Political Science and Government bachelor's degree at University of Maryland-Baltimore County
Baltimore, MD · 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.
$1,463 above the national median for the same field and degree level.
Debt as a share of earnings
34.0% of annual earnings
Highest price with a positive payoff
$4,390 / year
Modeled 10-year payoff
−20% · 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+$17,560
$8,000Annual price−$14,440
$16,000Current college-wide context−$46,440
$24,000Annual price−$78,440
$32,000Annual price−$110,440
$40,000Annual price−$142,440
OUTCOME SIGNALS
Graduate outcomes from several angles.
Follow earnings over time and inspect the cohort behind each federal measure.
+110%Earnings growth, year 1 → 5$33,549 → $70,455Not availableEarn above high-school thresholdGraduate count in the year-4 cohort50Working in the college’s stateGraduate count in the year-4 cohort64Year-5 earnings observationsCohort behind the year-5 median75Borrowers representedCohort behind the debt medianNot availableAwarding-school debtDebt attributed to the college granting the credentialNot availableRecent awardsIPEDS 2024–25 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.
239Students receiving federal aid2024–25 Title IV enrollment37Federal-aid completers2024–25 program completers127Pell Grant recipients2024–25 program count120Federal loan borrowers2024–25 unduplicated count
49Graduates not recorded as employedHistorical federal cohort, three years after completion
Preliminary federal earnings benchmark$36,491Informational preview, not a final accountability result
Observed year-4 earnings$64,756$28,265 above the preliminary benchmark
Additional borrowing reported for this category: 38 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$16,467
Institution-wide annual average net price, not this program’s price.
02 · BORROWING$22,000
Median federal debt across schools attended at this academic level.
03 · EARNINGS$64,756
Observed median earnings four full years after completion.
04 · REPAYMENT$233/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.
Each point may represent a different federal cohort. A missing bar means the figure was unavailable or suppressed.
$33,549Year 1
$64,756Year 4
$70,455Year 5
CAN THE EARNINGS SUPPORT THE DEBT?
4.3% 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$5,396
Estimated loan payment$233
75borrowers represented where reported
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?
$64,756 vs. $63,293
$1,463 above 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$159,040 median wageMD estimate · 17,530 jobs · 11-9199$124,590–$185,220 middle 50% of MD wages+4.9% projected U.S. growth · 100,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreePolitical Scientists$153,380 median wageMD estimate · 100 jobs · 19-3094$115,650–$183,080 middle 50% of MD wages-2.0% projected U.S. growth · 400 openings/yrTypical entry: Master's degreePolitical Science Teachers, Postsecondary$105,630 median wageMD estimate · 370 jobs · 25-1065$81,170–$166,160 middle 50% of MD wages+2.5% projected U.S. growth · 1,500 openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeSecondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$78,670 median wageMD estimate · 16,640 jobs · 25-2031$62,300–$98,690 middle 50% of MD wages-0.2% projected U.S. growth · 63,500 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeSocial Science Research Assistants$65,550 median wageMD estimate · 700 jobs · 19-4061$54,820–$84,490 middle 50% of MD wages+5.0% projected U.S. growth · 4,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeEconomists$144,680 median wageMD estimate · 1,130 jobs · 19-3011$118,460–$178,780 middle 50% of MD wages+4.7% projected U.S. growth · 1,100 openings/yrTypical entry: Master's degreeEconomics Teachers, Postsecondary$133,540 median wageMD estimate · 200 jobs · 25-1063$96,190–$216,470 middle 50% of MD wages+2.4% projected U.S. growth · 1,000 openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degree
CENSUS EMPLOYMENT DESTINATIONS
Where graduates work five years later
The leading industries employing graduates in this college, broad field and credential group.
01
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
about 28.4%02
Finance and Insurance
about 11.7%03
Public Administration
about 11.6%04
Health Care and Social Assistance
about 7.6%05
Educational Services
about 7.4%
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.
College Park, MD
University of Maryland-College Park
$9,681 higher earnings · $3,232 less debt · $789 lower annual net price