U.S. median for this major: $61,935.
College Scorecard field of study; 105 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 $34,321. College Scorecard.
URI 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 URI'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 | $14,368 | $60,633 | 2.9 years |
| $30–48k | $12,923 | $54,535 | 2.6 years |
| $48–75k | $17,803 | $75,129 | 3.6 years |
| $75–110k | $23,394 | $98,723 | 4.8 years |
| $110k+ | $28,460 | $120,101 | 5.8 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.2 years, the average time graduates took (57% 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 ($60,559) minus $39,880 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in RI (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $20,679 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 Rhode Island colleges
Every Rhode Island 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 | Brown University | $85,388 | $14,481 | $25,184 | 96% |
| 2 | Bryant University | $78,579 | $23,250 | $41,219 | 80% |
| 3 | Providence College | $75,637 | $27,000 | $48,523 | 86% |
| 4 | Roger Williams University | $63,405 | $27,000 | $37,999 | 69% |
| 5 | University of Rhode Island | $60,559 | $20,500 | $21,440 | 73% |
| 6 | Rhode Island College | $54,540 | $21,435 | $9,478 | 48% |
2 more Rhode Island 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 URI, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About URI
- Acceptance rate: 72% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 73% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $69,743
- Full cost breakdown · all 78 majors · overview
Related majors at URI
- Economics$77,225
- Sociology$53,802
- International Relations—
- Anthropology—
- Criminology—
- Social Sciences, Other$66,738
URI Political Science questions
How much do URI Political Science graduates earn?
Political Science graduates of University of Rhode Island earn a median $60,559 four years after graduating and $31,649 one year after. The U.S. median for Political Science graduates across 561 colleges is $61,935.
How much debt do URI Political Science graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Political Science graduates of University of Rhode Island is $20,500, about 34% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $23,457.
Is URI a good school for Political Science in Rhode Island?
On pay, Political Science graduates of University of Rhode Island earn $60,559 four years out, $8,962 below the median for the same major across 6 Rhode Island colleges ($69,521) and $1,376 below the U.S. median ($61,935). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does URI rank for Political Science in Rhode Island?
Of 6 Rhode Island colleges reporting Political Science graduate earnings, University of Rhode Island ranks 5th. The highest is Brown University at $85,388.
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 $92,110 in the Providence-Warwick, RI-MA 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 Rhode Island Political Science: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-rhode-island/majors/political-science (College Scorecard and BLS data).