U.S. median for this major: $61,935.
College Scorecard field of study; 60 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 19% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $23,457.
College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $83,622. College Scorecard.
Emory University Political Science: pay against the field, and payback
Same major, other colleges
Median earnings 4 years after graduating; state and U.S. figures are the median of each covered college's graduates in this major. College Scorecard; calculated by EducationGuide.
Political Science nationally: jobs, pay at ages 25-34, every state →
Cost to finish and years to pay back, by income
Uses Emory University's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $7,363 | $30,262 | under 1 year |
| $30–48k | $9,220 | $37,894 | under 1 year |
| $48–75k | $11,237 | $46,184 | under 1 year |
| $75–110k | $13,821 | $56,804 | under 1 year |
| $110k+ | $53,018 | $217,904 | 3.6 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.1 years, the average time graduates took (83% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of Political Science graduates 4 years after graduating ($94,001) minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in GA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $60,485 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard; IPEDS Graduation Rates; U.S. Census Bureau ACS. Calculated by EducationGuide.
Political Science at Georgia colleges
Every Georgia college we cover that reports Political Science graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants. Colleges marked "mostly 2-year" or "bachelor's & associate" award more associate degrees than bachelor's; their bachelor's programs often serve working adults finishing a degree (for example, nurses completing a BSN), so their graduates' earnings can run higher than those of students starting college at 18.
| Rank | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Emory University | $94,001 | $17,590 | $22,585 | 91% |
| 2 | Morehouse College | $71,139 | $25,125 | $39,013 | 59% |
| 3 | University of Georgia | $70,877 | $22,171 | $13,936 | 90% |
| 4 | Spelman Collegebachelor's & associate | $66,378 | $27,000 | $38,967 | 78% |
| 5 | Agnes Scott College | $62,605 | — | $24,754 | 71% |
| 6 | Kennesaw State University | $61,971 | $25,625 | $15,048 | 52% |
| 7 | Georgia College & State University | $61,009 | $21,965 | $20,686 | 64% |
| 8 | Mercer University | $59,997 | $23,250 | $23,847 | 70% |
| 9 | University of North Georgia | $59,993 | $22,026 | $9,823 | 37% |
| 10 | Georgia Southern University | $58,949 | $27,243 | $15,267 | 55% |
| 11 | Augusta University | $58,583 | $17,965 | $13,787 | 49% |
| 12 | Georgia State University | $58,432 | $26,000 | $15,931 | 53% |
| 13 | Columbus State University | $57,008 | — | $13,115 | 42% |
| 14 | Clayton State University | $55,643 | $30,500 | $8,365 | 40% |
| 15 | Savannah State University | $53,906 | $31,500 | $8,172 | 28% |
| 16 | University of West Georgia | $53,827 | $30,000 | $12,786 | 43% |
| 17 | Valdosta State University | $47,035 | $25,100 | $10,945 | 42% |
14 more Georgia colleges offer Political Science but have too few graduates to report earnings.
Careers for Political Science graduates
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs -0.2% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Social Science Research Assistants
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +5.0% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35. Careers from the federal major-to-occupation crosswalk.
What families pay at Emory University, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Emory University
- Acceptance rate: 11% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 91% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $80,137
- Full cost breakdown · all 54 majors · overview
Related majors at Emory University
- Economics$111,631
- Sociology—
- International Relations$78,029
- Anthropology$78,768
Emory University Political Science questions
How much do Emory University Political Science graduates earn?
Political Science graduates of Emory University earn a median $94,001 four years after graduating and $46,629 one year after. The U.S. median for Political Science graduates across 561 colleges is $61,935.
How much debt do Emory University Political Science graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Political Science graduates of Emory University is $17,590, about 19% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $23,457.
Is Emory University a good school for Political Science in Georgia?
On pay, Political Science graduates of Emory University earn $94,001 four years out, $34,008 above the median for the same major across 17 Georgia colleges ($59,993) and $32,066 above the U.S. median ($61,935). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Emory University rank for Political Science in Georgia?
Of 17 Georgia colleges reporting Political Science graduate earnings, Emory University ranks 1st, the highest.
What jobs do Political Science graduates get?
A common career is secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education, with a median wage of $77,210 in the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA area and $72,040 nationally. Others include social science research assistants.
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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (field of study: median earnings and federal loan debt of graduates who received federal aid); BLS. How we score
Data: JSON · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Emory University Political Science: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/emory-university/majors/political-science (College Scorecard and BLS data).