U.S. median for this major: $61,935.
College Scorecard field of study; 112 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 47% 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 $22,756. College Scorecard.
UWM 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 UWM'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 | $10,329 | $46,894 | 3.4 years |
| $30–48k | $10,709 | $48,619 | 3.5 years |
| $48–75k | $12,344 | $56,042 | 4.1 years |
| $75–110k | $19,315 | $87,690 | 6.4 years |
| $110k+ | $21,477 | $97,506 | 7.1 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.5 years, the average time graduates took (28% 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 ($51,320) minus $37,564 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in WI (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $13,756 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 Wisconsin colleges
Every Wisconsin 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 | Marquette University | $74,008 | $22,500 | $31,487 | 83% |
| 2 | Ripon College | $68,800 | — | $20,216 | 63% |
| 3 | University of Wisconsin-Madison | $66,148 | $22,000 | $17,354 | 90% |
| 4 | University of Wisconsin-La Crosse | $57,256 | $21,500 | $16,210 | 71% |
| 5 | University of Wisconsin-Whitewater | $54,074 | $25,791 | $14,158 | 59% |
| 6 | University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee | $51,320 | $24,000 | $15,014 | 49% |
| 7 | University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point | $50,872 | $21,313 | $14,559 | 51% |
| 8 | University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire | $50,316 | $23,968 | $16,550 | 64% |
| 9 | Lawrence University | $50,021 | — | $23,401 | 77% |
| 10 | University of Wisconsin-Green Bay | $49,349 | $23,383 | $13,369 | 48% |
13 more Wisconsin 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 UWM, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About UWM
- Acceptance rate: 91% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 49% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $54,990
- Full cost breakdown · all 89 majors · overview
Related majors at UWM
- Economics$64,454
- Sociology$49,486
- Anthropology$47,811
- Geography$57,604
- Criminology—
UWM Political Science questions
How much do UWM Political Science graduates earn?
Political Science graduates of University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee earn a median $51,320 four years after graduating and $40,487 one year after. The U.S. median for Political Science graduates across 561 colleges is $61,935.
How much debt do UWM Political Science graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Political Science graduates of University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee is $24,000, about 47% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $23,457.
Is UWM a good school for Political Science in Wisconsin?
On pay, Political Science graduates of University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee earn $51,320 four years out, $1,377 below the median for the same major across 10 Wisconsin colleges ($52,697) and $10,615 below the U.S. median ($61,935). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does UWM rank for Political Science in Wisconsin?
Of 10 Wisconsin colleges reporting Political Science graduate earnings, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee ranks 6th. The highest is Marquette University at $74,008.
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 $75,370 in the Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI 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 Wisconsin-Milwaukee Political Science: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-wisconsin-milwaukee/majors/political-science (College Scorecard and BLS data).