How much do Political Science and Government bachelor's degree graduates from Montana State University earn?

The reported median is $51,285 four years after completion.

How much federal debt do graduates of this program have?

The reported median federal debt among borrowers is $20,540.

Is this program above or below similar programs?

Reported year-four earnings are 19% below the national median for the same field and degree level.

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COLLEGE + DEGREE OUTCOMES

Political Science and Government bachelor's degree at Montana State University

Bozeman, MT · 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 below similar programs.

$12,008 below the national median for the same field and degree level.

Debt as a share of earnings: 40.1% of annual earnings
Highest price with a positive payoff: Not reached
Modeled 10-year payoff: −77% · 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−$117,150

$8,000Annual price−$149,150

$16,000Annual price−$181,150

$22,000Current college-wide context−$205,150

$24,000Annual price−$213,150

$32,000Annual price−$245,150

$40,000Annual price−$277,150

OUTCOME SIGNALS

Graduate outcomes from several angles.

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

+61%Earnings growth, year 1 → 5$35,476 → $57,263

Not availableEarn above high-school thresholdGraduate count in the year-4 cohort

17Working in the college’s stateGraduate count in the year-4 cohort

35Year-5 earnings observationsCohort behind the year-5 median

45Borrowers representedCohort behind the debt median

Not availableAwarding-school debtDebt attributed to the college granting the credential

Not 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.

123Students receiving federal aid2024–25 Title IV enrollment

20Federal-aid completers2024–25 program completers

45Pell Grant recipients2024–25 program count

77Federal loan borrowers2024–25 unduplicated count

37Graduates not recorded as employedHistorical federal cohort, three years after completion

Preliminary federal earnings benchmark$31,564Informational preview, not a final accountability result

Observed year-4 earnings$51,285$19,721 above the preliminary benchmark

Additional borrowing reported for this category: 15 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$22,499

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

02 · BORROWING$20,540

Median federal debt across schools attended at this academic level.

03 · EARNINGS$51,285

Observed median earnings four full years after completion.

04 · REPAYMENT$218/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$22,499Institution-wide annual figure

COST OF ATTENDANCE$25,905Institution-wide annual budget

ADMISSION RATE82.1%Institution context

COMPLETION RATE57.1%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.

$35,476Year 1

$51,285Year 4

$57,263Year 5

CAN THE EARNINGS SUPPORT THE DEBT?

5.1% 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$4,274

Estimated loan payment$218

45borrowers represented where reported

HOW DOES IT COMPARE?

$51,285 vs. $63,293

$12,008 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.

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$110,470 median wageMT estimate · 1,600 jobs · 11-9199$82,680–$138,270 middle 50% of MT wages+4.9% projected U.S. growth · 100,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreePolitical Science Teachers, Postsecondary$109,050 median wageMT estimate · 16,970 jobs · 25-1065$83,240–$157,450 middle 50% of MT wages+2.5% projected U.S. growth · 1,500 openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeSecondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$60,990 median wageMT estimate · 3,670 jobs · 25-2031$47,420–$74,470 middle 50% of MT wages-0.2% projected U.S. growth · 63,500 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeSocial Science Research Assistants$49,860 median wageMT estimate · 30 jobs · 19-4061$45,290–$51,820 middle 50% of MT wages+5.0% projected U.S. growth · 4,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeEconomics Teachers, Postsecondary$123,920 median wageU.S. estimate · 11,560 jobs · 25-1063+2.4% projected U.S. growth · 1,000 openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeEconomists$89,340 median wageMT estimate · 90 jobs · 19-3011$73,920–$105,050 middle 50% of MT 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.

Public Administration

about 15.5%

Health Care and Social Assistance

about 13.7%

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

about 12.7%

Educational Services

about 11.5%

Retail Trade

about 8.7%

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.

Missoula, MT

The University of Montana

$5,715 lower annual net price

Earnings: $47,341
Debt: $21,173
Annual net price: $16,784

View outcomes →

Nashville, TN

Vanderbilt University

$51,504 higher earnings · $8,540 less debt · $6,653 lower annual net price

Earnings: $102,789
Debt: $12,000
Annual net price: $15,846

View outcomes →

St. Louis, MO

Washington University in St Louis

$39,493 higher earnings · $2,040 less debt · $713 lower annual net price

Earnings: $90,778
Debt: $18,500
Annual net price: $21,786

View outcomes →

Brunswick, ME

Bowdoin College

$37,968 higher earnings · $906 less debt · $8,101 lower annual net price

Earnings: $89,253
Debt: $19,634
Annual net price: $14,398

View outcomes →

Compare these programs →

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

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.

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