Political Science at University of Houston-Downtown
Houston, TX · Public · Bachelor's Degree · Political Science and Government
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
54
Optimistic
53
Base Case
50
Pessimistic
Earnings
$38,095/yr (4% vs median)
AI Risk
Very High (50% exposed)
Job Market
Very Large (182,300 openings/yr)
ROI
16.7x earnings multiple (7.2x 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 | $518K | $515K | $480K |
| Earnings Multiple (In-State) | 16.8x | 16.7x | 15.6x |
| Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) | 7.3x | 7.2x | 6.7x |
| Probability of Field Employment | 50% | 44% | 33% |
| DegreeOutlook Score | 54 | 53 | 50 |
10-Year Earnings Projection
*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.
4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$30,832
Out-of-state: $71,152 (7.2x ROI)
Median Debt at Graduation
$20,646
6.5 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$51,203
34% growth from Year 1
About University of Houston-Downtown
University of Houston-Downtown accepts 91% of applicants — an open-access institution by design, serving 12,812 students in Houston, TX. With 52% of students on Pell Grants, the campus draws from a broad economic spectrum.
See all programs and financial aid at University of Houston-Downtown →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 University of Houston-Downtown'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.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research.
See full methodology →