Political Science degree: salary, jobs & colleges
Bachelor's graduates in political science earn a median $61,935 four years after finishing, across 561 U.S. colleges. At ages 25-34, people whose degree is in political science and government earn $67,032, $4,983 more than all bachelor's holders. The most common job is other managers (6%).
Median across 561 colleges; middle half $55,643–$68,800.
College Scorecard field of study (graduates who received federal aid)
Middle half $41,979–$99,494. 7,750 survey respondents.
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata; field "Political Science And Government"; EducationGuide calculation
- All bachelor's, 25-34$62,049
- High school, 25-34$35,638
- This degree vs high school+$31,394/yr
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers not in school
Median across colleges reporting.
College Scorecard field of study
Jobs political science graduates hold
What employed 25-34-year-olds whose bachelor's is in political science and government actually do, with U.S. wages and the outlook for each job. The first column comes from the Census survey; wages and growth from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
| Job | Share of graduates | U.S. median wage | Jobs growth 2025-35 | Typical entry | Interests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other Managers | 6% | — | — | — | — |
| Paralegals And Legal Assistants | 4% | $62,890 | -0.3% | Associate's degree | CIE |
| Management Analysts | 3% | $101,860 | +10.1% | Bachelor's degree | CIE |
| Customer Service Representatives | 2% | $44,770 | -5.3% | High school diploma or equivalent | CES |
| Human Resources Workers | 2% | $76,700 | +6.1% | — | — |
| Software Developers | 2% | $135,980 | +10.2% | Bachelor's degree | IC |
| Social And Community Service Managers | 2% | $80,390 | +7.2% | Bachelor's degree | ESC |
| General And Operations Managers | 2% | $105,770 | +5.0% | Bachelor's degree | EC |
These 8 jobs account for 22% of employed graduates: people with this degree spread across many kinds of work.
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata (ages 25-34, bachelor's as highest degree, employed); BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025-35; O*NET 31.0 interest codes (R realistic, I investigative, A artistic, S social, E enterprising, C conventional).
Political Science earnings by state
Two views of pay: recent graduates of the state's colleges four years out (College Scorecard), and everyone ages 25-34 living in the state with this field of degree (Census). States show a figure only with at least 3 colleges or 100 survey respondents.
| State | Graduates, 4 yrs (colleges) | Ages 25-34 (respondents) |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $59,479 (6) | — |
| Arizona | $62,549 (4) | $57,721 (145) |
| Arkansas | $51,475 (3) | — |
| California | $63,107 (47) | $71,068 (1,304) |
| Colorado | $65,783 (7) | $83,527 (180) |
| Connecticut | $63,902 (14) | — |
| District of Columbia | $73,760 (6) | $89,375 (401) |
| Florida | $58,754 (15) | $54,258 (343) |
| Georgia | $59,993 (17) | $58,094 (224) |
| Idaho | $53,036 (4) | — |
| Illinois | $59,571 (21) | $62,946 (279) |
| Indiana | $69,992 (11) | — |
| Iowa | $63,790 (7) | — |
| Kansas | $62,825 (4) | — |
| Kentucky | $53,280 (6) | — |
| Louisiana | $55,816 (6) | — |
| Maine | $80,714 (5) | — |
| Maryland | $64,756 (11) | $63,545 (211) |
| Massachusetts | $66,373 (27) | $67,032 (308) |
| Michigan | $53,050 (12) | $64,797 (155) |
| Minnesota | $58,256 (15) | $64,435 (102) |
| Missouri | $62,576 (11) | — |
| Nebraska | $52,331 (3) | — |
| New Hampshire | $64,762 (6) | — |
| New Jersey | $63,765 (19) | $72,618 (269) |
| New York | $63,980 (48) | $79,190 (694) |
| North Carolina | $57,766 (16) | $60,855 (249) |
| Ohio | $58,885 (26) | $61,101 (202) |
| Oklahoma | $56,749 (3) | — |
| Oregon | $63,354 (5) | — |
| Pennsylvania | $66,231 (45) | $65,628 (207) |
| Rhode Island | $69,521 (6) | — |
| South Carolina | $57,154 (13) | — |
| Tennessee | $53,018 (12) | $55,839 (123) |
| Texas | $59,466 (27) | $65,628 (492) |
| Utah | $69,600 (4) | — |
| Vermont | $67,535 (4) | — |
| Virginia | $66,305 (21) | $72,618 (412) |
| Washington | $64,361 (13) | $68,216 (272) |
| West Virginia | $54,360 (5) | — |
| Wisconsin | $52,697 (10) | — |
College Scorecard field of study (median of each college's graduates); Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata; EducationGuide calculations.
Colleges where political science graduates earn the most
In the states we cover so far (Florida, Virginia, California): 29 in Florida, 38 in Virginia, 67 in California offer this major. Open a college to see cost to finish and payback for your income.
| # | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington and Lee UniversityVA | $95,190 | — |
| 2 | Santa Clara UniversityCA | $93,518 | $21,750 |
| 3 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis ObispoCA | $81,843 | $17,665 |
| 4 | University of VirginiaVA | $78,310 | $18,015 |
| 5 | Rollins CollegeFL | $76,600 | $25,362 |
| 6 | Pepperdine UniversityCA | $75,954 | $23,625 |
| 7 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityVA | $75,687 | $24,250 |
| 8 | University of California-BerkeleyCA | $75,128 | $13,000 |
| 9 | University of Southern CaliforniaCA | $75,090 | $12,869 |
| 10 | University of California-Los AngelesCA | $74,202 | $15,000 |
| 11 | George Mason UniversityVA | $74,125 | $22,000 |
| 12 | Claremont McKenna CollegeCA | $73,826 | — |
College Scorecard field of study. Colleges meeting our core-data standard; online campuses left out.
Related degrees
Political Science degree questions
How much do Political Science graduates make?
Political Science graduates earn a median $61,935 four years after finishing, across 561 U.S. colleges that report it (the middle half of colleges: $55,643 to $68,800; College Scorecard, graduates who received federal aid). Among all workers ages 25-34 whose bachelor's degree is in political science and government, the median is $67,032 (Census ACS 2020-2024).
Is a Political Science degree worth it?
At ages 25-34, people with a bachelor's in political science and government earn a median $67,032: $4,983 more than all bachelor's degree holders ($62,049) and $31,394 more than high school graduates ($35,638). EducationGuide calculation from Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers not in school.
What jobs do Political Science graduates get?
Among employed 25-34-year-olds whose bachelor's is in political science and government, the most common jobs are other managers (6%), paralegals and legal assistants (4%), management analysts (3%).
How much do Political Science graduates earn in Florida?
Across 15 Florida colleges reporting, Political Science graduates earn a median $58,754 four years after graduating; at ages 25-34, Floridians with this field of degree earn $54,258.
Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey microdata; Bureau of Labor Statistics; O*NET 31.0 (U.S. Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0). Method
Data: JSON · Markdown · all degrees
Cite this: “Political Science degree: salary, jobs and colleges,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/degrees/political-science.