U.S. median for this major: $61,935.
College Scorecard field of study
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 27% 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 $31,735. College Scorecard.
Political Science at Virginia colleges
Every Virginia college we cover that reports Political Science graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.
| Rank | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington and Lee University | $95,190 | — | $23,781 | 94% |
| 2 | University of Virginia | $78,310 | $18,015 | $21,565 | 96% |
| 3 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | $75,687 | $24,250 | $24,953 | 86% |
| 4 | George Mason University | $74,125 | $22,000 | $17,915 | 68% |
| 5 | James Madison University | $73,326 | $20,000 | $23,322 | 80% |
| 6 | William & Mary | $72,173 | $19,500 | $19,096 | 89% |
| 7 | Roanoke College | $71,604 | — | $24,503 | 67% |
| 8 | Randolph-Macon College | $71,111 | $27,000 | $27,866 | 70% |
| 9 | Hampden-Sydney College | $68,731 | $27,000 | $22,400 | 62% |
| 10 | University of Richmond | $68,339 | $23,080 | $31,309 | 85% |
| 11 | Bridgewater College | $66,305 | — | $17,800 | 53% |
| 12 | Christopher Newport University | $65,241 | $23,250 | $23,015 | 72% |
| 13 | Marymount University | $64,917 | — | $29,137 | 54% |
| 14 | Radford University | $64,901 | $23,235 | $14,578 | 49% |
| 15 | Hampton University | $64,293 | $26,250 | $25,319 | 57% |
| 16 | Virginia Commonwealth University | $62,182 | $21,376 | $23,433 | 63% |
| 17 | University of Mary Washington | $60,881 | $24,899 | $20,667 | 66% |
| 18 | Old Dominion University | $59,939 | $24,531 | $14,638 | 46% |
| 19 | Liberty University | $56,550 | $27,000 | $29,357 | 65% |
| 20 | Longwood University | $55,259 | — | $19,066 | 61% |
| 21 | Virginia State University | $44,002 | $27,127 | $15,840 | 39% |
17 more Virginia 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 JMU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About JMU
- Acceptance rate: 72% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 80% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $69,954
- Full cost breakdown · all 49 majors · overview
Related majors at JMU
- Economics$86,681
- Sociology$48,774
- International Relations$68,798
- Anthropology$60,841
- Geography$63,768
JMU Political Science questions
How much do JMU Political Science graduates earn?
Political Science graduates of James Madison University earn a median $73,326 four years after graduating and $42,128 one year after. The U.S. median for Political Science graduates across 561 colleges is $61,935.
How much debt do JMU Political Science graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Political Science graduates of James Madison University is $20,000, about 27% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $23,457.
Where does JMU rank for Political Science in Virginia?
Of 21 Virginia colleges reporting Political Science graduate earnings, James Madison University ranks 5th. The highest is Washington and Lee University at $95,190.
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 $78,300 in the Harrisonburg, VA 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: “James Madison University Political Science: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/james-madison-university/majors/political-science (College Scorecard and BLS data).