U.S. median for this major: $61,935.
College Scorecard field of study; 59 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 45% 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 $25,505. College Scorecard.
SHSU 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 SHSU'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 | $12,474 | $55,385 | 2.5 years |
| $30–48k | $13,389 | $59,447 | 2.7 years |
| $48–75k | $15,540 | $68,998 | 3.1 years |
| $75–110k | $21,366 | $94,865 | 4.2 years |
| $110k+ | $24,101 | $107,008 | 4.8 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.4 years, the average time graduates took (35% 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 ($55,894) minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in TX (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $22,378 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 Texas colleges
Every Texas 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 | Rice University | $87,804 | — | $13,370 | 95% |
| 2 | The University of Texas at Austin | $75,988 | $20,500 | $19,857 | 89% |
| 3 | Texas Christian University | $75,419 | $25,000 | $36,660 | 86% |
| 4 | Texas A&M University-College Station | $69,375 | $19,749 | $21,315 | 84% |
| 5 | Trinity University | $68,934 | $25,000 | $23,464 | 84% |
| 6 | The University of Texas at Dallas | $65,869 | $23,000 | $18,267 | 76% |
| 7 | Saint Edward's University | $63,504 | $23,250 | $25,578 | 63% |
| 8 | Dallas Baptist University | $62,372 | — | $28,516 | 57% |
| 9 | Southwestern University | $61,935 | $24,625 | $29,224 | 73% |
| 10 | Baylor University | $61,578 | $26,000 | $41,104 | 80% |
| 11 | University of Houston | $61,533 | $19,500 | $14,276 | 65% |
| 12 | University of Dallas | $61,484 | $21,500 | $22,610 | 73% |
| 13 | Tarleton State University | $59,542 | — | $20,783 | 48% |
| 14 | Texas Tech University | $59,466 | $23,375 | $19,070 | 69% |
| 15 | University of Houston-Downtown | $59,261 | $21,600 | $10,542 | 33% |
| 16 | University of North Texas | $57,852 | $17,750 | $15,649 | 61% |
| 17 | Texas State University | $56,716 | $22,760 | $16,805 | 55% |
| 18 | Sam Houston State University | $55,894 | $25,125 | $16,404 | 55% |
| 19 | The University of Texas at El Paso | $54,069 | $21,097 | $9,403 | 50% |
| 20 | The University of Texas at San Antonio | $53,674 | $20,000 | $10,836 | 53% |
| 21 | Texas A & M International University | $50,544 | $14,606 | $3,637 | 46% |
| 22 | The University of Texas at Arlington | $50,006 | $20,406 | $13,951 | 54% |
| 23 | Stephen F Austin State University | $49,980 | $20,250 | $14,260 | 53% |
| 24 | Texas Woman's University | $48,429 | $30,162 | $11,963 | 49% |
| 25 | St. Mary's University | $46,620 | $19,500 | $21,145 | 59% |
| 26 | The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | $44,895 | $10,250 | $4,831 | 51% |
| 27 | Prairie View A & M University | $41,831 | $23,538 | $13,570 | 43% |
36 more Texas 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 SHSU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About SHSU
- Acceptance rate: 90% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 55% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $54,211
- Full cost breakdown · all 66 majors · overview
Related majors at SHSU
SHSU Political Science questions
How much do SHSU Political Science graduates earn?
Political Science graduates of Sam Houston State University earn a median $55,894 four years after graduating. The U.S. median for Political Science graduates across 561 colleges is $61,935.
How much debt do SHSU Political Science graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Political Science graduates of Sam Houston State University is $25,125, about 45% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $23,457.
Is SHSU a good school for Political Science in Texas?
On pay, Political Science graduates of Sam Houston State University earn $55,894 four years out, $3,572 below the median for the same major across 27 Texas colleges ($59,466) and $6,041 below the U.S. median ($61,935). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does SHSU rank for Political Science in Texas?
Of 27 Texas colleges reporting Political Science graduate earnings, Sam Houston State University ranks 18th. The highest is Rice University at $87,804.
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 $63,590 in Texas 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: “Sam Houston State University Political Science: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/sam-houston-state-university/majors/political-science (College Scorecard and BLS data).