COLLEGE + DEGREE OUTCOMES
Political Science and Government bachelor's degree at University of Massachusetts-Amherst
Amherst, MA · 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.
$2,567 below the national median for the same field and degree level.
- Debt as a share of earnings
- 40.9% of annual earnings
- Highest price with a positive payoff
- Not reached
- Modeled 10-year payoff
- −42% · 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−$22,740
$8,000Annual price−$54,740
$16,000Annual price−$86,740
$22,000Current college-wide context−$110,740
$24,000Annual price−$118,740
$32,000Annual price−$150,740
$40,000Annual price−$182,740
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$39,449Informational preview, not a final accountability result
Observed year-4 earnings$60,726$21,277 above the preliminary benchmark
Additional borrowing reported for this category: 54 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$22,383
Institution-wide annual average net price, not this program’s price.
02 · BORROWING$24,865
Median federal debt across schools attended at this academic level.
03 · EARNINGS$60,726
Observed median earnings four full years after completion.
04 · REPAYMENT$264/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$22,383Institution-wide annual figure
COST OF ATTENDANCE$34,549Institution-wide annual budget
ADMISSION RATE59.7%Institution context
COMPLETION RATE83.3%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?
5.2% 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$5,061
Estimated loan payment$264
85borrowers represented where reported
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?
$60,726 vs. $63,293
$2,567 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.Managers, All Other$182,950 median wageMA estimate · 10,630 jobs · 11-9199$146,190–$227,670 middle 50% of MA wages+4.9% projected U.S. growth · 100,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreePolitical Scientists$133,930 median wageMA estimate · 170 jobs · 19-3094$106,960–$170,110 middle 50% of MA wages-2.0% projected U.S. growth · 400 openings/yrTypical entry: Master's degreePolitical Science Teachers, Postsecondary$128,150 median wageMA estimate · 920 jobs · 25-1065$99,500–$164,850 middle 50% of MA wages+2.5% projected U.S. growth · 1,500 openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeSecondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$95,260 median wageMA estimate · 28,460 jobs · 25-2031$77,890–$102,530 middle 50% of MA wages-0.2% projected U.S. growth · 63,500 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeSocial Science Research Assistants$63,480 median wageMA estimate · 30,640 jobs · 19-4061$49,980–$71,700 middle 50% of MA wages+5.0% projected U.S. growth · 4,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeEconomics Teachers, Postsecondary$164,410 median wageMA estimate · 750 jobs · 25-1063$110,130–$214,310 middle 50% of MA wages+2.4% projected U.S. growth · 1,000 openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeEconomists$106,380 median wageMA estimate · 1,030 jobs · 19-3011$91,690–$155,130 middle 50% of MA wages+4.7% projected U.S. growth · 1,100 openings/yrTypical entry: Master's degree
CENSUS EMPLOYMENT DESTINATIONS
Where graduates work five years later
The leading industries employing graduates in this college, broad field and credential group.
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
Finance and Insurance
Educational Services
Health Care and Social Assistance
Information
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.
Williams College
$27,613 higher earnings · $14,115 less debt · $4,667 lower annual net price
- Earnings
- $88,339
- Debt
- $10,750
- Annual net price
- $17,716
University of Massachusetts-Lowell
$2,858 higher earnings · $4,965 less debt · $5,220 lower annual net price
- Earnings
- $63,584
- Debt
- $19,900
- Annual net price
- $17,163
University of Massachusetts-Boston
$2,405 higher earnings · $41 less debt · $4,676 lower annual net price
- Earnings
- $63,131
- Debt
- $24,824
- Annual net price
- $17,707
Harvard University
$35,112 higher earnings · $3,317 lower annual net price
- Earnings
- $95,838
- Debt
- Not available
- Annual net price
- $19,066
DATA QUALITY
Check the evidence behind the estimate.
123 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 →