Political Science and Government

43,608 students earn a political science and government credential each year across 1,234 US colleges. Earnings below are the median for each school's graduates one and five years after finishing; debt is the median federal loan balance at completion.

Typical earnings, 1 year out: $35,828
Typical earnings, 5 years out: $61,716

Filter the college directory to schools offering this major →

Rank colleges by

Highest earnings Most graduates

Bachelor's programs — top 100 of 1,068 colleges by graduate earnings

CollegeGrads / yearEarnings 1 yearEarnings 5 yearsDebt

1Dartmouth CollegeHanover, New Hampshire182$72,6181 year out$101,103$17,500 2Tufts UniversityMedford, Massachusetts81$67,7131 year out$76,532$17,725 3University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania112$65,4731 year out$111,976$14,722 4Princeton UniversityPrinceton, New Jersey57$63,3171 year out$94,020—5University of Maryland Global CampusAdelphi, Maryland89$62,4761 year out$70,466$17,600 6Harvard UniversityCambridge, Massachusetts164$61,5431 year out$117,484—7Amherst CollegeAmherst, Massachusetts41$61,1251 year out$83,307—8Columbia University in the City of New YorkNew York, New York232$61,0771 year out$98,687$22,943 9Bowdoin CollegeBrunswick, Maine77$60,6261 year out$83,716$19,634 10Cornell UniversityIthaca, New York116$60,2921 year out$87,361$14,400 11Stanford UniversityStanford, California72$59,2971 year out$73,221$12,000 12Middlebury CollegeMiddlebury, Vermont48$59,0261 year out—$19,500 13Hamilton CollegeClinton, New York30$58,8071 year out$80,732$12,500 14Yale UniversityNew Haven, Connecticut107$57,4661 year out$123,834$15,000 15Barnard CollegeNew York, New York70$57,2981 year out$95,608$19,000 16Santa Clara UniversitySanta Clara, California96$57,1111 year out$73,668$21,750 17Williams CollegeWilliamstown, Massachusetts46$56,8171 year out$94,412$10,750 18American Public University SystemCharles Town, West Virginia68$56,7631 year out$87,190$18,304 19Colgate UniversityHamilton, New York76$56,0641 year out$95,708$16,250 20University of ChicagoChicago, Illinois111$56,0221 year out$88,531$18,500 21University of Notre DameNotre Dame, Indiana175$55,3161 year out$81,595$19,000 22Georgetown UniversityWashington, District of Columbia272$55,2471 year out$86,431$16,500 23The University of Arizona Global CampusChandler, Arizona25$55,1961 year out$54,872$32,813 24Duke UniversityDurham, North Carolina111$54,9701 year out$101,627$14,016 25Northwestern UniversityEvanston, Illinois106$54,7371 year out$76,128$16,834 26Rice UniversityHouston, Texas28$54,7281 year out$87,237—27Brown UniversityProvidence, Rhode Island58$54,6341 year out$82,914$14,481 28Colby CollegeWaterville, Maine66$54,3531 year out$92,125$27,000 29Lehigh UniversityBethlehem, Pennsylvania36$53,6321 year out$88,889$21,150 30Bucknell UniversityLewisburg, Pennsylvania87$53,0121 year out$87,169$26,000 31Northeastern UniversityBoston, Massachusetts123$52,5161 year out$77,836$22,579 32Northeastern University Professional ProgramsBoston, Massachusetts1$52,5161 year out$77,836$22,579 33Southern Methodist UniversityDallas, Texas62$52,1601 year out$84,753$20,500 34George Washington UniversityWashington, District of Columbia305$51,5371 year out$86,946$23,000 35New York UniversityNew York, New York183$50,7831 year out$85,250$20,500 36Texas Christian UniversityFort Worth, Texas91$50,6271 year out$74,744$25,000 37Wellesley CollegeWellesley, Massachusetts45$50,2141 year out$60,169$12,500 38University of the District of ColumbiaWashington, District of Columbia19$49,9351 year out—$36,562 39Union CollegeSchenectady, New York32$49,7591 year out$83,411$26,899 40Mount Holyoke CollegeSouth Hadley, Massachusetts31$48,6901 year out$66,447$21,000 41Vassar CollegePoughkeepsie, New York38$48,6791 year out$72,327$17,500 42Lafayette CollegeEaston, Pennsylvania71$48,1121 year out$81,966$13,640 43American UniversityWashington, District of Columbia216$48,0341 year out$78,954$23,250 44Wake Forest UniversityWinston-Salem, North Carolina119$47,1611 year out$89,748$23,133 45College of the Holy CrossWorcester, Massachusetts129$47,0291 year out$82,765$27,000 46Brigham Young UniversityProvo, Utah146$47,0201 year out$79,248$11,745 47Vanderbilt UniversityNashville, Tennessee130$46,8431 year out$92,330$12,000 48Boston CollegeChestnut Hill, Massachusetts158$46,7641 year out$90,434$18,000 49Augustana UniversitySioux Falls, South Dakota19$46,6461 year out$52,014$27,000 50Emory UniversityAtlanta, Georgia87$46,6291 year out$64,001$17,590 51Connecticut CollegeNew London, Connecticut43$46,5881 year out$104,506$24,800 52Villanova UniversityVillanova, Pennsylvania115$46,5491 year out$85,999$25,620 53Liberty UniversityLynchburg, Virginia152$46,5081 year out$49,988$27,000 54Miami University-OxfordOxford, Ohio160$46,4281 year out$64,243$25,000 55Troy UniversityTroy, Alabama50$46,2791 year out$59,990$27,874 56Susquehanna UniversitySelinsgrove, Pennsylvania19$46,2661 year out—$27,000 57Franklin and Marshall CollegeLancaster, Pennsylvania41$45,9281 year out$71,360$19,000 58University of Virginia-Main CampusCharlottesville, Virginia127$45,8751 year out$84,910$18,015 59George Mason UniversityFairfax, Virginia180$45,8461 year out$74,736$22,000 60University of California-BerkeleyBerkeley, California418$45,4181 year out$78,026$13,000 61Saint Mary's College of CaliforniaMoraga, California15$45,2961 year out$67,807$25,967 62Stonehill CollegeEaston, Massachusetts15$45,1951 year out$68,747$25,000 63Occidental CollegeLos Angeles, California18$45,1751 year out$57,825$25,700 64University of UtahSalt Lake City, Utah142$45,1121 year out$60,348$18,370 65Wheaton CollegeWheaton, Illinois26$45,0691 year out—$23,250 66Boston UniversityBoston, Massachusetts162$45,0211 year out$69,721$25,000 67Citadel Military College of South CarolinaCharleston, South Carolina34$44,9921 year out$66,788$20,817 68Suffolk UniversityBoston, Massachusetts58$44,8451 year out$77,636$27,000 69The Catholic University of AmericaWashington, District of Columbia64$44,6171 year out$70,657$25,000 70Loyola University MarylandBaltimore, Maryland44$44,5721 year out$73,440$27,000 71Ashland UniversityAshland, Ohio13$44,4551 year out$50,903$26,738 72DePauw UniversityGreencastle, Indiana15$44,2241 year out$61,602$27,000 73Norwich UniversityNorthfield, Vermont21$43,9881 year out$79,271$25,636 74Whitworth UniversitySpokane, Washington19$43,9331 year out$72,166$22,624 75Providence CollegeProvidence, Rhode Island69$43,9111 year out$78,163$27,000 76Brandeis UniversityWaltham, Massachusetts60$43,7701 year out$75,110$23,333 77Sonoma State UniversityRohnert Park, California48$43,5471 year out—$16,956 78University of Massachusetts-AmherstAmherst, Massachusetts188$43,5451 year out$68,047$24,865 79Christopher Newport UniversityNewport News, Virginia61$43,5081 year out$62,548$23,250 80Gettysburg CollegeGettysburg, Pennsylvania76$43,3221 year out$79,444$27,000 81The University of Texas at AustinAustin, Texas340$43,2811 year out$70,835$20,500 82University of RichmondUniversity of Richmond, Virginia36$43,2531 year out$67,169$23,080 83Marist UniversityPoughkeepsie, New York35$43,2381 year out$69,099$23,250 84Syracuse UniversitySyracuse, New York141$43,2321 year out$67,317$26,799 85CUNY Lehman CollegeBronx, New York36$43,0591 year out$58,797$12,334 86Trinity CollegeHartford, Connecticut77$42,9791 year out$80,061$25,000 87Skidmore CollegeSaratoga Springs, New York31$42,7561 year out$53,623$23,025 88University of Maryland-College ParkCollege Park, Maryland321$42,6881 year out$79,622$18,768 89Towson UniversityTowson, Maryland71$42,6481 year out$64,337$20,875 90Claremont McKenna CollegeClaremont, California34$42,5521 year out——91Arizona State University Campus ImmersionTempe, Arizona356$42,4811 year out$68,231$22,250 92Arizona State University Digital ImmersionScottsdale, Arizona169$42,4811 year out$68,231$22,250 93Bridgewater State UniversityBridgewater, Massachusetts21$42,4761 year out$61,779$25,000 94University of Wisconsin-OshkoshOshkosh, Wisconsin14$42,3661 year out—$25,015 95Smith CollegeNorthampton, Massachusetts60$42,3271 year out$63,650$19,000 96North Carolina A & T State UniversityGreensboro, North Carolina30$42,3101 year out—$29,264 97Pepperdine UniversityMalibu, California38$42,3061 year out$81,421$23,625 98James Madison UniversityHarrisonburg, Virginia110$42,1281 year out$68,443$20,000 99Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityBlacksburg, Virginia200$42,1141 year out$72,652$24,250 100University of Wisconsin-MadisonMadison, Wisconsin384$42,0631 year out$68,593$22,000

Associate programs — top 100 of 168 colleges by graduate earnings

CollegeGrads / yearEarnings 1 yearEarnings 5 yearsDebt

1Santa Monica CollegeSanta Monica, California140—1 year out——2El Camino Community College DistrictTorrance, California48—1 year out——3Diablo Valley CollegePleasant Hill, California46—1 year out——4Glendale Community CollegeGlendale, California44—1 year out——5Orange Coast CollegeCosta Mesa, California44—1 year out——6Saddleback CollegeMission Viejo, California42—1 year out——7Santa Barbara City CollegeSanta Barbara, California41—1 year out——8Los Angeles Pierce CollegeWoodland Hills, California37—1 year out——9Mt San Antonio CollegeWalnut, California37—1 year out——10College of the CanyonsSanta Clarita, California36—1 year out——11East Los Angeles CollegeMonterey Park, California36—1 year out——12Bakersfield CollegeBakersfield, California35—1 year out——13Fullerton CollegeFullerton, California35—1 year out——14Pasadena City CollegePasadena, California35—1 year out——15De Anza CollegeCupertino, California34—1 year out——16Los Angeles Valley CollegeValley Glen, California33—1 year out——17Sacramento City CollegeSacramento, California30—1 year out——18San Diego Mesa CollegeSan Diego, California29—1 year out——19Santa Rosa Junior CollegeSanta Rosa, California29—1 year out——20Southwestern CollegeChula Vista, California29—1 year out——21Chaffey CollegeRancho Cucamonga, California25—1 year out——22Long Beach City CollegeLong Beach, California25—1 year out——23Ventura CollegeVentura, California25—1 year out——24Moorpark CollegeMoorpark, California23—1 year out——25Grossmont CollegeEl Cajon, California22—1 year out——26Riverside City CollegeRiverside, California22—1 year out——27Rio Hondo CollegeWhittier, California21—1 year out——28Sierra CollegeRocklin, California21—1 year out——29Santiago Canyon CollegeOrange, California21—1 year out——30American River CollegeSacramento, California20—1 year out——31Cerritos CollegeNorwalk, California20—1 year out——32Cypress CollegeCypress, California20—1 year out——33Solano Community CollegeFairfield, California20—1 year out——34Oklahoma City Community CollegeOklahoma City, Oklahoma20—1 year out——35Chabot CollegeHayward, California19—1 year out——36Irvine Valley CollegeIrvine, California19—1 year out——37Santa Ana CollegeSanta Ana, California19—1 year out——38West Valley CollegeSaratoga, California19—1 year out——39Connecticut State Community CollegeNew Britain, Connecticut19—1 year out——40Houston City CollegeHouston, Texas19—1 year out——41Salt Lake Community CollegeSalt Lake City, Utah19—1 year out——42College of the DesertPalm Desert, California18—1 year out——43Fresno City CollegeFresno, California18—1 year out——44Suffolk County Community CollegeSelden, New York18—1 year out——45College of Western IdahoNampa, Idaho18—1 year out$42,851—46City College of San FranciscoSan Francisco, California17—1 year out——47Los Angeles City CollegeLos Angeles, California17—1 year out——48Modesto Junior CollegeModesto, California17—1 year out——49Central New Mexico Community CollegeAlbuquerque, New Mexico17—1 year out——50Las Positas CollegeLivermore, California17—1 year out——51Imperial Valley CollegeImperial, California16—1 year out——52Mt San Jacinto Community College DistrictSan Jacinto, California16—1 year out——53Berkeley City CollegeBerkeley, California16—1 year out——54Norco CollegeNorco, California16—1 year out——55Antelope Valley Community College DistrictLancaster, California15—1 year out——56Golden West CollegeHuntington Beach, California15—1 year out——57Los Medanos CollegePittsburg, California15—1 year out——58Palomar CollegeSan Marcos, California15—1 year out——59West Los Angeles CollegeCulver City, California15—1 year out——60Austin Community College DistrictAustin, Texas15—1 year out—$8,333 61Clovis Community CollegeFresno, California15—1 year out——62College of San MateoSan Mateo, California14—1 year out——63Folsom Lake CollegeFolsom, California14—1 year out——64Cabrillo CollegeAptos, California13—1 year out——65San Diego City CollegeSan Diego, California13—1 year out——66San Diego Miramar CollegeSan Diego, California13—1 year out——67Cuesta CollegeSan Luis Obispo, California12—1 year out——68Los Angeles Mission CollegeSylmar, California12—1 year out——69MiraCosta CollegeOceanside, California12—1 year out——70San Joaquin Delta CollegeStockton, California12—1 year out——71Dallas CollegeDallas, Texas12—1 year out——72College of AlamedaAlameda, California11—1 year out——73South Texas CollegeMcAllen, Texas11—1 year out——74Citrus CollegeGlendora, California10—1 year out——75Foothill CollegeLos Altos Hills, California10—1 year out——76Hartnell CollegeSalinas, California10—1 year out——77Ohlone CollegeFremont, California10—1 year out——78Sinclair Community CollegeDayton, Ohio10—1 year out——79Tyler Junior CollegeTyler, Texas10—1 year out——80Georgia Military CollegeMilledgeville, Georgia10—1 year out——81Napa Valley CollegeNapa, California9—1 year out——82Lone Star College SystemThe Woodlands, Texas9—1 year out——83Glendale Community CollegeGlendale, Arizona8—1 year out——84Cosumnes River CollegeSacramento, California8—1 year out——85College of MarinKentfield, California8—1 year out——86College of the SequoiasVisalia, California8—1 year out——87Shasta CollegeRedding, California8—1 year out——88San Bernardino Valley CollegeSan Bernardino, California8—1 year out——89Yuba CollegeMarysville, California8—1 year out——90College of Southern IdahoTwin Falls, Idaho8—1 year out——91Mesa Community CollegeMesa, Arizona7—1 year out——92Laney CollegeOakland, California7—1 year out——93Los Angeles Southwest CollegeLos Angeles, California7—1 year out——94Merced CollegeMerced, California7—1 year out——95North Idaho CollegeCoeur d'Alene, Idaho7—1 year out——96College of Southern NevadaLas Vegas, Nevada7—1 year out——97Harrisburg Area Community CollegeHarrisburg, Pennsylvania7—1 year out——98Lemoore CollegeLemoore, California7—1 year out——99Arizona Western CollegeYuma, Arizona6—1 year out——100Allan Hancock CollegeSanta Maria, California6—1 year out——

Certificate programs — 23 colleges

CollegeGrads / yearEarnings 1 yearEarnings 5 yearsDebt

1Arizona State University Campus ImmersionTempe, Arizona25$52,7711 year out—$16,264 2American UniversityWashington, District of Columbia56$51,2221 year out$73,852$23,250 3Davidson CollegeDavidson, North Carolina—$46,2321 year out$78,431$19,500 4University of Wisconsin-WhitewaterWhitewater, Wisconsin15$41,1881 year out—$25,791 5University of Missouri-ColumbiaColumbia, Missouri49—1 year out——6Ohio University-Main CampusAthens, Ohio31—1 year out——7University of FloridaGainesville, Florida30—1 year out——8University of Wisconsin-MadisonMadison, Wisconsin26—1 year out——9Santa Monica CollegeSanta Monica, California23—1 year out——10University of Wisconsin-Eau ClaireEau Claire, Wisconsin17—1 year out——11Purdue University-Main CampusWest Lafayette, Indiana17—1 year out——12Central Michigan UniversityMount Pleasant, Michigan11—1 year out——13Temple UniversityPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania9—1 year out——14West Chester University of PennsylvaniaWest Chester, Pennsylvania7—1 year out——15University of Cincinnati-Main CampusCincinnati, Ohio6—1 year out——16University of Alabama in HuntsvilleHuntsville, Alabama5—1 year out——17University of Akron Main CampusAkron, Ohio2—1 year out——18University of PikevillePikeville, Kentucky1—1 year out——19University of Maryland Global CampusAdelphi, Maryland1—1 year out——20University of Massachusetts-AmherstAmherst, Massachusetts1—1 year out——21University of ToledoToledo, Ohio1—1 year out——22Black Hills State UniversitySpearfish, South Dakota1—1 year out——23University of Colorado BoulderBoulder, Colorado——1 year out$76,527—

US Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study data (4-digit CIP). Graduates are conferrals in the most recent IPEDS year; earnings cover federally-aided completers who are working and not enrolled; medians for small programs are privacy-suppressed (—).