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DOCTORAL DEGREE · DEGREE PAYOFF · FEDERAL FIELD 4510

Political Science and Government: is this doctoral degree worth it?

National picture across 2 reporting college programs.

Personal baseline needed

$105,203 in median year-4 earnings

A credible return for this credential must start with what the student would otherwise earn. The federal data does not provide that personal baseline.

$105,203Median year-4 earnings

$14,074Average institution net-price context

Not availableMedian federal debt

Use your actual price and alternative earnings before evaluating return. Model your own starting point →

WHAT THIS DEGREE PAYS

Observed national outcomes

$105,203Median reported earnings · year 4

Not availableAverage reported earnings · year 5

Not availableMedian federal debt

54thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential

2Reporting programs

2With year-4 earnings

COMPARE CREDENTIAL LEVELS

The same field can produce a different equation.

Keep the federal field fixed and compare observed outcomes at every reportable credential level. These are separate graduate cohorts—not a promise that more schooling causes the difference.

OPEN PROFILE

Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma

Year-4 earnings: $81,004
Federal debt: $21,375
Reporting programs: 4

3 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Associate's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $43,165
Federal debt: $8,333
Reporting programs: 3

3 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Bachelor's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $61,929
Federal debt: $23,708
Reporting programs: 609

568 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Master's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $75,523
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 16

16 report earnings →CURRENT VIEW

Doctoral Degree

Year-4 earnings: $105,203
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 2

2 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Graduate/Professional Certificate

Year-4 earnings: $114,020
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 1

1 report earnings →

COLLEGE-TO-COLLEGE RANGE

Where the middle half of programs lands

Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.

Median

25th percentile$104,566National median$105,20375th percentile$104,566

2 programs report year‑4 earnings.

WHERE OUTCOMES ARE STRONGEST

See the spread, not just the national number.

1University of Maryland-College Park$105,840 2University of California, San Diego$104,566

Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking

WHERE THIS FIELD CAN LEAD

Related occupations

Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.

Managers, All OtherSOC 11-9199 · 5 crosswalk linksPolitical ScientistsSOC 19-3094 · 5 crosswalk linksPolitical Science Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1065 · 4 crosswalk linksSecondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationSOC 25-2031 · 4 crosswalk linksSocial Science Research AssistantsSOC 19-4061 · 2 crosswalk linksEconomics Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1063 · 1 crosswalk linksEconomistsSOC 19-3011 · 1 crosswalk links

BEST COLLEGES FOR POLITICAL SCIENCE AND GOVERNMENT

Same degree, different outcomes

Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. Automated ROI is withheld when an exact program price or personal earnings baseline is required.

#	College	Location	Earnings, year 4	Federal debt	ROI status	Cost context
1	University of Maryland-College ParkDoctoral Degree	College Park, MD	$105,840	Not available	Baseline needed	$15,678
2	University of California, San DiegoDoctoral Degree	La Jolla, CA	$104,566	Not available	Baseline needed	$12,470

This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.