Political Scienceat Swarthmore College
Graduates earn $40,449/yr in their first year — about 10.0% above the national Political Science average. Base-case 10-year earnings $694K; scenarios range from $614K to $721K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at Swarthmore College
Your Swarthmore political science degree is highly valued for the deep analytical and critical thinking skills it cultivates, a hallmark of the college's rigorous liberal arts tradition. This intellectual foundation, combined with Swarthmore's strong alumni network, often provides a significant advantage in securing competitive entry-level roles across various sectors—from policy analysis in government agencies and think tanks to consulting, law, and even finance, particularly in major East Coast markets like Philadelphia, New York, and Washington D.C.
While many foundational tasks in policy research and data synthesis are increasingly susceptible to automation, your Swarthmore education equips you for the more strategic, persuasive, and ethically complex aspects of these fields. To thrive in this evolving landscape, actively seek opportunities to combine your political science expertise with quantitative methods, data analytics, or specialized policy domain knowledge. Leveraging the alumni network for mentorship and internship opportunities will be crucial in translating your academic excellence into a robust career path.
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.
10 year projection
Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Swarthmore College's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.
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.
Peer schools offering Political Science
How Swarthmore College stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at Swarthmore College
Other highest-scoring programs offered at Swarthmore College, 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 →Frequently asked about Political Science at Swarthmore College
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Political Science at Swarthmore College?
A score of 46/100 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 $614,392 in decade earnings vs $720,738 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
Is Swarthmore College a hidden gem for Political Science?
After financial aid, the average student pays $74,744 over four years — 70% below the $249,648 sticker price. That gap makes the ROI significantly better than published tuition suggests.