U.S. median for this major: $61,935.
College Scorecard field of study; 382 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 $36,993. College Scorecard.
Rutgers University-New Brunswick 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 Rutgers University-New Brunswick'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 | $16,343 | $68,477 | 2.5 years |
| $30–48k | $16,210 | $67,920 | 2.5 years |
| $48–75k | $18,282 | $76,602 | 2.8 years |
| $75–110k | $25,106 | $105,194 | 3.9 years |
| $110k+ | $35,016 | $146,717 | 5.4 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.2 years, the average time graduates took (71% 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 ($63,765) minus $36,661 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in NJ (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $27,104 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 New Jersey colleges
Every New Jersey 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 | Princeton University | $88,576 | — | $6,128 | 98% |
| 2 | The College of New Jersey | $69,317 | $25,625 | $27,646 | 86% |
| 3 | Drew University | $66,965 | $27,000 | $24,280 | 70% |
| 4 | Rowan University | $64,525 | $24,265 | $22,408 | 67% |
| 5 | Monmouth University | $64,438 | $27,000 | $30,988 | 72% |
| 6 | Ramapo College of New Jersey | $63,853 | $20,631 | $18,173 | 70% |
| 7 | Seton Hall University | $63,814 | $25,000 | $31,446 | 69% |
| 8 | Rutgers University-Camden | $63,765 | $24,188 | $18,745 | 67% |
| 9 | Rutgers University-New Brunswick | $63,765 | $24,188 | $24,406 | 84% |
| 10 | Rutgers University-Newark | $63,765 | $24,188 | $19,703 | 64% |
| 11 | Bloomfield College of Montclair State University | $60,984 | $26,000 | $28,014 | 38% |
| 12 | Montclair State University | $60,984 | $26,000 | $15,566 | 65% |
| 13 | Rider University | $56,713 | $27,000 | $24,792 | 61% |
| 14 | Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus | $54,888 | — | $15,404 | 53% |
| 15 | Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham Campus | $54,888 | — | $22,829 | 67% |
| 16 | Stockton University | $54,022 | $21,675 | $20,670 | 69% |
| 17 | William Paterson University of New Jersey | $48,101 | $26,000 | $18,745 | 44% |
| 18 | New Jersey City University | $43,544 | — | $16,053 | 34% |
| 19 | Kean University | $40,805 | $27,000 | $12,447 | 47% |
4 more New Jersey 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 Rutgers University-New Brunswick, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Rutgers University-New Brunswick
- Acceptance rate: 58% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 84% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $74,479
- Full cost breakdown · all 103 majors · overview
Related majors at Rutgers University-New Brunswick
- Economics$86,120
- Sociology$55,197
- International Relations—
- Anthropology$56,468
- Geography$56,979
- Social Sciences, Other$80,700
Rutgers University-New Brunswick Political Science questions
How much do Rutgers University-New Brunswick Political Science graduates earn?
Political Science graduates of Rutgers University-New Brunswick earn a median $63,765 four years after graduating and $39,723 one year after. The U.S. median for Political Science graduates across 561 colleges is $61,935.
How much debt do Rutgers University-New Brunswick Political Science graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Political Science graduates of Rutgers University-New Brunswick is $24,188, about 38% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $23,457.
Is Rutgers University-New Brunswick a good school for Political Science in New Jersey?
On pay, Political Science graduates of Rutgers University-New Brunswick earn $63,765 four years out, $0 above the median for the same major across 19 New Jersey colleges ($63,765) and $1,830 above the U.S. median ($61,935). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Rutgers University-New Brunswick rank for Political Science in New Jersey?
Of 19 New Jersey colleges reporting Political Science graduate earnings, Rutgers University-New Brunswick ranks 9th. The highest is Princeton University at $88,576.
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 $100,800 in the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 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: “Rutgers University-New Brunswick Political Science: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/rutgers-university-new-brunswick/majors/political-science (College Scorecard and BLS data).