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Political Science at California Lutheran University

Thousand Oaks, CA · Private nonprofit · Bachelor's Degree · Political Science and Government
35 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case)
35
Optimistic
35
Base Case
32
Pessimistic
Earnings $36,061/yr (-2% vs median)
AI Risk Very High (50% exposed)
Job Market Very Large (182,300 openings/yr)
ROI 2.8x earnings multiple
Ranked #449 of 521 Political Science and Government programs

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Political Science graduates.

Optimistic
No Disruption		 Base Case
Gradual AI		 Pessimistic
Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings $570K $561K $514K
Earnings Multiple 2.8x 2.8x 2.5x
Probability of Field Employment 50% 44% 33%
DegreeOutlook Score 35 35 32

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition (Sticker)
$202,680
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$105,732
48% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$19,750
6.6 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$57,657
60% growth from Year 1

About California Lutheran University

With 89% of applicants admitted, California Lutheran University prioritizes broad access, a compact campus enrolling 2,374 students in Thousand Oaks, CA. After financial aid, the average student pays $105,732 over four years — 48% below sticker price.

See all programs and financial aid at California Lutheran University →

Top Career Paths

Political scientists $139,380/yr
Managers, all other $136,550/yr
Economics teachers, postsecondary $119,980/yr
View all 7 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Compare this program → View all 521 schools offering Political Science →

Political Science at Other Schools

Dartmouth College ($72,618) Tufts University ($67,713) University of Pennsylvania ($65,473) Princeton University ($63,317) University of Maryland Global Campus ($62,476) Harvard University ($61,543) Amherst College ($61,125) Columbia University in the City of New York ($61,077)

Other Majors at California Lutheran University

Accounting and Related Services ($72,696) Computer Science ($68,398) Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods ($57,276) Business Administration, Management and Operations ($55,234) Criminal Justice and Corrections ($43,122) Communication and Media Studies ($37,249) Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities ($34,989) Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other ($34,432)

Consider the Trade Route?

Compare Political Science trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →

Trade programs often mean less time in school, lower student debt, and hands-on career paths that tend to be more resilient to AI disruption.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Political Science at California Lutheran University?
A score of 35/100 indicates below-average financial outcomes for Political Science. Earnings, ROI, or AI risk factors are pulling the score down.
Will AI replace Political Science careers?
With 50% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $514,077 in decade earnings vs $569,919 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →