Bachelor's · Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Is Political Science and Government at University of Pennsylvania worth it?

Medium confidence Medium confidence: 40–99 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 3.7 years.

Earnings 1 year after graduating: $66,244; Treasury AY2020-21, AY2021-22 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
Earnings 4 years after graduating: $99,929; Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
Typical federal debt at graduation: $15,750; NSLDS pooled AY2022-23, AY2023-24 cohort
Net cost to graduate, all families: $125k (likely $125k – $125k); AcadYr 2024-25, reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26
Earnings bump, year 4: $61k a year vs high-school graduates aged 25–34 in PA; 2023 ACS 5-year pooled, adjusted to 2024 dollars
Payback: 3.7 years (likely 3.1–4.4); Bump vs net cost plus loan interest
10-year net return: $261k (likely $141k – $380k); Today's dollars
20-year net return: $987k (likely $720k – $1.28M); Today's dollars
Odds of finishing (school-wide): 97%; 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 / ≤ 20%; 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 Pennsylvania

Finance and Financial Management Services (Master's)$316,195
Law (First professional)$302,120
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's)$272,321
Marketing (Master's)$255,357
International/Globalization Studies (Master's)$253,631
Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations (Master's)$252,729
Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other (Master's)$250,392
Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences (Undergraduate certificate)$246,660
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's)$241,380
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology (Master's)$237,136
Health and Medical Administrative Services (Master's)$233,999
Real Estate (Master's)$230,624

Political Science and Government at other schools in Pennsylvania

Bucknell University$94,028
Lehigh University$90,302
Lafayette College$87,904
Villanova University$83,179
Gettysburg College$76,597
Mercyhurst University$76,154
Franklin and Marshall College$74,822
University of Scranton$72,038
Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia$69,816
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College$68,918