Political Science at University of Rhode Island
Kingston, RI · Public · Bachelor's Degree · Political Science and Government
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
46
Optimistic
46
Base Case
44
Pessimistic
Earnings
$31,649/yr (-14% vs median)
AI Risk
Very High (50% exposed)
Job Market
Very Large (182,300 openings/yr)
ROI
9.7x earnings multiple (4.4x 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 | $652K | $634K | $569K |
| Earnings Multiple (In-State) | 9.9x | 9.7x | 8.7x |
| Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) | 4.6x | 4.4x | 4.0x |
| Probability of Field Employment | 50% | 44% | 33% |
| DegreeOutlook Score | 46 | 46 | 44 |
10-Year Earnings Projection
*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.
4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$65,632
Out-of-state: $143,216 (4.4x ROI)
Median Debt at Graduation
$19,567
7.4 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$65,055
106% growth from Year 1
About University of Rhode Island
With 77% of applicants admitted, University of Rhode Island prioritizes broad access, with a mid-sized student body of 13,822 in Kingston, RI.
See all programs and financial aid at University of Rhode Island →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
Other Majors at University of Rhode Island
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
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Political Science at University of Rhode Island?
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 $568,849 in decade earnings vs $652,267 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research.
See full methodology →