undergraduate
Political science and government
Best schools with political science and government
What is a political science and government major?
Political science and government students learn about political institutions and behavior. It includes instruction in political philosophy, political theory, comparative government and politics, political parties and interest groups, public opinion, political research methods, studies of the government and politics of specific countries, and studies of specific political institutions and processes.
of students said a highlight of this major was the exposure to diverse perspectives.
of students found this major to be difficult.
of students said they were motivated to select this major because it fit their passion & interest.
of students and alumni plan on being or are currently employed in an occupation related to this major.
of students said lots of reading was a challenging aspect of the major
How much do political science and government majors make?
median average salary
$85,000/yr
The national average salary for political science and government graduates in the United States is $85,000 per year. Those in the top 10 percent make over $235,000 a year, while the bottom 10 percent make under $29,100 a year. While salary ranges can vary by role, industry, and location, political science and government graduates typically make between $50,000 and $144,000 per year.
The most common starting salary of surveyed students after graduation is $40,000 - $50,000.
How popular is political science and government as a major?
Each year, around 41,000 students obtain a bachelor’s degree and around 1,890 students obtain an associate degree in political science and government. In 2021, 43,812 students received a bachelor's degree and 2,446 students received an associate degree. This is relatively the same number of political science and government majors as there were in 2020. Overall, political science is a relatively popular area of study.
Advice from political science and government majors
Share your experienceTake advantage of office hours and quizzes! Most professors use the same quiz question bank for exams. If you can retake a quizzes multiple times, don't stop once you get 100, go until you've seen every question within the question bank! These professors want you to succeed and will help you in any way they can!
Remember to always ale sure this is something you are passionate about and really want to do. Change is necessary when needed.
Despite the setbacks, and challenges you'll face in this major and in college at large, just put one foot in front of the other, and continue to march forward. As long as you passionate and hardworking all it takes is improving 1% a day and you'll excel.
When I mentioned to my boss (as an intern) that I wanted to go back to school and get a higher degree, she laughed. I quickly learned that in politics (especially in DC), it's more about who you know than what you know. If you're looking to work in the legislature or another branch of government, you'll have more success by interning and taking fellowships, networking, and working your way up. If you are planning on being a policy analyst or expert in a certain field, Poly Sci is pretty useless anyway; get your graduate degree in that specialized field (like international relations, education policy, public administration). The political science degree itself is basically a "gen ed" of the government world and is only recommended if you're actually pursuing a career as a pollster or analyzing political trends.
Don't major in Political Science, it's not lucrative enough to pay for your basic needs. You'll regret it, even if you're passionate about the subject.
