COLLEGE + DEGREE OUTCOMES
Political Science and Government bachelor's degree at University of Kansas
Lawrence, KS · Public
What this page covers
Federal data group related majors at the same college and degree level. One record can include several named programs or concentrations.
The short version
Reported earnings are close to similar programs.
$1,454 below the national median for the same field and degree level.
- Debt as a share of earnings
- 36.0% of annual earnings
- Highest price with a positive payoff
- Not reached
- Modeled 10-year payoff
- −33% · Negative payoff
- Available price data
- 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.
← Negative payoff$0Positive payoff →
$0Annual price−$11,610
$8,000Annual price−$43,610
$16,000Annual price−$75,610
$18,000Current college-wide context−$83,610
$24,000Annual price−$107,610
$32,000Annual price−$139,610
$40,000Annual price−$171,610
OUTCOME SIGNALS
Graduate outcomes from several angles.
Follow earnings over time and inspect the cohort behind each federal measure.
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.
Preliminary federal earnings benchmark$34,058Informational preview, not a final accountability result
Observed year-4 earnings$61,839$27,781 above the preliminary benchmark
Additional borrowing reported for this category: 78 Parent PLUS borrowers.
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. Completion and employment measures use older cohorts shown above and are not combined into the payoff estimate.
01 · PRICE CONTEXT$18,059
Institution-wide annual average net price, not this program’s price.
02 · BORROWING$22,249
Median federal debt across schools attended at this academic level.
03 · EARNINGS$61,839
Observed median earnings four full years after completion.
04 · REPAYMENT$236/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.
Enter my price →AVERAGE NET PRICE$18,059Institution-wide annual figure
COST OF ATTENDANCE$26,751Institution-wide annual budget
ADMISSION RATE93.5%Institution context
COMPLETION RATE68.8%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.
CAN THE EARNINGS SUPPORT THE DEBT?
4.6% 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$5,153
Estimated loan payment$236
77borrowers represented where reported
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?
$61,839 vs. $63,293
$1,454 below the national median for the same field and credential.
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.Political Scientists$142,080 median wageU.S. estimate · 5,540 jobs · 19-3094-2.0% projected U.S. growth · 400 openings/yrTypical entry: Master's degreeManagers, All Other$131,710 median wageKS estimate · 2,690 jobs · 11-9199$90,060–$171,100 middle 50% of KS wages+4.9% projected U.S. growth · 100,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreePolitical Science Teachers, Postsecondary$78,800 median wageKS estimate · 80 jobs · 25-1065$56,480–$112,390 middle 50% of KS wages+2.5% projected U.S. growth · 1,500 openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeSecondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$59,920 median wageKS estimate · 10,860 jobs · 25-2031$49,440–$64,160 middle 50% of KS wages-0.2% projected U.S. growth · 63,500 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeSocial Science Research Assistants$67,740 median wageKS estimate · 170 jobs · 19-4061$54,970–$67,740 middle 50% of KS wages+5.0% projected U.S. growth · 4,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeEconomists$138,790 median wageKS estimate · 80 jobs · 19-3011$117,810–$205,780 middle 50% of KS wages+4.7% projected U.S. growth · 1,100 openings/yrTypical entry: Master's degreeEconomics Teachers, Postsecondary$103,490 median wageKS estimate · 130 jobs · 25-1063$86,510–$173,880 middle 50% of KS wages+2.4% projected U.S. growth · 1,000 openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degree
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.
Fort Hays State University
$10,545 higher earnings · $5,490 lower annual net price
- Earnings
- $72,384
- Debt
- $30,468
- Annual net price
- $12,569
Wichita State University
$1,249 less debt · $4,865 lower annual net price
- Earnings
- $54,874
- Debt
- $21,000
- Annual net price
- $13,194
Kansas State University
$1,972 higher earnings
- Earnings
- $63,811
- Debt
- $25,000
- Annual net price
- $19,406
Vanderbilt University
$40,950 higher earnings · $10,249 less debt · $2,213 lower annual net price
- Earnings
- $102,789
- Debt
- $12,000
- Annual net price
- $15,846
DATA QUALITY
Check the evidence behind the estimate.
35 observations in the earnings cohort
June 10, 2026 College Scorecard release
Observed, estimated and contextual figures are labeled separately throughout this page
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 →