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Best Political Science & Government Programs 2026

Top political science programs ranked by career outcomes. Compare schools for government, policy, and pre-law tracks.

20 programs ranked

$40,017 avg salary

15 public schools

View as table

Rank	Program	School	State	Median Salary	Annual Cost	Value Score	Break-Even
1	Political Science and Government	Harvard University	MA	$58,808	$19,066/yr	91/100	2.8 yr
2	Public Policy Analysis	University of Chicago	IL	$51,165	$14,860/yr	87/100	3.1 yr
3	Political Science and Government	Middlebury College	VT	$51,074	$25,934/yr	83/100	5.2 yr
4	Political Science and Government	University of Chicago	IL	$48,082	$14,860/yr	85/100	3.6 yr
5	Political Science and Government	Stanford University	CA	$46,407	$12,136/yr	85/100	3.2 yr
6	Public Administration	Indiana University-Bloomington	IN	$44,780	$16,264/yr	80/100	4.9 yr
7	Public Policy Analysis	University of Michigan-Ann Arbor	MI	$44,429	$13,138/yr	82/100	4.1 yr
8	Political Science and Government	University of Michigan-Ann Arbor	MI	$40,625	$13,138/yr	79/100	5.6 yr
9	Political Science and Government	University of California-Berkeley	CA	$40,526	$13,481/yr	79/100	5.6 yr
10	Public Policy Analysis	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill	NC	$39,751	$12,983/yr	78/100	5.8 yr
11	Political Science and Government	The University of Texas at Austin	TX	$37,562	$19,857/yr	66/100	11.5 yr
12	Political Science and Government	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill	NC	$36,613	$12,983/yr	73/100	8.6 yr
13	Political Science and Government	University of Wisconsin-Madison	WI	$35,789	$16,928/yr	66/100	13 yr
14	Public Administration	Ohio State University-Main Campus	OH	$34,336	$17,339/yr	58/100	17.7 yr
15	Political Science and Government	Ohio State University-Main Campus	OH	$33,926	$17,339/yr	54/100	19.5 yr
16	Political Science and Government	University of Georgia	GA	$33,737	$13,816/yr	59/100	16.6 yr
17	Political Science and Government	Wayne State University	MI	$32,349	$14,773/yr	50/100	28.5 yr
18	Political Science and Government	Indiana University-Bloomington	IN	$31,800	$16,264/yr	52/100	40.1 yr
19	Public Administration	Wayne State University	MI	$29,693	$14,773/yr	48/100	N/A
20	Political Science and Government	University of Florida	FL	$28,878	$6,541/yr	54/100	N/A

Political Science and Government

91/100

Harvard University · Cambridge, MA

$58,808 median salary$19,066/yr net cost2.8 yr break-even+96% vs. HS diploma

Public Policy Analysis

87/100

University of Chicago · Chicago, IL

$51,165 median salary$14,860/yr net cost3.1 yr break-even+71% vs. HS diploma

Political Science and Government

83/100

Middlebury College · Middlebury, VT

$51,074 median salary$25,934/yr net cost5.2 yr break-even+70% vs. HS diploma

Political Science and Government

85/100

University of Chicago · Chicago, IL

$48,082 median salary$14,860/yr net cost3.6 yr break-even+60% vs. HS diploma

Political Science and Government

85/100

Stanford University · Stanford, CA

$46,407 median salary$12,136/yr net cost3.2 yr break-even+55% vs. HS diploma

Public Administration

80/100Public

Indiana University-Bloomington · Bloomington, IN

$44,780 median salary$16,264/yr net cost4.9 yr break-even+49% vs. HS diploma

Public Policy Analysis

82/100Public

University of Michigan-Ann Arbor · Ann Arbor, MI

$44,429 median salary$13,138/yr net cost4.1 yr break-even+48% vs. HS diploma

Political Science and Government

79/100Public

University of Michigan-Ann Arbor · Ann Arbor, MI

$40,625 median salary$13,138/yr net cost5.6 yr break-even+35% vs. HS diploma

Political Science and Government

79/100Public

University of California-Berkeley · Berkeley, CA

$40,526 median salary$13,481/yr net cost5.6 yr break-even+35% vs. HS diploma

Public Policy Analysis

78/100Public

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill · Chapel Hill, NC

$39,751 median salary$12,983/yr net cost5.8 yr break-even+33% vs. HS diploma

Political Science and Government

66/100Public

The University of Texas at Austin · Austin, TX

$37,562 median salary$19,857/yr net cost11.5 yr break-even+25% vs. HS diploma

Political Science and Government

73/100Public

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill · Chapel Hill, NC

$36,613 median salary$12,983/yr net cost8.6 yr break-even+22% vs. HS diploma

Political Science and Government

66/100Public

University of Wisconsin-Madison · Madison, WI

$35,789 median salary$16,928/yr net cost13 yr break-even+19% vs. HS diploma

Public Administration

58/100Public

Ohio State University-Main Campus · Columbus, OH

$34,336 median salary$17,339/yr net cost17.7 yr break-even+14% vs. HS diploma

Political Science and Government

54/100Public

Ohio State University-Main Campus · Columbus, OH

$33,926 median salary$17,339/yr net cost19.5 yr break-even+13% vs. HS diploma

Political Science and Government

59/100Public

University of Georgia · Athens, GA

$33,737 median salary$13,816/yr net cost16.6 yr break-even+12% vs. HS diploma

Political Science and Government

50/100Public

Wayne State University · Detroit, MI

$32,349 median salary$14,773/yr net cost28.5 yr break-even+8% vs. HS diploma

Political Science and Government

52/100Public

Indiana University-Bloomington · Bloomington, IN

$31,800 median salary$16,264/yr net cost40.1 yr break-even+6% vs. HS diploma

Public Administration

48/100Public

Wayne State University · Detroit, MI

$29,693 median salary$14,773/yr net cost+-1% vs. HS diploma

Political Science and Government

54/100Public

University of Florida · Gainesville, FL

$28,878 median salary$6,541/yr net cost+-4% vs. HS diploma

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See how different political science & government programs stack up on cost, salary, and graduation rates.

Compare Schools Overall Rankings

Rankings are based on data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Programs are ranked by median earnings 1 year after completion. Data reflects bachelor's degree programs only.