U.S. median for this major: $61,935.
College Scorecard field of study; 61 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 $28,576. College Scorecard.
UMBC 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 UMBC'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 | $5,087 | $22,281 | under 1 year |
| $30–48k | $10,714 | $46,927 | 1.7 years |
| $48–75k | $16,543 | $72,458 | 2.6 years |
| $75–110k | $22,172 | $97,113 | 3.5 years |
| $110k+ | $25,439 | $111,423 | 4.0 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.4 years, the average time graduates took (48% 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 ($64,756) minus $36,731 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MD (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $28,025 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 Maryland colleges
Every Maryland 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 | Johns Hopkins University | $121,729 | — | $18,809 | 94% |
| 2 | Loyola University Maryland | $81,575 | $27,000 | $30,574 | 79% |
| 3 | University of Maryland-College Park | $74,437 | $18,768 | $15,678 | 89% |
| 4 | St. Mary's College of Maryland | $72,397 | $25,000 | $18,441 | 70% |
| 5 | Washington College | $69,018 | $24,721 | $27,898 | 65% |
| 6 | University of Maryland-Baltimore County | $64,756 | $22,000 | $16,467 | 70% |
| 7 | Towson University | $60,313 | $20,875 | $17,413 | 69% |
| 8 | Salisbury University | $60,089 | $23,160 | $17,743 | 68% |
| 9 | Frostburg State University | $57,770 | $25,000 | $16,715 | 50% |
| 10 | Mount St. Mary's University | $56,507 | $27,000 | $22,655 | 65% |
| 11 | Morgan State University | $50,791 | $29,750 | $14,985 | 41% |
9 more Maryland 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 UMBC, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About UMBC
- Acceptance rate: 72% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 70% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $69,960
- Full cost breakdown · all 45 majors · overview
Related majors at UMBC
UMBC Political Science questions
How much do UMBC Political Science graduates earn?
Political Science graduates of University of Maryland-Baltimore County earn a median $64,756 four years after graduating and $33,549 one year after. The U.S. median for Political Science graduates across 561 colleges is $61,935.
How much debt do UMBC Political Science graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Political Science graduates of University of Maryland-Baltimore County is $22,000, about 34% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $23,457.
Is UMBC a good school for Political Science in Maryland?
On pay, Political Science graduates of University of Maryland-Baltimore County earn $64,756 four years out, $0 above the median for the same major across 11 Maryland colleges ($64,756) and $2,821 above the U.S. median ($61,935). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does UMBC rank for Political Science in Maryland?
Of 11 Maryland colleges reporting Political Science graduate earnings, University of Maryland-Baltimore County ranks 6th. The highest is Johns Hopkins University at $121,729.
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 $78,350 in the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD 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: “University of Maryland-Baltimore County Political Science: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-maryland-baltimore-county/majors/political-science (College Scorecard and BLS data).