Home › Southern Methodist University › Political Science and Government

Political Science and Government at Southern Methodist University

Dallas, TX · Private nonprofit · Bachelor's Degree

DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case)

Optimistic

Base Case

Pessimistic

Earnings $52,160/yr (42% vs median)

AI Risk Very High (50% exposed)

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

ROI 2.7x earnings multiple

Ranked #120 of 521 Political Science and Government programs Top 25%

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	$725K	$698K	$617K
Earnings Multiple	2.8x	2.7x	2.4x
Probability of Field Employment	50%	44%	33%
DegreeOutlook Score	55	54	49

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition (Sticker)

$257,840

4-Year Net Price (After Aid)

$167,112

35% less than sticker · See by income

Median Debt at Graduation

$19,500

4.5 months of Year 1 earnings

Reported Earnings (5 Year)

$84,753

62% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

Graduates of Southern Methodist University's Political Science and Government program earn $52,160/yr in their first year — 42% above the $36,684 national median, a strong market signal for this institution.

An earnings multiple of 2.7x means the program roughly breaks even in financial terms over ten years. Non-financial factors need to justify the investment.

AI risk is moderate — 50% task exposure — and the 15% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

At $19,500 in median debt against $52,160 in first-year earnings, graduates can expect to clear their loan balance in under six months of full earnings.

Ranked #120 out of 521 programs, Southern Methodist University's Political Science and Government program lands in the top 5% — a strong signal of graduate success.

Earnings growth from $52,160 to $84,753 over five years (62% increase) indicates that graduates in this field see meaningful salary progression.

About Southern Methodist University

With a 61% acceptance rate, Southern Methodist University is moderately selective, with a mid-sized student body of 7,106 in Dallas, TX. The average net cost of $167,112 over four years represents a 35% discount from published tuition.

See all programs and financial aid at Southern Methodist 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 Southern Methodist University

Is a Trade Program a Better Fit?

For students who prefer applied learning, trade programs can deliver strong earnings with significantly less debt and shorter time to employment.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Southern Methodist University's Political Science and Government program score?

This program scores 54/100, reflecting respectable but not exceptional financial outcomes for Political Science and Government graduates.

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.

Why does Southern Methodist University rank so high for Political Science and Government?

The #120 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 →