Political Scienceat William & Mary
Graduates earn $41,317/yr in their first year — about 13.0% above the national Political Science average. Base-case 10-year earnings $674K; scenarios range from $599K to $698K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at William & Mary
William & Mary's Political Science graduates start at $41,317/yr — above the $36,684 national average, though not by a wide margin.
The earnings-to-cost ratio of 6.7x signals a solid financial return — projected decade earnings comfortably exceed the tuition investment.
Some AI exposure exists in Political Science's typical career paths, with 50% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 14% gap from the optimistic case.
Loan repayment is a non-issue here — $19,500 in median debt clears quickly against $41,317 in annual earnings.
At #121 of 521 nationally, this is a top-5% Political Science program. Financial outcomes consistently outperform the vast majority of peers.
Five-year earnings of $76,102 show a 84% jump from the $41,317 starting point — strong upward trajectory suggesting real career acceleration.
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 William & Mary'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 William & Mary stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at William & Mary
Other highest-scoring programs offered at William & Mary, 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 William & Mary
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Political Science at William & Mary?
A score of 54/100 puts this program in competitive territory — solid outcomes, though not at the top of the Political Science field.
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 $599,423 in decade earnings vs $698,231 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
What makes William & Mary's Political Science program stand out?
Ranked #121 of 521 programs nationally, William & Mary lands in the top 25%. The ranking reflects a combination of graduate earnings, return on investment, and job market alignment.