Political Science at New Mexico State University-Main Campus
Las Cruces, NM · Public · Bachelor's Degree · Political Science and Government
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
44
Optimistic
44
Base Case
41
Pessimistic
Earnings
$35,393/yr (-4% vs median)
AI Risk
Very High (50% exposed)
Job Market
Very Large (182,300 openings/yr)
ROI
14.2x earnings multiple (4.6x 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 | $459K | $463K | $440K |
| Earnings Multiple (In-State) | 14.1x | 14.2x | 13.5x |
| Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) | 4.5x | 4.6x | 4.4x |
| Probability of Field Employment | 50% | 44% | 33% |
| DegreeOutlook Score | 44 | 44 | 41 |
10-Year Earnings Projection
*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.
4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$32,588
Out-of-state: $101,084 (4.6x ROI)
Median Debt at Graduation
$18,750
6.4 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$41,483
17% growth from Year 1
About New Mexico State University-Main Campus
New Mexico State University-Main Campus accepts 76% of applicants — an open-access institution by design, with a mid-sized student body of 11,561 in Las Cruces, NM. Pell Grant recipients make up 40% of the student body — a marker of economic diversity.
See all programs and financial aid at New Mexico State University-Main Campus →Top Career Paths
Political scientists
$139,380/yr
Managers, all other
$136,550/yr
Economics teachers, postsecondary
$119,980/yr
Compare & Explore
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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 New Mexico State University-Main Campus?
A score of 44/100 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 $440,456 in decade earnings vs $459,236 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research.
See full methodology →