U.S. median for this major: $61,935.
College Scorecard field of study; 91 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 50% 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 $28,851. College Scorecard.
Northern Illinois 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 Northern Illinois 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 | $10,126 | $44,453 | 2.4 years |
| $30–48k | $9,854 | $43,259 | 2.4 years |
| $48–75k | $12,797 | $56,179 | 3.1 years |
| $75–110k | $17,612 | $77,317 | 4.2 years |
| $110k+ | $21,834 | $95,851 | 5.3 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.4 years, the average time graduates took (33% 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 ($54,039) minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IL (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $18,242 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 Illinois colleges
Every Illinois 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 Chicago | $87,869 | $18,500 | $14,860 | 96% |
| 2 | Northwestern University | $73,231 | $16,834 | $29,167 | 95% |
| 3 | Benedictine University | $71,749 | — | $22,313 | 50% |
| 4 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | $69,515 | $20,025 | $14,355 | 85% |
| 5 | Roosevelt University | $68,226 | $24,625 | $20,194 | 35% |
| 6 | Loyola University Chicago | $63,437 | $23,250 | $36,079 | 73% |
| 7 | Lake Forest College | $61,770 | $27,000 | $28,673 | 78% |
| 8 | Eastern Illinois University | $61,519 | $24,739 | $12,786 | 47% |
| 9 | Northeastern Illinois University | $60,545 | $17,550 | $14,109 | 22% |
| 10 | University of Illinois Chicago | $60,020 | $21,761 | $10,974 | 62% |
| 11 | Illinois State University | $59,571 | $22,201 | $19,398 | 65% |
| 12 | Aurora University | $58,503 | — | $18,838 | 60% |
| 13 | University of Illinois Springfield | $58,236 | $25,848 | $9,833 | 53% |
| 14 | DePaul University | $58,163 | $24,499 | $30,902 | 68% |
| 15 | Bradley University | $57,832 | $27,000 | $22,719 | 76% |
| 16 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | $55,544 | $26,171 | $13,297 | 62% |
| 17 | Augustana College | $55,295 | $27,000 | $22,736 | 73% |
| 18 | Knox College | $54,341 | $25,553 | $24,595 | 68% |
| 19 | Northern Illinois University | $54,039 | $27,000 | $13,391 | 49% |
| 20 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | $52,564 | $24,250 | $14,889 | 57% |
| 21 | Western Illinois University | $50,963 | $25,000 | $12,937 | 45% |
24 more Illinois 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 Northern Illinois University, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Northern Illinois University
- Acceptance rate: 70% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 49% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $57,808
- Full cost breakdown · all 57 majors · overview
Related majors at Northern Illinois University
Northern Illinois University Political Science questions
How much do Northern Illinois University Political Science graduates earn?
Political Science graduates of Northern Illinois University earn a median $54,039 four years after graduating and $32,225 one year after. The U.S. median for Political Science graduates across 561 colleges is $61,935.
How much debt do Northern Illinois University Political Science graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Political Science graduates of Northern Illinois University is $27,000, about 50% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $23,457.
Is Northern Illinois University a good school for Political Science in Illinois?
On pay, Political Science graduates of Northern Illinois University earn $54,039 four years out, $5,532 below the median for the same major across 21 Illinois colleges ($59,571) and $7,896 below the U.S. median ($61,935). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Northern Illinois University rank for Political Science in Illinois?
Of 21 Illinois colleges reporting Political Science graduate earnings, Northern Illinois University ranks 19th. The highest is University of Chicago at $87,869.
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 $98,970 in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 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: “Northern Illinois University Political Science: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/northern-illinois-university/majors/political-science (College Scorecard and BLS data).