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Political Science at Gustavus Adolphus College

Saint Peter, MN · Private nonprofit · Bachelor's Degree · Political Science and Government
38 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case)
38
Optimistic
38
Base Case
34
Pessimistic
Earnings $38,463/yr (5% vs median)
AI Risk Very High (50% exposed)
Job Market Very Large (182,300 openings/yr)
ROI 2.7x earnings multiple
Ranked #420 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 $593K $581K $529K
Earnings Multiple 2.7x 2.7x 2.4x
Probability of Field Employment 50% 44% 33%
DegreeOutlook Score 38 38 34

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition (Sticker)
$217,240
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$107,580
50% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$27,000
8.4 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$61,638
60% growth from Year 1

About Gustavus Adolphus College

Gustavus Adolphus College accepts 62% of applicants, balancing access with selectivity, a smaller institution with 1,930 students in Saint Peter, MN. Financial aid reduces the effective four-year cost to $107,580 — 50% less than the list price.

See all programs and financial aid at Gustavus Adolphus College →

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 Gustavus Adolphus College

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing ($71,294) Accounting and Related Services ($64,094) Economics ($52,439) Communication and Media Studies ($50,074) Business/Commerce, General ($49,881) Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas ($47,250) Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods ($44,117) Health and Physical Education/Fitness ($38,796)

Explore the Trade Alternative

Compare Political Science trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →

Not every career requires a four-year degree. Trade programs in related fields can offer competitive salaries with a fraction of the student loan burden.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Political Science at Gustavus Adolphus College?
A score of 38/100 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 $529,155 in decade earnings vs $592,588 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
Is Gustavus Adolphus College a hidden gem for Political Science?
After financial aid, the average student pays $107,580 over four years — 50% below the $217,240 sticker price. That gap makes the ROI significantly better than published tuition suggests.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →