Bachelor's · Madison, Wisconsin
Is Political Science and Government at University of Wisconsin-Madison 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 4.4 years.
- Earnings 1 year after graduating
- $49,389
- Treasury AY2020-21, AY2021-22 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
- Earnings 4 years after graduating
- $71,051
- Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
- Typical federal debt at graduation
- $15,000
- NSLDS pooled AY2022-23, AY2023-24 cohort
- Net cost to graduate, all families
- $70k (likely $70k – $81k)
- AcadYr 2024-25, reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26
- Earnings bump, year 4
- $30k a year vs high-school graduates aged 25–34 in WI
- 2023 ACS 5-year pooled, adjusted to 2024 dollars
- Payback
- 4.4 years (likely 3.9–5.2)
- Bump vs net cost plus loan interest
- 10-year net return
- $21k (likely −$34k – $70k)
- Today's dollars
- 20-year net return
- $385k (likely $265k – $530k)
- Today's dollars
- Odds of finishing (school-wide)
- 90%
- 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 Wisconsin-Madison
- Computer and Information Sciences, General (Master's)$196,985
- Public Health (Doctoral)$169,322
- Marketing (Master's)$166,668
- Finance and Financial Management Services (Master's)$164,371
- Business/Commerce, General (Master's)$160,097
- Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods (Master's)$156,689
- Engineering, General (Master's)$147,101
- Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (First professional)$139,210
- Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering (Master's)$129,743
- Medicine (First professional)$127,913
- Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology (Doctoral)$126,758
- Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Master's)$125,492
Political Science and Government at other schools in Wisconsin
- Marquette University$74,008
- Ripon College$68,800
- University of Wisconsin-La Crosse$57,256
- University of Wisconsin-Whitewater$54,074
- University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee$51,320
- University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point$50,872
- University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire$50,316
- Lawrence University$50,021
- University of Wisconsin-Green Bay$49,349
- Saint Norbert College$48,244