U.S. median for this major: $61,935.
College Scorecard field of study; 187 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 38% 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 $32,559. College Scorecard.
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona 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 Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona'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 | $16,017 | $68,072 | 2.1 years |
| $30–48k | $16,546 | $70,321 | 2.1 years |
| $48–75k | $19,464 | $82,722 | 2.5 years |
| $75–110k | $23,562 | $100,139 | 3.0 years |
| $110k+ | $28,263 | $120,118 | 3.6 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (14% 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 ($68,918) minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in PA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $33,121 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 Pennsylvania colleges
Every Pennsylvania 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 | Bucknell University | $94,028 | $26,000 | $40,766 | 86% |
| 2 | University of Pennsylvania | $93,033 | $14,722 | $28,699 | 97% |
| 3 | Lehigh University | $90,302 | $21,150 | $36,931 | 88% |
| 4 | Lafayette College | $87,904 | $13,640 | $34,433 | 88% |
| 5 | Villanova University | $83,179 | $25,620 | $43,756 | 92% |
| 6 | Gettysburg College | $76,597 | $27,000 | $31,490 | 83% |
| 7 | Mercyhurst University | $76,154 | $25,000 | $19,444 | 60% |
| 8 | Franklin and Marshall College | $74,822 | $19,000 | $36,425 | 84% |
| 9 | University of Scranton | $72,038 | $26,000 | $32,568 | 80% |
| 10 | Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia | $69,816 | $20,000 | $29,689 | 79% |
| 11 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College | $68,918 | $26,000 | $24,558 | 44% |
| 12 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Wilkes-Barre | $68,918 | $26,000 | $16,448 | 23% |
| 13 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona | $68,918 | $26,000 | $22,213 | 17% |
| 14 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks | $68,918 | $26,000 | $24,356 | 32% |
| 15 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg | $68,918 | $26,000 | $23,330 | 26% |
| 16 | Pennsylvania State University | $68,918 | $26,000 | $32,875 | 86% |
| 17 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State York | $68,918 | $26,000 | $19,047 | 16% |
| 18 | Drexel University | $66,756 | — | $38,509 | 78% |
| 19 | Muhlenberg College | $66,540 | $26,950 | $28,905 | 82% |
| 20 | Duquesne University | $66,444 | $24,250 | $37,730 | 77% |
| 21 | University of Pittsburgh-Greensburg | $66,231 | $25,900 | $17,945 | 40% |
| 22 | University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown | $66,231 | $25,900 | $18,202 | 56% |
| 23 | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus | $66,231 | $25,900 | $30,434 | 86% |
| 24 | Indiana University of Pennsylvania | $63,458 | $27,000 | $16,804 | 56% |
| 25 | Washington & Jefferson College | $63,258 | $27,000 | $25,002 | 70% |
| 26 | Elizabethtown College | $63,073 | $27,000 | $26,598 | 76% |
| 27 | Haverford College | $62,242 | — | $25,314 | 90% |
| 28 | Allegheny College | $60,241 | $27,000 | $22,940 | 73% |
| 29 | Temple University | $59,848 | $25,815 | $28,198 | 75% |
| 30 | Dickinson College | $59,834 | $19,000 | $37,607 | 80% |
| 31 | Swarthmore College | $58,372 | — | $23,149 | 92% |
| 32 | Kutztown University of Pennsylvania | $58,347 | $27,000 | $21,331 | 54% |
| 33 | Pennsylvania Western University | $57,724 | — | $18,256 | 52% |
| 34 | La Salle University | $56,792 | $27,000 | $19,409 | 57% |
| 35 | Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania | $56,161 | $29,025 | $15,699 | 54% |
| 36 | Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania | $55,548 | $26,000 | $19,608 | 66% |
| 37 | Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania | $55,295 | $27,000 | $23,726 | 56% |
| 38 | Widener University | $52,765 | $27,000 | $25,759 | 68% |
| 39 | Susquehanna University | $52,221 | $27,000 | $28,819 | 82% |
| 40 | York College of Pennsylvania | $52,133 | $27,000 | $18,556 | 64% |
| 41 | Millersville University of Pennsylvania | $52,099 | $27,000 | $20,787 | 58% |
| 42 | Misericordia University | $48,992 | $27,000 | $37,485 | 72% |
| 43 | Lincoln University | $47,374 | $28,500 | $14,977 | 44% |
| 44 | East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania | $42,428 | $25,250 | $18,134 | 43% |
36 more Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona
- Acceptance rate: 98% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 17% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $63,435
- Full cost breakdown · all 22 majors · overview
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona Political Science questions
How much do Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona Political Science graduates earn?
Political Science graduates of Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona earn a median $68,918 four years after graduating and $41,201 one year after. The U.S. median for Political Science graduates across 561 colleges is $61,935.
How much debt do Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona Political Science graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Political Science graduates of Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona is $26,000, about 38% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $23,457.
Is Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona a good school for Political Science in Pennsylvania?
On pay, Political Science graduates of Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona earn $68,918 four years out, $2,687 above the median for the same major across 45 Pennsylvania colleges ($66,231) and $6,983 above the U.S. median ($61,935). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona rank for Political Science in Pennsylvania?
Of 44 Pennsylvania colleges reporting Political Science graduate earnings, Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona ranks 13th. The highest is Bucknell University at $94,028.
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 $60,770 in the Altoona, PA 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: “Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona Political Science: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/pennsylvania-state-university-penn-state-altoona/majors/political-science (College Scorecard and BLS data).