# Political Science (bachelor's degree)

CIP 45.10. Page: https://educationguide.com/degrees/political-science

## Earnings
- Graduates 4 years after finishing: median $61,935 across 561 colleges (middle half $55,643–$68,800); median federal debt $23,717
- All workers ages 25-34 with a bachelor's in Political Science And Government: median $67,032 (all bachelor's $62,049; high school $35,638; Census ACS 2020-2024)

## Jobs graduates hold (ages 25-34)
| Job | Share | U.S. median wage | Growth 2025-35 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other Managers | 6% | not reported | — |
| Paralegals And Legal Assistants | 4% | $62,890 | -0.3% |
| Management Analysts | 3% | $101,860 | 10.1% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 2% | $44,770 | -5.3% |
| Human Resources Workers | 2% | $76,700 | 6.1% |
| Software Developers | 2% | $135,980 | 10.2% |
| Social And Community Service Managers | 2% | $80,390 | 7.2% |
| General And Operations Managers | 2% | $105,770 | 5% |

## By state
| State | Graduates 4 yrs (colleges) | Ages 25-34 (respondents) |
|---|---|---|
| AL | $59,479 (6) | — |
| AR | $51,475 (3) | — |
| AZ | $62,549 (4) | $57,721 (145) |
| CA | $63,107 (47) | $71,068 (1304) |
| CO | $65,783 (7) | $83,527 (180) |
| CT | $63,902 (14) | — |
| DC | $73,760 (6) | $89,375 (401) |
| FL | $58,754 (15) | $54,258 (343) |
| GA | $59,993 (17) | $58,094 (224) |
| IA | $63,790 (7) | — |
| ID | $53,036 (4) | — |
| IL | $59,571 (21) | $62,946 (279) |
| IN | $69,992 (11) | — |
| KS | $62,825 (4) | — |
| KY | $53,280 (6) | — |
| LA | $55,816 (6) | — |
| MA | $66,373 (27) | $67,032 (308) |
| MD | $64,756 (11) | $63,545 (211) |
| ME | $80,714 (5) | — |
| MI | $53,050 (12) | $64,797 (155) |
| MN | $58,256 (15) | $64,435 (102) |
| MO | $62,576 (11) | — |
| NC | $57,766 (16) | $60,855 (249) |
| NE | $52,331 (3) | — |
| NH | $64,762 (6) | — |
| NJ | $63,765 (19) | $72,618 (269) |
| NY | $63,980 (48) | $79,190 (694) |
| OH | $58,885 (26) | $61,101 (202) |
| OK | $56,749 (3) | — |
| OR | $63,354 (5) | — |
| PA | $66,231 (45) | $65,628 (207) |
| RI | $69,521 (6) | — |
| SC | $57,154 (13) | — |
| TN | $53,018 (12) | $55,839 (123) |
| TX | $59,466 (27) | $65,628 (492) |
| UT | $69,600 (4) | — |
| VA | $66,305 (21) | $72,618 (412) |
| VT | $67,535 (4) | — |
| WA | $64,361 (13) | $68,216 (272) |
| WI | $52,697 (10) | — |
| WV | $54,360 (5) | — |

## Top colleges by graduate earnings (published states)
1. Washington and Lee University (VA): $95,190
2. Santa Clara University (CA): $93,518
3. California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo (CA): $81,843
4. University of Virginia (VA): $78,310
5. Rollins College (FL): $76,600
6. Pepperdine University (CA): $75,954
7. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (VA): $75,687
8. University of California-Berkeley (CA): $75,128
9. University of Southern California (CA): $75,090
10. University of California-Los Angeles (CA): $74,202
11. George Mason University (VA): $74,125
12. Claremont McKenna College (CA): $73,826

Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score#degrees

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