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Political Science and Government at Eastern Washington University

Cheney, WA · Public · Bachelor's Degree

DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition

Optimistic

Base Case

Pessimistic

Earnings $33,173/yr (-10% vs median)

AI Risk Very High (50% exposed)

Job Market Very Large (182,300 openings/yr)

ROI 16.0x earnings multiple (5.2x out-of-state)

Ranked #222 of 521 Political Science and Government programs Top 50%

How AI Changes the Outlook

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

	Optimistic No Disruption	Base Case Gradual AI	Pessimistic Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings	$540K	$535K	$494K
Earnings Multiple (In-State)	16.2x	16.0x	14.8x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State)	5.2x	5.2x	4.8x
Probability of Field Employment	50%	44%	33%
DegreeOutlook Score	49	49	47

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)

$33,412

Out-of-state: $103,568 (5.2x ROI)

4-Year Net Price (After Aid)

$52,364

-57% less than sticker · See by income

Median Debt at Graduation

$15,513

5.6 months of Year 1 earnings

Reported Earnings (5 Year)

$52,525

58% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

First-year earnings of $33,173 track close to the $36,684 national median for Political Science and Government programs. This is a middle-of-the-road outcome on salary alone.

The 16.0x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. By pure financial math, this is a standout.

AI risk is moderate — 50% task exposure — and the 8% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

At $15,513 in median debt against $33,173 in first-year earnings, graduates can expect to clear their loan balance in under six months of full earnings.

Ranked #222 out of 521 programs, Eastern Washington University's Political Science and Government offering sits in the upper half but doesn't break into the top tier.

Earnings growth from $33,173 to $52,525 over five years (58% increase) indicates that graduates in this field see meaningful salary progression.

About Eastern Washington University

Eastern Washington University has a 92% acceptance rate, making it broadly accessible, enrolling 6,517 students in Cheney, WA.

See all programs and financial aid at Eastern Washington 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

Political Science and Government at Other Schools

Other Majors at Eastern Washington University

Consider the Trade Route?

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

How does Eastern Washington University's Political Science and Government program score?

This program scores 49/100 — on the lower end for Political Science and Government. Prospective students should carefully weigh costs against likely earnings.

How vulnerable is Political Science and Government to AI automation?

AI won't 'replace' Political Science and Government careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 50% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.

Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →