What the IPEDS & College Scorecard Data Shows for Political Science and Government
Political Science and Government is tracked across 130 U.S. postsecondary institutions in the College Scorecard field-of-study file, which links CIP code classifications from IPEDS to Treasury earnings records. This profile covers the doctoral credential level specifically, because the Department of Education reports program-level outcomes separately for associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral awards. The CIP (Classification of Instructional Programs) taxonomy lets analysts roll up specialties into broader families, which is why earnings medians across schools can be compared on a common basis.
Across all reporting institutions, the mean of school-level medians is $73,512, calculated from 11 schools with published earnings data. The earnings distribution stretches from $47,260 at the low end to $105,840 at the top, with a 25th-75th percentile band between $57,318 and $84,653 around a median of $71,643. The top-reporting institution in this program is University of Maryland-College Park at $105,840. These numbers reflect earnings measured roughly a year after completion, using Social Security Administration tax records linked to federal financial aid applicants.
Variation across schools matters more than a single national figure. Completers counts reported per school indicate how many graduates’ earnings feed the median, which means small programs produce more volatile numbers. Median debt at the program level, when paired with earnings, yields a debt-to-earnings ratio that is the College Scorecard’s standard affordability signal — ratios under 1.0 indicate earnings exceed cumulative debt. Use the school-by-school table to spot institutions where Political Science and Government graduates out-earn peers at comparable cost, and to surface gainful-employment patterns that only become visible at the CIP-code level.
The University of Texas at Austin accounts for 14.0% of all Political Science and Government doctoral credential graduates
That concentration — well above the 5% national median for largest-entity share — means Political Science and Government-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. That school produced 17 graduates in the most recent cohort, anchoring a meaningful slice of national supply for this field. When one entity dominates a region's footprint, its programmatic and budget decisions effectively set policy for a majority of the affected population.
Political Science and Government doctoral credential median earnings varies 2.2× across entities
Political Science and Government doctoral credential median earnings ranges from $47,260 (lowest) to $105,840 (highest), a spread of $58,580. That spread reflects typical sectoral variation between selective research institutions and broader access institutions. Earnings are measured roughly one year after completion using IRS records linked to federal aid recipients (see https://www.irs.gov/) — not all completers are captured, but the school-level medians correlate strongly with longer-term earnings trajectories.
How much do Political Science and Government graduates earn? ▼
Political Science and Government graduates earn $73,512 on average across 130 schools. Earnings range from $47,260 to $105,840 depending on the institution.
Which school pays the most for Political Science and Government? ▼
University of Maryland-College Park has the highest reported median earnings for Political Science and Government graduates at $105,840, based on College Scorecard data.
What credential do you get in Political Science and Government? ▼
Political Science and Government programs typically award a Doctoral credential. Earnings vary by school and credential level.
Top Schools for Political Science and Government
Closest schools offering this program — compare earnings side by side
Earnings data comes from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard Field of Study file. Median earnings represent graduates who received federal financial aid, drawn from U.S. Treasury tax records linked to federal student aid applicants. Completers count and debt figures reflect program-level data reported through IPEDS. Data is updated annually.