Program directoryPROGRAM-CATEGORY PAYOFF

Political Science and Government bachelor's degree outcomes at Augustana College

Rock Island, IL · Private nonprofit · Federal field 4510

Data scope

Federal records group outcomes by college, four-digit field and credential level. A record may cover several catalog programs or concentrations.

The short version

Reported earnings trail the same-degree benchmark.

$7,998 below the national median for the same field and credential.

Debt pressure
48.8% of annual earnings
Positive-payoff price ceiling
Not reached
10-year scenario
−62% · Negative payoff
Price evidence
College-wide context only
PRICE SENSITIVITY

The price can change the verdict.

Hold observed earnings constant and see how the modeled ten-year payoff changes as annual price rises.

What stays fixed$55,295 observed annual earnings · 4 years of study · $45,000 alternative annual earnings · ten-year horizonThe marked price is this college’s institution-wide average net price, not the exact price of this program category. This is a sensitivity test, not a tuition quote or earnings forecast.
OUTCOME SIGNALS

Graduate outcomes from several angles.

Follow earnings over time and inspect the cohort behind each federal measure.

+70%Earnings growth, year 1 → 5$35,626$60,666
Not availableEarn above high-school thresholdGraduate count in the year-4 cohort
Not availableWorking in the college’s stateGraduate count in the year-4 cohort
23Year-5 earnings observationsCohort behind the year-5 median
43Borrowers representedCohort behind the debt median
Not availableAwarding-school debtDebt attributed to the college granting the credential
Not availableRecent awardsIPEDS 2023–24 first-major completions in this field and credential
NEW FEDERAL PROGRAM CONTEXT

Size, aid and an earnings floor.

The Department of Education’s 2026 informational preview adds current program participation and a preliminary earnings comparison. It does not make a final eligibility determination.

61Students receiving federal aid2024–25 Title IV enrollment
15Federal-aid completers2024–25 program completers
30Pell Grant recipients2024–25 program count
52Federal loan borrowers2024–25 unduplicated count
Preliminary federal earnings benchmark$34,808Informational preview, not a final accountability result
Observed year-4 earnings$55,295$20,487 above the preliminary benchmark

Source: U.S. Department of Education PPD:2026 informational preview. Program categories use OPEID, four-digit field and credential level; federal-aid counts do not represent every enrolled student.

01 · PRICE CONTEXT$22,736

Institution-wide annual average net price, not this program’s price.

02 · BORROWING$27,000

Median federal debt across schools attended at this academic level.

03 · EARNINGS$55,295

Observed median earnings four full years after completion.

04 · REPAYMENT$286/mo

Estimated standard 10-year federal payment.

WHAT WILL IT COST?

Published college costs provide the starting point.

Your exact offering, aid, residency and time to finish determine the price you actually pay.

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AVERAGE NET PRICE$22,736Institution-wide annual figure
COST OF ATTENDANCE$63,553Institution-wide annual budget
ADMISSION RATE62.7%Institution context
COMPLETION RATE72.9%Institution-wide completion rate
WHAT DO GRADUATES EARN?

Reported earnings after completion.

Each point may represent a different federal cohort. A missing bar means the figure was unavailable or suppressed.

$35,626Year 1
$55,295Year 4
$60,666Year 5
CAN THE EARNINGS SUPPORT THE DEBT?

6.2% of gross monthly earnings

Estimated monthly payment divided by observed gross monthly earnings. This excludes taxes, other debts and income-driven repayment.

Gross monthly earnings$4,608
Estimated loan payment$286
43borrowers represented where reported
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?

$55,295 vs. $63,293

$7,998 below the national median for the same field and credential.

Same-field national median
WHAT WORK CAN IT LEAD TO?

Related occupations, wages and outlook.

Official CIP–SOC links show careers the curriculum may prepare students for, not observed jobs held by this school’s graduates. BLS wages describe everyone working in an occupation.

BLS May 2025 wage estimates and 2025–35 employment projections.
Managers, All Other$140,240 median wageIL estimate · 31,680 jobs · 11-9199+4.9% projected U.S. growth · 100.9k openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreePolitical Scientists$103,780 median wageIL estimate · 110 jobs · 19-3094-2.0% projected U.S. growth · 0.4k openings/yrTypical entry: Master's degreePolitical Science Teachers, Postsecondary$100,700 median wageIL estimate · 460 jobs · 25-1065+2.5% projected U.S. growth · 1.5k openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeSecondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$79,990 median wageIL estimate · 44,670 jobs · 25-2031-0.2% projected U.S. growth · 63.5k openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeSocial Science Research Assistants$64,890 median wageIL estimate · 250 jobs · 19-4061+5.0% projected U.S. growth · 4.9k openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeEconomics Teachers, Postsecondary$124,850 median wageIL estimate · 460 jobs · 25-1063+2.4% projected U.S. growth · 1k openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeEconomists$124,720 median wageU.S. estimate · 17,790 jobs · 19-3011+4.7% projected U.S. growth · 1.1k openings/yrTypical entry: Master's degree
Possible alternatives

Same degree, stronger on at least one reported measure.

Every option below reports higher earnings, lower federal debt or a lower college-wide net price. Same-state options appear first.

Chicago, IL

University of Chicago

$32,574 higher earnings · $8,500 less debt · $7,876 lower annual net price

Earnings
$87,869
Debt
$18,500
Annual net price
$14,860
View outcomes →
Champaign, IL

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

$14,220 higher earnings · $6,975 less debt · $8,381 lower annual net price

Earnings
$69,515
Debt
$20,025
Annual net price
$14,355
View outcomes →
Chicago, IL

Roosevelt University

$12,931 higher earnings · $2,375 less debt · $2,542 lower annual net price

Earnings
$68,226
Debt
$24,625
Annual net price
$20,194
View outcomes →
Charleston, IL

Eastern Illinois University

$6,224 higher earnings · $2,261 less debt · $9,950 lower annual net price

Earnings
$61,519
Debt
$24,739
Annual net price
$12,786
View outcomes →
Compare these programs →
DATA QUALITY

Check the evidence behind the estimate.

23 observations in the earnings cohort

June 10, 2026 College Scorecard release

Observed, estimated and contextual figures are labeled separately throughout this page

IS IT WORTH IT AT YOUR PRICE?

Your price and current earnings determine the result.

Add your grants, borrowing and current salary to estimate payment pressure, break-even time and ten-year payoff.

Calculate my payoff →