pay is the national median wage for the role — not the same as graduate earnings, which we draw from IRS records.
Political Science and Government vs similar majors
How Political Science and Government stacks up against the closest fields in Social Sciences on pay, debt, ROI and the DR Rating. The best figure in each row is highlighted.
| Political Science and Government Social Sciences · this major | Economics | International Relations and National Security Studies | Urban Studies/Affairs | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DR Rating | 57 C | 88 A | 74 B | 64 C |
| ROI verdict | Strong return | Strong return | Strong return | Strong return |
| Median earnings (5 yr) | $64,077 | $84,830 | $72,857 | $66,845 |
| Median earnings (1 yr) | $37,559 | $55,377 | $47,208 | $45,013 |
| ROI vs cost | +139% | +400% | +239% | +173% |
| Typical debt | $21,535 | $21,120 | $28,128 | $21,781 |
| Colleges offering it | 536 | 371 | 145 | 33 |
Political Science and Government earnings over time
National median earnings one year after graduating, by cohort year — the consistent measure available across the federal data’s history.
Best colleges for Political Science and Government
Ranked by the ROI of this major at each college — its graduate earnings against the cost.
| # | College | Credential | Earnings (5 yr) | Median debt | 10-yr ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Princeton University Princeton, NJ | Associate's | $94,020 | — | +3,900% | Strong return |
| 2 | CUNY Hunter College New York, NY | Associate's | $66,568 | $13,391 | +1,888% | Strong return |
| 3 | Harvard University Cambridge, MA | Associate's | $117,484 | — | +1,801% | Strong return |
| 4 | Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, MD | Associate's | $108,657 | — | +1,592% | Strong return |
| 5 | Utah Valley University Orem, UT | Associate's | $78,615 | $21,961 | +1,520% | Strong return |
| 6 | CUNY City College New York, NY | Associate's | $64,399 | $12,500 | +1,502% | Strong return |
| 7 | CUNY Brooklyn College Brooklyn, NY | Associate's | $62,479 | $12,973 | +1,499% | Strong return |
| 8 | Rice University Houston, TX | Associate's | $87,237 | — | +1,480% | Strong return |
| 9 | American Public University System Charles Town, WV | Associate's | $87,190 | $21,728 | +1,456% | Strong return |
| 10 | CUNY Queens College Queens, NY | Associate's | $63,762 | $10,457 | +1,438% | Strong return |
| 11 | CUNY Bernard M Baruch College New York, NY | Associate's | $60,702 | $11,744 | +1,418% | Strong return |
| 12 | University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA | Master's | $82,447 | — | +1,392% | Strong return |
| 13 | Yale University New Haven, CT | Associate's | $123,834 | $14,749 | +1,389% | Strong return |
| 14 | CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice New York, NY | Associate's | $59,730 | $11,645 | +1,283% | Strong return |
| 15 | University of Florida Gainesville, FL | Associate's | $70,551 | $15,000 | +1,278% | Strong return |
| 16 | Davidson College Davidson, NC | Certificate | $78,431 | $19,500 | +1,265% | Strong return |
| 17 | Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN | Associate's | $92,330 | $14,000 | +1,186% | Strong return |
| 18 | CUNY Lehman College Bronx, NY | Associate's | $58,797 | $12,500 | +1,172% | Strong return |
| 19 | California State University-East Bay Hayward, CA | Associate's | $77,086 | $18,322 | +1,167% | Strong return |
| 20 | California State University-Dominguez Hills Carson, CA | Associate's | $71,822 | $11,093 | +1,161% | Strong return |
| 21 | Williams College Williamstown, MA | Associate's | $94,412 | $10,750 | +1,156% | Strong return |
| 22 | University of Colorado Boulder Boulder, CO | Certificate | $76,527 | — | +1,144% | Strong return |
| 23 | University of Florida Gainesville, FL | Certificate | $76,442 | — | +1,102% | Strong return |
| 24 | University of Chicago Chicago, IL | Associate's | $88,531 | $18,500 | +1,094% | Strong return |
| 25 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo, CA | Associate's | $90,264 | $17,831 | +1,037% | Strong return |
Related majors
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. ROI is computed by Degree Return — see how. Read the methodology. Data as of 2024.