Political Science and Government bachelor's degree programs in Pennsylvania

Compare 45 reporting programs using the same federal field and bachelor's degree credential definition. Earnings are observed four years after completion.

45Programs reporting earnings

$66,231Median year-4 earnings

$26,000Median federal debt

41Programs reporting debt

OUTCOME SPREAD

Highest reported earnings in Pennsylvania

Each bar uses the same field, credential, state and earnings year.

1Bucknell UniversityLewisburg · $26,000 federal debt$94,028 2University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia · $14,722 federal debt$93,033 3Lehigh UniversityBethlehem · $21,150 federal debt$90,302 4Lafayette CollegeEaston · $13,640 federal debt$87,904 5Villanova UniversityVillanova · $25,620 federal debt$83,179 6Gettysburg CollegeGettysburg · $27,000 federal debt$76,597 7Mercyhurst UniversityErie · $25,000 federal debt$76,154 8Franklin and Marshall CollegeLancaster · $19,000 federal debt$74,822 9University of ScrantonScranton · $26,000 federal debt$72,038 10Saint Joseph's University - PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia · $20,000 federal debt$69,816

CAREER CONTEXT IN PA

What related occupations pay in Pennsylvania

These are common occupational matches for this field, ranked by the strength of the federal education-to-occupation match.

19-3094Political Scientists

State median wage: $140,020
Middle 50% wage range: $89,750–$169,580
State employment: 70
Projected growth: -2.0%
Annual openings: 400

10th–90th percentile: $70,450–$203,130

11-9199Managers, All Other

State median wage: $131,600
Middle 50% wage range: $99,060–$171,340
State employment: 20,170
Projected growth: +4.9%
Annual openings: 100,900

10th–90th percentile: $76,260–$217,320

25-1065Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary

State median wage: $97,230
Middle 50% wage range: $75,590–$121,780
State employment: 660
Projected growth: +2.5%
Annual openings: 1,500

10th–90th percentile: $61,350–$152,080

25-2031Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education

State median wage: $78,800
Middle 50% wage range: $61,750–$92,980
State employment: 52,240
Projected growth: -0.2%
Annual openings: 63,500

10th–90th percentile: $51,440–$102,360

19-4061Social Science Research Assistants

State median wage: $54,610
Middle 50% wage range: $48,590–$64,790
State employment: 860
Projected growth: +5.0%
Annual openings: 4,900

10th–90th percentile: $44,710–$81,640

25-1063Economics Teachers, Postsecondary

State median wage: $117,970
Middle 50% wage range: $97,360–$129,900
State employment: 610
Projected growth: +2.4%
Annual openings: 1,000

10th–90th percentile: $67,320–$202,670

19-3011Economists

State median wage: $115,000
Middle 50% wage range: $81,470–$138,010
State employment: 560
Projected growth: +4.7%
Annual openings: 1,100

10th–90th percentile: $64,500–$164,650

Career wages and employment are BLS estimates for everyone working in each occupation in Pennsylvania; they are not earnings or placement rates for graduates of these programs. Wage ranges show the distribution across workers, not an entry-to-experienced career path. Growth and annual openings are national 2025–35 projections. BLS reports openings in thousands; DegreeVerdict displays the corresponding job count. These figures provide labor-market context and are not used in DegreeVerdict payoff or ROI calculations.

ALL REPORTING PROGRAMS

Compare every available outcome

Sorted by observed year-4 earnings. Open a row for its exact college-and-degree profile.

#	College	City	Median year-4 earnings	Median federal debt
1	Bucknell University	Lewisburg	$94,028	$26,000
2	University of Pennsylvania	Philadelphia	$93,033	$14,722
3	Lehigh University	Bethlehem	$90,302	$21,150
4	Lafayette College	Easton	$87,904	$13,640
5	Villanova University	Villanova	$83,179	$25,620
6	Gettysburg College	Gettysburg	$76,597	$27,000
7	Mercyhurst University	Erie	$76,154	$25,000
8	Franklin and Marshall College	Lancaster	$74,822	$19,000
9	University of Scranton	Scranton	$72,038	$26,000
10	Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia	Philadelphia	$69,816	$20,000
11	Pennsylvania State University-World Campus	University Park	$68,918	$26,000
12	Pennsylvania State University-Penn State York	York	$68,918	$26,000
13	Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus	University Park	$68,918	$26,000
14	Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg	Middletown	$68,918	$26,000
15	Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks	Reading	$68,918	$26,000
16	Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona	Altoona	$68,918	$26,000
17	Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Wilkes-Barre	Dallas	$68,918	$26,000
18	Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College	Erie	$68,918	$26,000
19	Drexel University	Philadelphia	$66,756	Not available
20	Muhlenberg College	Allentown	$66,540	$26,950
21	Duquesne University	Pittsburgh	$66,444	$24,250
22	University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus	Pittsburgh	$66,231	$25,900
23	University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown	Johnstown	$66,231	$25,900
24	University of Pittsburgh-Greensburg	Greensburg	$66,231	$25,900
25	Indiana University of Pennsylvania	Indiana	$63,458	$27,000
26	Washington & Jefferson College	Washington	$63,258	$27,000
27	Elizabethtown College	Elizabethtown	$63,073	$27,000
28	Haverford College	Haverford	$62,242	Not available
29	Allegheny College	Meadville	$60,241	$27,000
30	Temple University	Philadelphia	$59,848	$25,815
31	Dickinson College	Carlisle	$59,834	$19,000
32	Swarthmore College	Swarthmore	$58,372	Not available
33	Kutztown University of Pennsylvania	Kutztown	$58,347	$27,000
34	Pennsylvania Western University	California	$57,724	Not available
35	La Salle University	Philadelphia	$56,792	$27,000
36	Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania	Bloomsburg	$56,161	$29,025
37	Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania	Slippery Rock	$55,548	$26,000
38	Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania	Shippensburg	$55,295	$27,000
39	Widener University	Chester	$52,765	$27,000
40	Susquehanna University	Selinsgrove	$52,221	$27,000
41	York College of Pennsylvania	York	$52,133	$27,000
42	Millersville University of Pennsylvania	Millersville	$52,099	$27,000
43	Misericordia University	Dallas	$48,992	$27,000
44	Lincoln University	Lincoln University	$47,374	$28,500
45	East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania	East Stroudsburg	$42,428	$25,250

This is an observed-outcomes comparison, not a universal quality ranking. Missing and privacy-suppressed programs are excluded.

QUESTIONS ANSWERED

A quick read on Political Science and Government in Pennsylvania

What do Political Science and Government bachelor's degree graduates earn in Pennsylvania?

Across 45 reporting programs, the median observed earnings figure is $66,231 four years after completion.

How much federal debt is reported for these programs?

The median is $26,000 among the 41 programs reporting federal debt.

Which Pennsylvania colleges report the highest earnings for this degree?

The table compares the same federal field, credential and earnings year. Bucknell University has the highest reported figure among the programs shown.