Political Science at Indiana University-Bloomington
Bloomington, IN · Public · Bachelor's Degree · Political Science and Government
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
53
Optimistic
53
Base Case
51
Pessimistic
Earnings
$32,568/yr (-11% vs median)
AI Risk
Very High (50% exposed)
Job Market
Very Large (182,300 openings/yr)
ROI
14.3x earnings multiple (4.2x out-of-state)
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 | $701K | $677K | $601K |
| Earnings Multiple (In-State) | 14.9x | 14.3x | 12.7x |
| Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) | 4.3x | 4.2x | 3.7x |
| Probability of Field Employment | 50% | 44% | 33% |
| DegreeOutlook Score | 53 | 53 | 51 |
10-Year Earnings Projection
*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.
4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$47,160
Out-of-state: $161,928 (4.2x ROI)
Median Debt at Graduation
$17,646
6.5 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$70,848
118% growth from Year 1
About Indiana University-Bloomington
Indiana University-Bloomington accepts 80% of applicants — an open-access institution by design, one of the larger campuses at 36,571 students in Bloomington, IN.
See all programs and financial aid at Indiana University-Bloomington →Top Career Paths
Political scientists
$139,380/yr
Managers, all other
$136,550/yr
Economics teachers, postsecondary
$119,980/yr
Compare & Explore
Political Science at Other Schools
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Explore the Trade Alternative
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
How does Indiana University-Bloomington's Political Science program score?
This program scores 53/100, reflecting respectable but not exceptional financial outcomes for Political Science graduates.
How vulnerable is Political Science to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Political Science 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.
Why does Indiana University-Bloomington rank so high for Political Science?
The #127 ranking out of 521 programs is driven by strong financial outcomes — graduates earn well, debt is manageable relative to income, and the job market supports the field.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research.
See full methodology →