U.S. median for this major: $61,935.
College Scorecard field of study; 152 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 34% 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 $32,198. College Scorecard.
MSU 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 MSU'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 | $7,068 | $29,968 | under 1 year |
| $30–48k | $10,830 | $45,919 | 1.4 years |
| $48–75k | $16,521 | $70,049 | 2.1 years |
| $75–110k | $22,703 | $96,261 | 2.9 years |
| $110k+ | $28,546 | $121,035 | 3.6 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.2 years, the average time graduates took (65% 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 ($67,032) minus $33,411 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MI (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $33,621 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 Michigan colleges
Every Michigan 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 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | $77,480 | $18,862 | $13,138 | 93% |
| 2 | Michigan State University | $67,032 | $22,576 | $19,680 | 81% |
| 3 | Hope College | $62,936 | $24,499 | $27,182 | 80% |
| 4 | Wayne State University | $61,466 | $23,812 | $12,766 | 58% |
| 5 | University of Michigan-Dearborn | $58,641 | $23,175 | $9,492 | 58% |
| 6 | Western Michigan University | $54,840 | $26,564 | $15,273 | 58% |
| 7 | Eastern Michigan University | $51,261 | $27,000 | $15,407 | 46% |
| 8 | Oakland University | $51,129 | $23,054 | $9,120 | 58% |
| 9 | Northern Michigan University | $50,520 | $16,199 | $14,085 | 52% |
| 10 | Central Michigan University | $50,462 | $27,239 | $17,597 | 59% |
| 11 | Grand Valley State University | $48,896 | $24,250 | $16,317 | 67% |
| 12 | Kalamazoo College | $45,265 | $26,383 | $19,072 | 76% |
15 more Michigan 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 MSU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About MSU
- Acceptance rate: 85% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 81% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $67,253
- Full cost breakdown · all 105 majors · overview
Related majors at MSU
- Economics$79,428
- Social Sciences$58,797
- Sociology$62,204
- International Relations$74,709
- Anthropology$41,512
- Geography$56,515
MSU Political Science questions
How much do MSU Political Science graduates earn?
Political Science graduates of Michigan State University earn a median $67,032 four years after graduating and $39,514 one year after. The U.S. median for Political Science graduates across 561 colleges is $61,935.
How much debt do MSU Political Science graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Political Science graduates of Michigan State University is $22,576, about 34% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $23,457.
Is MSU a good school for Political Science in Michigan?
On pay, Political Science graduates of Michigan State University earn $67,032 four years out, $13,982 above the median for the same major across 12 Michigan colleges ($53,050) and $5,097 above the U.S. median ($61,935). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does MSU rank for Political Science in Michigan?
Of 12 Michigan colleges reporting Political Science graduate earnings, Michigan State University ranks 2nd. The highest is University of Michigan-Ann Arbor at $77,480.
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 $63,900 in the Lansing-East Lansing, MI 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: “Michigan State University Political Science: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/michigan-state-university/majors/political-science (College Scorecard and BLS data).