Political Scienceat Washington State University
Graduates earn $41,130/yr in their first year — about 12.0% above the national Political Science average. Base-case 10-year earnings $570K; scenarios range from $521K to $581K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at Washington State University
Graduates earn $41,130/yr, edging above the $36,684 national average for Political Science — a modest premium that suggests solid regional demand.
The 11.0x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. By pure financial math, this is a standout.
AI risk is moderate — 50% task exposure — and the 10% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.
The $21,150 debt-to-$41,130 income ratio translates to about 6 months of earnings. Standard loan terms should handle this comfortably.
Ranked #101 out of 521 programs, Washington State University's Political Science program lands in the top 5% — a strong signal of graduate success.
The five-year earnings trajectory from $41,130 to $61,086 shows 49% growth, reflecting steady but unremarkable salary progression.
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 Washington State University'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 Washington State University stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at Washington State University
Other highest-scoring programs offered at Washington State University, 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 Washington State University
How does Washington State University's Political Science program score?
This program scores 55/100, 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.
Why does Washington State University rank so high for Political Science?
The #101 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.