Bachelor's · Johnson City, Tennessee
Is Political Science and Government at East Tennessee State University worth it?
Low confidence Low confidence: fewer than 40 graduates behind the earnings figures.
The verdict · all families, in-state, half paid with loans
Pays back slowly: graduates typically recover the cost in about 7.3 years.
- Earnings 1 year after graduating
- $33,952
- Treasury AY2020-21, AY2021-22 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
- Earnings 4 years after graduating
- $52,043
- Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
- Typical federal debt at graduation
- Not enough borrowers to report
- NSLDS pooled AY2022-23, AY2023-24 cohort
- Net cost to graduate, all families
- $60k (likely $60k – $77k)
- AcadYr 2024-25, reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26
- Earnings bump, year 4
- $14k a year vs high-school graduates aged 25–34 in TN
- 2023 ACS 5-year pooled, adjusted to 2024 dollars
- Payback
- 7.3 years (likely 4.9–12.5)
- Bump vs net cost plus loan interest
- 10-year net return
- −$107k (likely −$192k – −$15k)
- Today's dollars
- 20-year net return
- $85k (likely −$86k – $278k)
- Today's dollars
- Odds of finishing (school-wide)
- 55%
- Fall 2019 or AcadYr 2019-20 cohort (differs by institutional calendar), reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26
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 East Tennessee State University
- Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (First professional)$129,821
- Medicine (First professional)$110,348
- Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Doctoral)$108,675
- Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (Bachelor's)$106,593
- Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's)$105,444
- Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's)$99,765
- Accounting and Related Services (Master's)$91,471
- Educational Administration and Supervision (Doctoral)$85,955
- Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Doctoral)$84,041
- Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's)$82,073
- Public Health (Master's)$76,210
- Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General (Bachelor's)$75,298
Political Science and Government at other schools in Tennessee
- Vanderbilt University$102,789
- The University of the South$72,682
- Rhodes College$72,062
- The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga$63,654
- The University of Tennessee-Knoxville$60,073
- Tennessee State University$54,008
- The University of Tennessee-Martin$52,029
- Middle Tennessee State University$50,169
- University of Memphis$50,070
- Tennessee Technological University$49,898