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

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Most graduates Highest earnings

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

CollegeGrads / yearEarnings 1 yearEarnings 5 yearsDebt

1University of California-Los AngelesLos Angeles, California653$34,3921 year out$75,578$15,000 2Florida State UniversityTallahassee, Florida421$34,7451 year out$69,965$18,700 3University of California-BerkeleyBerkeley, California418$45,4181 year out$78,026$13,000 4University of Washington-Seattle CampusSeattle, Washington389$41,2461 year out$68,104$14,000 5University of Wisconsin-MadisonMadison, Wisconsin384$42,0631 year out$68,593$22,000 6University of California-San DiegoLa Jolla, California383$33,3451 year out$69,947$16,030 7University of Central FloridaOrlando, Florida378$35,9371 year out$56,469$21,344 8University of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel Hill, North Carolina369$41,2001 year out$71,082$15,100 9Arizona State University Campus ImmersionTempe, Arizona356$42,4811 year out$68,231$22,250 10The University of Texas at AustinAustin, Texas340$43,2811 year out$70,835$20,500 11University of FloridaGainesville, Florida337$31,5741 year out$70,551$16,068 12University of California-DavisDavis, California336$36,2081 year out$65,407$14,250 13University of California-Santa BarbaraSanta Barbara, California322$39,4041 year out$73,638$16,485 14University of Maryland-College ParkCollege Park, Maryland321$42,6881 year out$79,622$18,768 15Florida International UniversityMiami, Florida312$26,9831 year out$53,189$15,250 16George Washington UniversityWashington, District of Columbia305$51,5371 year out$86,946$23,000 17University of Colorado BoulderBoulder, Colorado281$39,9541 year out$74,672$19,500 18Texas A&M University-College StationCollege Station, Texas278$41,8171 year out$66,219$19,749 19Georgetown UniversityWashington, District of Columbia272$55,2471 year out$86,431$16,500 20University of California-IrvineIrvine, California269$31,9761 year out$69,342$16,293 21University of GeorgiaAthens, Georgia266$39,8421 year out$66,357$22,171 22University of California-RiversideRiverside, California265$30,0601 year out$59,096$18,300 23Ohio State University-Main CampusColumbus, Ohio265$35,9771 year out$66,909$21,500 24University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignChampaign, Illinois252$35,1721 year out$74,311$20,025 25University of Michigan-Ann ArborAnn Arbor, Michigan247$39,7021 year out$78,402$18,862 26Columbia University in the City of New YorkNew York, New York232$61,0771 year out$98,687$22,943 27Rutgers University-New BrunswickNew Brunswick, New Jersey219$39,7231 year out$71,531$24,188 28American UniversityWashington, District of Columbia216$48,0341 year out$78,954$23,250 29University of HoustonHouston, Texas213$36,4131 year out$61,848$19,500 30University of South Carolina-ColumbiaColumbia, South Carolina210$33,1571 year out$60,403$25,000 31University of South FloridaTampa, Florida209$34,9651 year out$58,714$20,609 32California State University-Long BeachLong Beach, California202$32,1681 year out$59,758$14,928 33University of Minnesota-Twin CitiesMinneapolis, Minnesota201$40,2081 year out$63,560$20,465 34The University of AlabamaTuscaloosa, Alabama200$32,6991 year out$61,049$23,785 35Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityBlacksburg, Virginia200$42,1141 year out$72,652$24,250 36Georgia State UniversityAtlanta, Georgia195$29,2751 year out$53,969$26,000 37University of OregonEugene, Oregon193$36,0221 year out$69,621$20,183 38William & MaryWilliamsburg, Virginia190$41,3171 year out$76,102$19,500 39California State University-NorthridgeNorthridge, California188$32,0141 year out$56,503$14,202 40University of Massachusetts-AmherstAmherst, Massachusetts188$43,5451 year out$68,047$24,865 41New York UniversityNew York, New York183$50,7831 year out$85,250$20,500 42University of ArizonaTucson, Arizona182$36,1931 year out$64,459$21,630 43Dartmouth CollegeHanover, New Hampshire182$72,6181 year out$101,103$17,500 44University of ConnecticutStorrs, Connecticut181$37,0091 year out$74,491$22,375 45George Mason UniversityFairfax, Virginia180$45,8461 year out$74,736$22,000 46North Carolina State University at RaleighRaleigh, North Carolina177$38,3211 year out$64,316$23,457 47University of Notre DameNotre Dame, Indiana175$55,3161 year out$81,595$19,000 48Pennsylvania State University-Main CampusUniversity Park, Pennsylvania175$41,2011 year out$69,838$26,000 49California State University-SacramentoSacramento, California172$36,1891 year out$66,718$16,084 50San Diego State UniversitySan Diego, California169$38,0601 year out$70,987$17,068 51University of Missouri-ColumbiaColumbia, Missouri169$37,7221 year out$69,949$22,517 52Arizona State University Digital ImmersionScottsdale, Arizona169$42,4811 year out$68,231$22,250 53Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical CollegeBaton Rouge, Louisiana165$30,7711 year out$66,283$19,500 54Harvard UniversityCambridge, Massachusetts164$61,5431 year out$117,484—55Boston UniversityBoston, Massachusetts162$45,0211 year out$69,721$25,000 56Miami University-OxfordOxford, Ohio160$46,4281 year out$64,243$25,000 57Virginia Commonwealth UniversityRichmond, Virginia159$34,0801 year out$55,117$21,376 58Boston CollegeChestnut Hill, Massachusetts158$46,7641 year out$90,434$18,000 59University of North Carolina at CharlotteCharlotte, North Carolina154$32,7801 year out$51,763$24,000 60Fordham UniversityBronx, New York152$41,8091 year out$77,828$24,575 61Liberty UniversityLynchburg, Virginia152$46,5081 year out$49,988$27,000 62The University of Tennessee-KnoxvilleKnoxville, Tennessee149$29,7281 year out$55,196$20,500 63Howard UniversityWashington, District of Columbia148$31,8971 year out$59,986$27,000 64Loyola University ChicagoChicago, Illinois147$37,0071 year out$68,766$23,250 65Brigham Young UniversityProvo, Utah146$47,0201 year out$79,248$11,745 66University of UtahSalt Lake City, Utah142$45,1121 year out$60,348$18,370 67University of California-Santa CruzSanta Cruz, California141$31,8821 year out$63,776$16,782 68Syracuse UniversitySyracuse, New York141$43,2321 year out$67,317$26,799 69Colorado State University-Fort CollinsFort Collins, Colorado140$36,3241 year out$61,493$19,500 70University at AlbanyAlbany, New York140$33,2511 year out$53,821$22,750 71University of IowaIowa City, Iowa139$39,1331 year out$63,699$24,250 72Tulane University of LouisianaNew Orleans, Louisiana139$41,2651 year out$68,622$19,500 73Grand Canyon UniversityPhoenix, Arizona138$37,7041 year out—$27,000 74University of Southern CaliforniaLos Angeles, California132$38,0631 year out$78,005$12,869 75University of North TexasDenton, Texas132$34,1951 year out$56,747$17,750 76CUNY Hunter CollegeNew York, New York131$35,1541 year out$66,568$9,531 77University of KansasLawrence, Kansas130$33,7001 year out$67,019$22,249 78Temple UniversityPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania130$36,0111 year out$61,331$25,815 79Vanderbilt UniversityNashville, Tennessee130$46,8431 year out$92,330$12,000 80College of the Holy CrossWorcester, Massachusetts129$47,0291 year out$82,765$27,000 81University of Virginia-Main CampusCharlottesville, Virginia127$45,8751 year out$84,910$18,015 82University of ArkansasFayetteville, Arkansas126$33,7451 year out$66,167$25,370 83Michigan State UniversityEast Lansing, Michigan126$39,5141 year out$72,691$22,576 84Florida Atlantic UniversityBoca Raton, Florida124$31,6411 year out$52,473$18,500 85Texas State UniversitySan Marcos, Texas124$33,7831 year out$49,969$22,760 86Texas Tech UniversityLubbock, Texas124$35,1141 year out$57,886$23,375 87Northeastern UniversityBoston, Massachusetts123$52,5161 year out$77,836$22,579 88California State University-FullertonFullerton, California120$31,7111 year out$62,338$15,000 89CUNY John Jay College of Criminal JusticeNew York, New York120$35,8281 year out$59,730$14,820 90Wake Forest UniversityWinston-Salem, North Carolina119$47,1611 year out$89,748$23,133 91Binghamton UniversityVestal, New York118$37,1941 year out$70,902$20,000 92University at BuffaloBuffalo, New York117$27,4951 year out$62,844$20,750 93Cornell UniversityIthaca, New York116$60,2921 year out$87,361$14,400 94Villanova UniversityVillanova, Pennsylvania115$46,5491 year out$85,999$25,620 95Indiana University-BloomingtonBloomington, Indiana114$32,5681 year out$70,848$17,951 96Stony Brook UniversityStony Brook, New York114$36,4801 year out$77,623$19,406 97United States Naval AcademyAnnapolis, Maryland113—1 year out——98Purdue University-Main CampusWest Lafayette, Indiana113$39,7081 year out$72,774$20,000 99University of KentuckyLexington, Kentucky112$34,7451 year out$58,226$21,667 100University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania112$65,4731 year out$111,976$14,722

Associate programs — top 100 of 168 colleges by graduates

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

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

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 (—).