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Political Science and Government.

Master's Degree•183 Institutions

Completers Only: Federal median earnings data strictly reflects outcomes for students who successfully graduated. Students who do not complete their degree typically earn significantly less and face higher risks of debt default.

Annual Full Cost vs. Median Earnings

Each dot represents one program at an institution. Shows the spread of annual sticker price (or net price if sticker price is unavailable) vs earnings 4 years post-grad.

Field Median ($64,565)

P25-P75 Interval ($45,852 - $76,243)

HS Baseline ($35,872)

Breakeven Line (0% ROI)

Institution	State	Earnings	Avg Net Price	Median Debt	Lifetime Value Added
Johns Hopkins University Baltimore	MD	$118,381 Nat: $78,850 4yr Post-Grad	$18,809 /yr	$41,000	+$366k
George Washington University Washington	DC	$106,674 Nat: $78,850 4yr Post-Grad	$36,586 /yr	$61,310	+$231k
American University Washington	DC	$98,567 Nat: $78,850 4yr Post-Grad	$41,943 /yr	-	+$151k
University of Florida Gainesville	FL	$86,694 Nat: $78,850 4yr Post-Grad	$6,541 /yr	-	+$112k
James Madison University Harrisonburg	VA	$86,137 Nat: $78,850 4yr Post-Grad	$23,322 /yr	-	+$76k
Florida State University Tallahassee	FL	$76,608 Nat: $78,850 4yr Post-Grad	$11,297 /yr	$24,550	+$15k
University of Illinois Springfield ⚠️ Caution: This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate its ROI. Springfield	IL	$76,243 Nat: $78,850 4yr Post-Grad	$9,833 /yr	$30,000	+$14k
American Public University System ⚠️ Caution: This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate its ROI. Charles Town	WV	$74,802 Nat: $78,850 4yr Post-Grad	$9,597 /yr	$37,101	+$2k
The University of Alabama Tuscaloosa	AL	- Nat: $78,850	$22,420 /yr	-	-$0
Auburn University at Montgomery ⚠️ Caution: This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate its ROI. Montgomery	AL	- Nat: $78,850	$13,224 /yr	-	-$0
Arizona State University Campus Immersion Tempe	AZ	- Nat: $78,850	$14,967 /yr	-	-$0
University of Arizona Tucson	AZ	- Nat: $78,850	$16,674 /yr	-	-$0
Northern Arizona University Flagstaff	AZ	- Nat: $78,850	$14,158 /yr	-	-$0
University of Arkansas Fayetteville	AR	- Nat: $78,850	$18,209 /yr	-	-$0
California State University-Chico Chico	CA	- Nat: $78,850	$14,480 /yr	-	-$0
California State University-Fullerton Fullerton	CA	- Nat: $78,850	$6,555 /yr	-	-$0
California State University-Long Beach Long Beach	CA	- Nat: $78,850	$10,440 /yr	-	-$0
California State University-Los Angeles Los Angeles	CA	- Nat: $78,850	$3,967 /yr	-	-$0
California State University-Northridge Northridge	CA	- Nat: $78,850	$7,021 /yr	-	-$0
California State University-Sacramento Sacramento	CA	- Nat: $78,850	$9,338 /yr	-	-$0
University of California-Berkeley Berkeley	CA	- Nat: $78,850	$13,481 /yr	-	-$0
University of California-Davis Davis	CA	- Nat: $78,850	$14,741 /yr	-	-$0
University of California-Irvine Irvine	CA	- Nat: $78,850	$14,251 /yr	-	-$0
University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles	CA	- Nat: $78,850	$12,548 /yr	-	-$0
University of California-Riverside Riverside	CA	- Nat: $78,850	$14,304 /yr	-	-$0
University of California-Santa Barbara Santa Barbara	CA	- Nat: $78,850	$16,109 /yr	-	-$0
University of California-Santa Cruz Santa Cruz	CA	- Nat: $78,850	$17,890 /yr	-	-$0
Claremont Graduate University Claremont	CA	- Nat: $78,850	- /yr	-	-$0
San Diego State University San Diego	CA	- Nat: $78,850	$15,364 /yr	-	-$0
San Francisco State University San Francisco	CA	- Nat: $78,850	$12,278 /yr	-	-$0
Colorado State University-Fort Collins Fort Collins	CO	- Nat: $78,850	$21,279 /yr	-	-$0
University of Connecticut Storrs	CT	- Nat: $78,850	$25,097 /yr	-	-$0
Southern Connecticut State University New Haven	CT	- Nat: $78,850	$20,857 /yr	-	-$0
The Catholic University of America Washington	DC	- Nat: $78,850	$29,561 /yr	-	-$0
Howard University Washington	DC	- Nat: $78,850	$50,539 /yr	-	-$0
Lynn University Boca Raton	FL	- Nat: $78,850	$44,089 /yr	-	-$0
University of Central Florida Orlando	FL	- Nat: $78,850	$10,411 /yr	-	-$0
Florida Atlantic University Boca Raton	FL	- Nat: $78,850	$8,752 /yr	-	-$0
Florida International University Miami	FL	- Nat: $78,850	$9,288 /yr	-	-$0
University of West Florida Pensacola	FL	- Nat: $78,850	$9,364 /yr	-	-$0
Emory University Atlanta	GA	- Nat: $78,850	$22,585 /yr	-	-$0
Georgia State University Atlanta	GA	- Nat: $78,850	$15,931 /yr	-	-$0
University of Georgia Athens	GA	- Nat: $78,850	$13,936 /yr	-	-$0
University of Hawaii at Manoa Honolulu	HI	- Nat: $78,850	$15,664 /yr	-	-$0
Hawaii Pacific University ⚠️ Caution: This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate its ROI. Honolulu	HI	- Nat: $78,850	$29,657 /yr	-	-$0
Boise State University Boise	ID	- Nat: $78,850	$21,610 /yr	-	-$0
Idaho State University Pocatello	ID	- Nat: $78,850	$12,193 /yr	-	-$0
Governors State University ⚠️ Caution: This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate its ROI. University Park	IL	- Nat: $78,850	$12,329 /yr	-	-$0
University of Illinois Chicago Chicago	IL	- Nat: $78,850	$10,974 /yr	-	-$0
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Champaign	IL	- Nat: $78,850	$14,355 /yr	-	-$0
Illinois State University Normal	IL	- Nat: $78,850	$19,398 /yr	-	-$0
Loyola University Chicago Chicago	IL	- Nat: $78,850	$36,079 /yr	-	-$0
Northern Illinois University Dekalb	IL	- Nat: $78,850	$13,391 /yr	-	-$0
Northwestern University Evanston	IL	- Nat: $78,850	$29,167 /yr	-	-$0
Northeastern Illinois University ⚠️ Caution: This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate its ROI. Chicago	IL	- Nat: $78,850	$14,109 /yr	-	-$0
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale Carbondale	IL	- Nat: $78,850	$13,297 /yr	-	-$0
Ball State University Muncie	IN	- Nat: $78,850	$14,940 /yr	-	-$0
Indiana University-Bloomington Bloomington	IN	- Nat: $78,850	$16,264 /yr	-	-$0
University of Notre Dame Notre Dame	IN	- Nat: $78,850	$26,780 /yr	-	-$0
Iowa State University Ames	IA	- Nat: $78,850	$18,589 /yr	-	-$0
University of Iowa Iowa City	IA	- Nat: $78,850	$22,531 /yr	-	-$0
Kansas State University Manhattan	KS	- Nat: $78,850	$19,406 /yr	-	-$0
University of Kentucky Lexington	KY	- Nat: $78,850	$18,851 /yr	-	-$0
University of Louisville Louisville	KY	- Nat: $78,850	$17,988 /yr	-	-$0
Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Baton Rouge	LA	- Nat: $78,850	$19,151 /yr	-	-$0
University of New Orleans ⚠️ Caution: This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate its ROI. New Orleans	LA	- Nat: $78,850	$12,384 /yr	-	-$0
University of Maryland-College Park College Park	MD	- Nat: $78,850	$15,678 /yr	-	-$0
Boston College Chestnut Hill	MA	- Nat: $78,850	$41,704 /yr	-	-$0
Harvard University Cambridge	MA	- Nat: $78,850	$19,066 /yr	-	-$0
University of Massachusetts-Amherst Amherst	MA	- Nat: $78,850	$22,383 /yr	-	-$0
Northeastern University Boston	MA	- Nat: $78,850	$30,915 /yr	-	-$0
Smith College Northampton	MA	- Nat: $78,850	$27,579 /yr	-	-$0
Suffolk University Boston	MA	- Nat: $78,850	$29,618 /yr	-	-$0
Central Michigan University Mount Pleasant	MI	- Nat: $78,850	$17,597 /yr	-	-$0
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Ann Arbor	MI	- Nat: $78,850	$13,138 /yr	-	-$0
Michigan State University East Lansing	MI	- Nat: $78,850	$19,680 /yr	-	-$0
Wayne State University Detroit	MI	- Nat: $78,850	$12,766 /yr	-	-$0
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities Minneapolis	MN	- Nat: $78,850	$16,778 /yr	-	-$0
Jackson State University ⚠️ Caution: This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate its ROI. Jackson	MS	- Nat: $78,850	$23,836 /yr	-	-$0
University of Mississippi University	MS	- Nat: $78,850	$13,314 /yr	-	-$0
Mississippi College Clinton	MS	- Nat: $78,850	$27,712 /yr	-	-$0
University of Southern Mississippi Hattiesburg	MS	- Nat: $78,850	$21,708 /yr	-	-$0
University of Missouri-Columbia Columbia	MO	- Nat: $78,850	$20,268 /yr	-	-$0
University of Missouri-St Louis ⚠️ Caution: This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate its ROI. Saint Louis	MO	- Nat: $78,850	$15,071 /yr	-	-$0
Saint Louis University Saint Louis	MO	- Nat: $78,850	$24,398 /yr	-	-$0
The University of Montana ⚠️ Caution: This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate its ROI. Missoula	MT	- Nat: $78,850	$16,784 /yr	-	-$0
University of Nebraska-Lincoln Lincoln	NE	- Nat: $78,850	$17,747 /yr	-	-$0
University of Nevada-Las Vegas Las Vegas	NV	- Nat: $78,850	$10,359 /yr	-	-$0
University of Nevada-Reno Reno	NV	- Nat: $78,850	$15,927 /yr	-	-$0
University of New Hampshire-Main Campus Durham	NH	- Nat: $78,850	$23,805 /yr	-	-$0
Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus Teaneck	NJ	- Nat: $78,850	$15,404 /yr	-	-$0
William Paterson University of New Jersey Wayne	NJ	- Nat: $78,850	$18,745 /yr	-	-$0
University of New Mexico-Main Campus Albuquerque	NM	- Nat: $78,850	$15,489 /yr	-	-$0
New Mexico State University-Main Campus Las Cruces	NM	- Nat: $78,850	$8,889 /yr	-	-$0
Columbia University in the City of New York New York	NY	- Nat: $78,850	$21,590 /yr	-	-$0
Cornell University Ithaca	NY	- Nat: $78,850	$28,690 /yr	-	-$0
CUNY Graduate School and University Center ⚠️ Caution: This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate its ROI. New York	NY	- Nat: $78,850	- /yr	-	-$0
Fordham University Bronx	NY	- Nat: $78,850	$44,338 /yr	-	-$0
The New School New York	NY	- Nat: $78,850	$58,741 /yr	-	-$0
University at Albany Albany	NY	- Nat: $78,850	$17,167 /yr	-	-$0
Binghamton University Vestal	NY	- Nat: $78,850	$21,620 /yr	-	-$0
University at Buffalo Buffalo	NY	- Nat: $78,850	$20,995 /yr	-	-$0
Stony Brook University Stony Brook	NY	- Nat: $78,850	$18,784 /yr	-	-$0
Syracuse University Syracuse	NY	- Nat: $78,850	$38,793 /yr	-	-$0
Teachers College at Columbia University New York	NY	- Nat: $78,850	- /yr	-	-$0
Duke University Durham	NC	- Nat: $78,850	$29,612 /yr	-	-$0
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill	NC	- Nat: $78,850	$11,655 /yr	-	-$0
University of Akron Main Campus Akron	OH	- Nat: $78,850	$13,946 /yr	-	-$0
University of Cincinnati-Main Campus Cincinnati	OH	- Nat: $78,850	$25,648 /yr	-	-$0
Kent State University at Kent Kent	OH	- Nat: $78,850	$20,787 /yr	-	-$0
Miami University-Oxford Oxford	OH	- Nat: $78,850	$28,384 /yr	-	-$0
Ohio State University-Main Campus Columbus	OH	- Nat: $78,850	$17,339 /yr	-	-$0
Oklahoma State University-Main Campus Stillwater	OK	- Nat: $78,850	$17,447 /yr	-	-$0
University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus Norman	OK	- Nat: $78,850	$15,300 /yr	-	-$0
Portland State University ⚠️ Caution: This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate its ROI. Portland	OR	- Nat: $78,850	$9,552 /yr	-	-$0
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus University Park	PA	- Nat: $78,850	$32,875 /yr	-	-$0
University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia	PA	- Nat: $78,850	$28,699 /yr	-	-$0
Temple University Philadelphia	PA	- Nat: $78,850	$28,198 /yr	-	-$0
Villanova University Villanova	PA	- Nat: $78,850	$43,756 /yr	-	-$0
Brown University Providence	RI	- Nat: $78,850	$25,184 /yr	-	-$0
University of Rhode Island Kingston	RI	- Nat: $78,850	$21,440 /yr	-	-$0
Citadel Military College of South Carolina Charleston	SC	- Nat: $78,850	$20,723 /yr	-	-$0
University of South Carolina-Columbia Columbia	SC	- Nat: $78,850	$22,811 /yr	-	-$0
University of South Dakota Vermillion	SD	- Nat: $78,850	$19,858 /yr	-	-$0
University of Memphis Memphis	TN	- Nat: $78,850	$12,397 /yr	-	-$0
The University of Tennessee-Knoxville Knoxville	TN	- Nat: $78,850	$18,976 /yr	-	-$0
Baylor University Waco	TX	- Nat: $78,850	$41,104 /yr	-	-$0
University of Dallas Irving	TX	- Nat: $78,850	$22,610 /yr	-	-$0
East Texas A&M University ⚠️ Caution: This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate its ROI. Commerce	TX	- Nat: $78,850	$11,841 /yr	-	-$0
University of Houston Houston	TX	- Nat: $78,850	$14,276 /yr	-	-$0
Midwestern State University Wichita Falls	TX	- Nat: $78,850	$11,656 /yr	-	-$0
University of North Texas Denton	TX	- Nat: $78,850	$15,649 /yr	-	-$0
Rice University Houston	TX	- Nat: $78,850	$13,370 /yr	-	-$0
Sam Houston State University Huntsville	TX	- Nat: $78,850	$16,404 /yr	-	-$0
Texas A&M University-College Station College Station	TX	- Nat: $78,850	$21,315 /yr	-	-$0
The University of Texas at Austin Austin	TX	- Nat: $78,850	$19,857 /yr	-	-$0
The University of Texas at Dallas Richardson	TX	- Nat: $78,850	$18,267 /yr	-	-$0
The University of Texas at El Paso El Paso	TX	- Nat: $78,850	$9,403 /yr	-	-$0
The University of Texas at Tyler Tyler	TX	- Nat: $78,850	$13,323 /yr	-	-$0
The University of Texas at San Antonio San Antonio	TX	- Nat: $78,850	$10,836 /yr	-	-$0
Texas Tech University Lubbock	TX	- Nat: $78,850	$19,070 /yr	-	-$0
Texas Woman's University Denton	TX	- Nat: $78,850	$11,963 /yr	-	-$0
Utah State University Logan	UT	- Nat: $78,850	$14,936 /yr	-	-$0
University of Utah Salt Lake City	UT	- Nat: $78,850	$16,200 /yr	-	-$0
Liberty University ⚠️ Caution: This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate its ROI. Lynchburg	VA	- Nat: $78,850	$29,357 /yr	-	-$0
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Blacksburg	VA	- Nat: $78,850	$24,953 /yr	-	-$0
University of Virginia-Main Campus Charlottesville	VA	- Nat: $78,850	$21,565 /yr	-	-$0
Washington State University Pullman	WA	- Nat: $78,850	$14,971 /yr	-	-$0
Marshall University Huntington	WV	- Nat: $78,850	$7,502 /yr	-	-$0
West Virginia University Morgantown	WV	- Nat: $78,850	$15,634 /yr	-	-$0
Marquette University Milwaukee	WI	- Nat: $78,850	$31,487 /yr	-	-$0
University of Wisconsin-Madison Madison	WI	- Nat: $78,850	$17,354 /yr	-	-$0
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Milwaukee	WI	- Nat: $78,850	$15,014 /yr	-	-$0
University of Wyoming Laramie	WY	- Nat: $78,850	$13,599 /yr	-	-$0
Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Metro ⚠️ Caution: This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate its ROI. San Juan	PR	- Nat: $78,850	$9,788 /yr	-	-$0
Stanford University Stanford	CA	- Nat: $78,850	$13,807 /yr	-	-$0
Purdue University-Main Campus West Lafayette	IN	- Nat: $78,850	$14,600 /yr	-	-$0
University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus Waterbury	CT	- Nat: $78,850	$10,875 /yr	-	-$0
University of Connecticut-Avery Point Groton	CT	- Nat: $78,850	$13,807 /yr	-	-$0
University of Connecticut-Stamford Stamford	CT	- Nat: $78,850	$16,798 /yr	-	-$0
University of Connecticut-Hartford Campus Hartford	CT	- Nat: $78,850	$16,403 /yr	-	-$0
Texas A&M University-Central Texas ⚠️ Caution: This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate its ROI. Killeen	TX	- Nat: $78,850	$1,300 /yr	-	-$0
Georgetown University Washington	DC	$79,929 Nat: $78,850 4yr Post-Grad	$40,815 /yr	$65,578	-$11k
Regent University ⚠️ Caution: This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate its ROI. Virginia Beach	VA	$70,319 Nat: $78,850 4yr Post-Grad	$19,923 /yr	$33,200	-$57k
Rutgers University-Newark Newark	NJ	$68,463 Nat: $78,850 4yr Post-Grad	$19,703 /yr	$34,561	-$72k
Rutgers University-New Brunswick New Brunswick	NJ	$68,463 Nat: $78,850 4yr Post-Grad	$24,406 /yr	$34,561	-$81k
University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus Denver	CO	$64,565 Nat: $78,850 4yr Post-Grad	$11,900 /yr	$65,441	-$93k
St. John's University-New York Queens	NY	$67,228 Nat: $78,850 4yr Post-Grad	$29,999 /yr	$47,055	-$102k
Southern New Hampshire University ⚠️ Caution: This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate its ROI. Manchester	NH	$68,469 Nat: $78,850 4yr Post-Grad	$36,708 /yr	$41,000	-$104k
Eastern Illinois University Charleston	IL	$63,359 Nat: $78,850 4yr Post-Grad	$12,786 /yr	-	-$105k
George Mason University Fairfax	VA	$55,512 Nat: $78,850 2yr Post-Grad	$17,915 /yr	-	-$166k
Pace University New York	NY	$54,035 Nat: $78,850 2yr Post-Grad	$30,892 /yr	-	-$204k
CUNY Brooklyn College Brooklyn	NY	$47,260 Nat: $78,850 2yr Post-Grad	$3,103 /yr	-	-$221k
Texas State University San Marcos	TX	$49,058 Nat: $78,850 2yr Post-Grad	$16,805 /yr	-	-$228k
Appalachian State University Boone	NC	$46,478 Nat: $78,850 2yr Post-Grad	$16,836 /yr	-	-$254k
University of Nebraska at Omaha Omaha	NE	$45,852 Nat: $78,850 2yr Post-Grad	$13,441 /yr	-	-$254k
University of South Florida Tampa	FL	$44,021 Nat: $78,850 2yr Post-Grad	$9,812 /yr	-	-$266k
The University of Texas at Arlington ⚠️ Caution: This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate its ROI. Arlington	TX	$36,141 Nat: $78,850 2yr Post-Grad	$13,951 /yr	-	-$354k
New York University New York	NY	$39,927 Nat: $78,850 2yr Post-Grad	$37,050 /yr	-	-$357k
Western Illinois University Macomb	IL	$31,305 Nat: $78,850 2yr Post-Grad	$12,937 /yr	-	-$402k
Ohio University-Main Campus Athens	OH	$28,019 Nat: $78,850 2yr Post-Grad	$21,637 /yr	-	-$453k
Lehigh University Bethlehem	PA	$30,409 Nat: $78,850 2yr Post-Grad	$36,931 /yr	-	-$456k
Long Island University Brookville	NY	$29,685 Nat: $78,850 2yr Post-Grad	$33,062 /yr	-	-$456k

Analysis Notes:

Lifetime Value Added: Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median bachelor's degree holder, accounting for this institution's average cost and taxes.
Avg Net Price: The average price paid by students who receive federal financial aid (grants/loans).Note: For graduate programs, the institution's average undergraduate net price is used as a proxy for annual cost, which may differ from actual graduate tuition and net price.

Important Note: Your ROI with any major will depend on the cost you pay to attend the program, and your starting salary. Both vary significantly across institutions. We encourage you to explore the ROI of a specific program variant by selecting the Program title of the credential level you are interested in. You will then have a more detailed return analysis for programs at specific institutions. We also encourage you to use the ROI calculator, or for more sophisticated analysis, the Guided ROI Interview, with your specific estimates of cost and salary.