U.S. median for this major: $61,935.
College Scorecard field of study; 267 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 24% 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 $34,654. College Scorecard.
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor 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 University of Michigan-Ann Arbor'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 | $1,043 | $4,308 | under 1 year |
| $30–48k | $1,878 | $7,756 | under 1 year |
| $48–75k | $4,895 | $20,216 | under 1 year |
| $75–110k | $10,869 | $44,889 | 1.0 years |
| $110k+ | $26,517 | $109,515 | 2.5 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.1 years, the average time graduates took (82% 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 ($77,480) minus $33,411 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MI (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $44,069 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 Michigan colleges
Every Michigan 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 Michigan-Ann Arbor | $77,480 | $18,862 | $13,138 | 93% |
| 2 | Michigan State University | $67,032 | $22,576 | $19,680 | 81% |
| 3 | Hope College | $62,936 | $24,499 | $27,182 | 80% |
| 4 | Wayne State University | $61,466 | $23,812 | $12,766 | 58% |
| 5 | University of Michigan-Dearborn | $58,641 | $23,175 | $9,492 | 58% |
| 6 | Western Michigan University | $54,840 | $26,564 | $15,273 | 58% |
| 7 | Eastern Michigan University | $51,261 | $27,000 | $15,407 | 46% |
| 8 | Oakland University | $51,129 | $23,054 | $9,120 | 58% |
| 9 | Northern Michigan University | $50,520 | $16,199 | $14,085 | 52% |
| 10 | Central Michigan University | $50,462 | $27,239 | $17,597 | 59% |
| 11 | Grand Valley State University | $48,896 | $24,250 | $16,317 | 67% |
| 12 | Kalamazoo College | $45,265 | $26,383 | $19,072 | 76% |
15 more Michigan 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 University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
- Acceptance rate: 16% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 93% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $83,648
- Full cost breakdown · all 88 majors · overview
Related majors at University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
- Economics$110,552
- Social Sciences—
- Sociology$63,419
- Anthropology$53,042
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Political Science questions
How much do University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Political Science graduates earn?
Political Science graduates of University of Michigan-Ann Arbor earn a median $77,480 four years after graduating and $39,702 one year after. The U.S. median for Political Science graduates across 561 colleges is $61,935.
How much debt do University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Political Science graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Political Science graduates of University of Michigan-Ann Arbor is $18,862, about 24% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $23,457.
Is University of Michigan-Ann Arbor a good school for Political Science in Michigan?
On pay, Political Science graduates of University of Michigan-Ann Arbor earn $77,480 four years out, $24,430 above the median for the same major across 12 Michigan colleges ($53,050) and $15,545 above the U.S. median ($61,935). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does University of Michigan-Ann Arbor rank for Political Science in Michigan?
Of 12 Michigan colleges reporting Political Science graduate earnings, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor ranks 1st, the highest.
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 $63,780 in the Ann Arbor, MI 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 Michigan-Ann Arbor Political Science: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-michigan-ann-arbor/majors/political-science (College Scorecard and BLS data).