U.S. median for this major: $61,935.
College Scorecard field of study; 66 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 36% 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 $19,638. College Scorecard.
UNLV Political Science: pay against the field, and payback
Same major, other colleges
Fewer than 3 Nevada colleges report earnings for this major, so there is no state median.
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 UNLV'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 | $8,526 | $39,561 | 1.8 years |
| $30–48k | $8,537 | $39,612 | 1.8 years |
| $48–75k | $10,606 | $49,212 | 2.2 years |
| $75–110k | $13,513 | $62,700 | 2.8 years |
| $110k+ | $15,905 | $73,799 | 3.3 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.6 years, the average time graduates took (25% 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 ($58,855) minus $36,549 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in NV (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $22,306 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 Nevada colleges
Every Nevada 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 Nevada-Las Vegas | $58,855 | $21,083 | $10,359 | 51% |
| 2 | University of Nevada-Reno | $55,483 | $17,939 | $15,927 | 61% |
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 UNLV, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About UNLV
- Acceptance rate: 96% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 51% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $55,037
- Full cost breakdown · all 108 majors · overview
Related majors at UNLV
- Economics$72,119
- Social Sciences$55,542
- Sociology$48,528
- Anthropology$40,630
UNLV Political Science questions
How much do UNLV Political Science graduates earn?
Political Science graduates of University of Nevada-Las Vegas earn a median $58,855 four years after graduating and $27,886 one year after. The U.S. median for Political Science graduates across 561 colleges is $61,935.
How much debt do UNLV Political Science graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Political Science graduates of University of Nevada-Las Vegas is $21,083, about 36% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $23,457.
Where does UNLV rank for Political Science in Nevada?
Of 2 Nevada colleges reporting Political Science graduate earnings, University of Nevada-Las Vegas 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 $65,520 in the Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV 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 Nevada-Las Vegas Political Science: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-nevada-las-vegas/majors/political-science (College Scorecard and BLS data).