Political Science at California State University-East Bay

Hayward, CA · Public · Bachelor's Degree · Political Science and Government
65 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
66
Optimistic
65
Base Case
61
Pessimistic
Earnings $40,460/yr (10% vs median)
AI Risk Very High (50% exposed)
Job Market Very Large (182,300 openings/yr)
ROI 24.3x earnings multiple (9.1x out-of-state)
Ranked #4 of 521 Political Science and Government programs Top 1%

Program Analysis

This program’s strong showing reflects the dynamic labor market in the San Francisco Bay Area. Your political science degree from CSU-East Bay positions you uniquely in a region rich with opportunities in local and state government, non-profit advocacy, and even the burgeoning field of tech policy. The demand for graduates who understand public policy, community engagement, and regulatory environments here is high, often leading to more specialized and better-compensated roles than typically seen in this field nationally. You’ll find alumni working in city and county administrations, for major advocacy groups, or in government relations departments for corporations, leveraging their analytical and communication skills. Given the "Very High" AI risk for this field, your actionable advice is to deeply cultivate your critical thinking, ethical reasoning, and interpersonal negotiation abilities. These human-centric skills, honed through internships in the local ecosystem, will be indispensable as the job market evolves.

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 $711K $686K $608K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 25.2x 24.3x 21.5x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 9.4x 9.1x 8.0x
Probability of Field Employment 50% 44% 33%
DegreeOutlook Score 66 65 61

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$28,220
Out-of-state: $75,740 (9.1x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$45,104
-60% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$18,322
5.4 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$77,086
91% growth from Year 1

About California State University-East Bay

California State University-East Bay accepts 97% of applicants — an open-access institution by design, with a mid-sized student body of 10,422 in Hayward, CA. With 44% of students on Pell Grants, the campus draws from a broad economic spectrum.

See all programs and financial aid at California State University-East Bay →

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

Political Science at Other Schools

Compare Political Science

Other Majors at California State University-East Bay

Is a Trade Program a Better Fit?

For students who prefer applied learning, trade programs can deliver strong earnings with significantly less debt and shorter time to employment.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Political Science at California State University-East Bay?
A score of 65/100 puts this program in competitive territory — solid outcomes, though not at the top of the Political Science field.
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 $607,840 in decade earnings vs $710,886 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
What makes California State University-East Bay's Political Science program stand out?
Ranked #4 of 521 programs nationally, California State University-East Bay lands in the top 1%. The ranking reflects a combination of graduate earnings, return on investment, and job market alignment.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →