What you'll do in college
These majors study how governments operate, how policies are formulated, and how political systems function domestically and internationally. Coursework includes American politics, comparative politics, political theory, statistics, and public policy analysis.
Many programs encourage internships in Congress, state legislatures, advocacy organizations, or local government. Senior thesis or capstone projects often involve real policy questions, and student government, Model UN, and debate are common extracurriculars.
What you'll do after college
Graduates work in government at all levels, advocacy organizations, think tanks, lobbying firms, political campaigns, and the private sector in policy or communications roles. Many continue to graduate school in political science, public policy master's programs, or law school.
The major is strong preparation for any career that requires understanding how decisions are made—including business, journalism, and consulting. Pay varies widely: government and nonprofit roles tend to pay less, while consulting and private-sector policy roles pay more.
Famous graduates
- Condoleezza Rice — Former U.S. Secretary of State and political scientist; B.A. in Political Science from the University of Denver
- Anderson Cooper — Journalist and CNN anchor; B.A. in Political Science from Yale University
- Steve Carell — Actor and comedian; B.A. in History and Political Science from Denison University
Selectivity vs. earnings
By acceptance rate
By SAT median
Earnings vs. selectivity rank
Majors in this category
| Major | Colleges | Degrees ▼ | Male/Female | Intl | 5yr Earn |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Government & Politics | 1,017 | 37,402 | 45% / 55% | 2% | $64,949 |
| 971 | 32,453 | 45% / 55% | 2% | $63,426 | |
| 106 | 1,612 | 50% / 50% | 3% | $69,422 | |
| 51 | 1,103 | 37% / 63% | 2% | $76,511 | |
| 17 | 1,032 | 46% / 54% | 5% | $79,202 | |
| 5 | 241 | 53% / 47% | 3% | $74,158 | |
| 3 | 219 | 36% / 64% | 3% | $105,248 | |
| 2 | 142 | 30% / 70% | 1% | $82,054 | |
| 10 | 118 | 38% / 62% | 2% | $65,326 | |
| 9 | 93 | 38% / 62% | 4% | $86,414 | |
| 13 | 90 | 54% / 46% | 1% | $61,330 | |
| 1 | 88 | 49% / 51% | 7% | $62,366 | |
| 1 | 72 | 58% / 42% | 0% | $62,942 | |
| 1 | 48 | 44% / 56% | 2% | $67,707 | |
| 3 | 34 | 62% / 38% | 0% | $59,989 | |
| 1 | 22 | 32% / 68% | 0% | ||
| 1 | 13 | 54% / 46% | 8% | ||
| 1 | 7 | 29% / 71% | 0% | ||
| 2 | 5 | 80% / 20% | 0% | ||
| 1 | 4 | 50% / 50% | 25% | ||
| 1 | 4 | 50% / 50% | 25% | ||
| 1 | 2 | 100% / 0% | 0% | $57,496 |