Home Schools Northeastern University Professional Programs Political Science
Social Sciences · Political Science Rank #187 of 521

Political Scienceat Northeastern University Professional Programs

Graduates earn $52,516/yr in their first year — about 43.0% above the national Political Science average. Base-case 10-year earnings $651K; scenarios range from $582K to $672K depending on AI disruption.

Boston, MA Private nonprofit Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
51 AVERAGE
52
Optimistic
46
Pessimistic
Earnings
$52,516
1-year post-graduation
ROI
Earnings : tuition
10-yr Base
$651K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
Very High
56% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at Northeastern University Professional Programs

The strong earnings for Northeastern's Professional Programs in Political Science and Government reflect the unique blend of a career-focused curriculum and Boston's dynamic labor market. Unlike traditional liberal arts approaches, these programs often emphasize practical skills in policy analysis, strategic communication, and public administration, directly preparing you for roles in the city's extensive network of state and federal agencies, consulting firms specializing in public affairs, and prominent advocacy organizations. Northeastern's reputation for experiential learning likely translates into robust recruiting pipelines, connecting graduates with high-demand positions in policy, management, and economic analysis. This professional orientation, coupled with Boston's dense cluster of employers seeking sophisticated analytical and strategic thinkers, helps explain why graduates command such competitive salaries. To maximize your outcome, actively pursue internships and networking opportunities within Boston's specific policy and government sectors from day one.

AI Outlook Integration

Three scenarios, ten years out

Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.

Pessimistic
Mass Automation
$582K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score46/100
Earnings Multiple
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$651K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score51/100
Earnings Multiple
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$672K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score52/100
Earnings Multiple
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Northeastern University Professional Programs's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.

Career Paths

Where Political Science graduates typically work

Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.

1
Political scientists
-3.1% 10-yr growth · 500 openings/yr
$139,380/yr
Moderate
2
Managers, all other
+4.5% 10-yr growth · 106,700 openings/yr
$136,550/yr
Moderate
3
Economics teachers, postsecondary
+2.1% 10-yr growth · 1,200 openings/yr
$119,980/yr
Moderate
4
Economists
+1.2% 10-yr growth · 900 openings/yr
$115,440/yr
High
5
Political science teachers, postsecondary
+2.0% 10-yr growth · 1,600 openings/yr
$94,680/yr
Moderate
6
Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education
-1.6% 10-yr growth · 66,200 openings/yr
$64,580/yr
Moderate
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. AI exposure from OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs and Felten AIOE research.
Compare & Explore

Peer schools offering Political Science

How Northeastern University Professional Programs stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
Dartmouth College
NH · Private nonprofit
62
DW Score
$73K
1-yr earn
2.8x
ROI
Same state (MA)
Tufts University
MA · Private nonprofit
53
DW Score
$68K
1-yr earn
1.8x
ROI
University of Pennsylvania
PA · Private nonprofit
63
DW Score
$65K
1-yr earn
3.2x
ROI
Princeton University
NJ · Private nonprofit
60
DW Score
$63K
1-yr earn
2.9x
ROI
Top score
University of Maryland Global Campus
MD · Public
72
DW Score
$62K
1-yr earn
21.0x
ROI
Also at Northeastern University Professional Programs

Other top programs at Northeastern University Professional Programs

Other highest-scoring programs offered at Northeastern University Professional Programs, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

Consider the trade route

Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Political Science offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.

Compare Political Science trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →
FAQ

Frequently asked about Political Science at Northeastern University Professional Programs

How does Northeastern University Professional Programs's Political Science program score?

This program scores 51/100, 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.