Political Science major
Political Science: courses, careers, and where to study
Political Science studies governments, political behavior, and policy, preparing graduates for law school, public service, journalism, and policy research.
A Political Science major covers American government, comparative politics, international relations, political theory, and political methodology. Programs typically require a research methods sequence (statistics, survey research, or formal modeling) and a senior thesis. Subfields include public policy, public law, political economy, and international security.
Political Science is a common pre-law major. Graduates also work in government, campaigns, journalism, advocacy, foundations, and think tanks. The major pairs naturally with Economics, History, or a foreign language.
Academic classification (CIP)
In the federal Classification of Instructional Programs, Political Science maps to CIP 45.1001, Political Science and Government, General, within the SOCIAL SCIENCES family. The official definition:
A general program that focuses on the systematic study of political institutions and behavior. Includes instruction in political philosophy, political theory, comparative government and politics, political parties and interest groups, public opinion, political research methods, studies of the government and politics of specific countries, and studies of specific political institutions and processes.
Source: U.S. Department of Education (NCES), Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) 2020. View on nces.ed.gov
What credential Political Science is awarded as
Of the 44,642 Political Science credentials U.S. colleges reported conferring in 2023-24:
- Certificate<1%345
- Associate5%2,127
- Bachelor's88%39,466
- Graduate6%2,704
This mix is fairly consistent nationally: across the 50 states reporting it, the certificate share moves by about 3 percentage points between the 10th and 90th percentile state, so the credential is more a property of the field than of where you study it. See the full study.
Credentials conferred in 2023-24, U.S. Department of Education IPEDS completions. A certificate is a different credential from a degree, not a lesser one, and this counts what was awarded rather than what a college currently offers.
What you'll study
- American politics and government
- Comparative politics across countries and systems
- International relations and foreign policy
- Political theory (classical and contemporary)
- Public policy analysis
- Quantitative methods for political research
- Constitutional law
- Senior thesis
Typical careers
- Policy Analyst
- Legislative Aide
- Lawyer (with JD)
- Foreign Service Officer
- Campaign Manager
- Journalist
Typical salary range: $48,000–$72,000 early-career (varies widely by sector)Ranges are early-career estimates. Any BLS figure shown is the occupation-wide median across all experience levels, not a starting wage, and is informational only.
Related occupations
Occupations the federal CIP–SOC crosswalk associates with Political Science, with what each one pays and how many openings it is projected to average each year. Ordered by projected annual openings, largest first. Linked titles open the full CampusPin career page.
| Occupation | Median pay | Openings / yr | Projected change | Most entrants hold |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Managers, All Other | $136,550 | 106,700 | +4.5% | Bachelor's degree |
| Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | $64,580 | 66,200 | -1.6% | Bachelor's degree |
| Social Science Research Assistants | $58,040 | 5,200 | +4.4% | Bachelor's degree |
| Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary | $94,680 | 1,600 | +2% | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Political Scientists | $139,380 | 500 | -3.1% | Master's degree |
Crosswalk: U.S. Department of Education (NCES), CIP 2020 to SOC 2018. Pay, openings and projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2024 wages, Employment Projections). 5 of these 5 occupations report a median wage.
“Most entrants hold” is what BLS observes about people already working in the occupation. It is not a legal requirement, not an admission rule, and not a guarantee of entry. Studying Political Science does not guarantee any specific occupation, and many of these roles are entered from several different fields. Projected openings are a projection, not jobs promised.
Before you commit to a Political Science major
CampusPin does not rank programs. Use these prompts to pressure-test whether a specific Political Science program fits your goals, they are decision questions, not claims about any school.
Ask the Political Science department
- Which concentrations or specializations are offered, and which faculty lead them?
- What does the typical course sequence look like, and how much is required vs. elective?
- What labs, studios, clinical placements, or research opportunities are available to undergraduates?
- Is there a capstone, thesis, internship, or co-op requirement?
Ask current students & check the curriculum
- How heavy is the workload, and how accessible is the faculty?
- What internships or co-ops did you do, and where do recent graduates end up?
- Does the required curriculum actually match the careers listed above?
- How easy is it to add a minor, double major, or switch tracks later?
Find a Political Science program
CampusPin lists U.S. universities and community colleges by state, tuition, school size, acceptance rate, and campus setting, no account required.
Colleges that awarded the most Political Science credentials
Largest by credentials conferred in 2023-24. This measures the size of the graduating class, not quality, and it is not a ranking.
- University of California-Los AngelesCA · 744
- Florida State UniversityFL · 536
- University of California-BerkeleyCA · 438
- University of North Carolina at Chapel HillNC · 428
- Arizona State University Campus ImmersionAZ · 415
- University of Central FloridaFL · 414
- University of FloridaFL · 403
- George Washington UniversityDC · 395
- University of Wisconsin-MadisonWI · 393
- University of Washington-Seattle CampusWA · 375
- University of California-San DiegoCA · 373
- The University of Texas at AustinTX · 340
Based on credentials this institution reported conferring in the federal IPEDS completions collection for 2023-24. It confirms the field was awarded that year, not that the program currently accepts students, and it covers only the fields CampusPin tracks. Confirm current offerings with the institution.
Where Political Science credentials were awarded
6 states have a distinct enough set of Political Science colleges to be worth its own page.
Search Political Science schools by state
- Political Science in California
- Political Science in Florida
- Political Science in Georgia
- Political Science in Illinois
- Political Science in Maryland
- Political Science in Massachusetts
- Political Science in New York
- Political Science in North Carolina
- Political Science in Pennsylvania
- Political Science in Texas
Related majors
Economics
Economics studies how individuals, firms, and governments allocate resources, combining theory with empirical analysis and a strong mathematical foundation.
History
History trains graduates in research, evidence, and argument, feeding into law, education, museums, government, and any field that values long-form analytical writing.
Sociology
Sociology studies social institutions, group behavior, inequality, and culture, preparing graduates for research, policy, social services, and graduate school in law or social work.
Pre-Law
Pre-Law isn't a major itself but a track, students major in any field while taking the courses, building the GPA, and earning the LSAT score for law school admission.
Still deciding between Political Science and something else?
These guides put Political Scienceside by side with the major it is most often confused with, using the federal CIP–SOC crosswalk to show where the two actually lead.
Put this major in context
The salary above is an occupation-wide median from federal data, not a starting wage or a guarantee. These CampusPin guides and reports help you read it well, see where a Political Science degree can lead, and weigh it against cost and program quality.
Explore Science & Research careers
Median pay, job outlook, and the occupations this field covers.
Explore Education & Library careers
Median pay, job outlook, and the occupations this field covers.
How one major leads to many careers
Why a single Political Science degree can open more than one path, and how to read the occupations above.
Why a median wage is not a starting salary
How to read a BLS median, and why early-career pay usually sits below it.
When accreditation and licensure matter
How program accreditation and state licensure can shape a Political Science path before you enroll.
Does a pricier college pay off?
How college cost lines up with graduation and earnings, an association, not a ranking.
Does picking a major narrow your college list?
Across the federal completions data, most fields barely change which colleges are on the table. Which ones genuinely do.
Certificate or degree?
What credential a field is usually awarded as is mostly set by the field itself, not by the state, with a short list of exceptions.
How this guide is sourced
This is an editorial guide from the CampusPin Editorial Team. Career and wage figures are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, occupation-wide medians across all experience levels, not starting wages, and link to each career page. Program availability comes from CampusPin's free institution search; CampusPin does not assert that any specific school offers this exact major until that program data is verified. Last reviewed 2026-06-15. How CampusPin sources data · Report a correction.