Bachelor's · Santa Barbara, California

Is Political Science and Government at University of California-Santa Barbara worth it?

High confidence High confidence: 100+ graduates behind the earnings figures.

The verdict · all families, in-state, half paid with loans

Pays back in time: graduates typically recover the cost in about 3.9 years.

Earnings 1 year after graduating: $46,783; Treasury AY2020-21, AY2021-22 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
Earnings 4 years after graduating: $75,601; Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
Typical federal debt at graduation: $11,927; NSLDS pooled AY2022-23, AY2023-24 cohort
Net cost to graduate, all families: $71k (likely $71k – $83k); AcadYr 2024-25, reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26
Earnings bump, year 4: $36k a year vs high-school graduates aged 25–34 in CA; 2023 ACS 5-year pooled, adjusted to 2024 dollars
Payback: 3.9 years (likely 3.5–4.4); Bump vs net cost plus loan interest
10-year net return: $80k (likely $25k – $128k); Today's dollars
20-year net return: $508k (likely $381k – $659k); Today's dollars
Odds of finishing (school-wide): 84%; Fall 2019 or AcadYr 2019-20 cohort (differs by institutional calendar), reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26
Borrowers making progress / in default, 2 years in: not reported / ≤ 5%; NSLDS AY2016-17, AY2017-18 pooled cohorts measured in 2018-19, 2019-20

Change income, residency or loans Compare Political Science and Government at other schools

⚖️ Getting ready in high school

Students heading toward law, government & society majors like this one often take these classes. Every school offers a different mix, so check with your counselor.

AP classes

AP U.S. Government and Politics
AP U.S. History
AP English Language and Composition
AP Comparative Government and Politics

IB Higher Level

History HL
Global Politics HL

Build my roadmap 🗺️ Middle school to career, plus high schools near you that offer these classes.

Other majors at University of California-Santa Barbara

Materials Sciences (Doctoral)$164,651
Computer Science (Bachelor's)$149,190
Computer Engineering (Bachelor's)$144,703
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's)$117,215
Chemistry (Doctoral)$114,583
Chemical Engineering (Bachelor's)$113,317
Applied Mathematics (Bachelor's)$109,360
Psychology, Other (Doctoral)$106,003
Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's)$104,336
Pharmacology and Toxicology (Bachelor's)$98,462
Economics (Bachelor's)$98,178
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods (Bachelor's)$96,078

Political Science and Government at other schools in California

Santa Clara University$93,518
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo$81,843
Pepperdine University$75,954
University of California-Berkeley$75,128
University of Southern California$75,090
University of California-Los Angeles$74,202
Claremont McKenna College$73,826
Northeastern University Oakland$73,539
Occidental College$72,441
Loyola Marymount University$72,375