Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science

A bachelor's degree in political science is typically a 4-year program of classes that teach government, policy, and political behavior. It is a social science that combines research and critical thinking skills that prepare graduates for a variety of fields.

Some programs require an internship for hands-on experience and a senior capstone or final project. There is also usually the opportunity to choose a concentration, or a specific area they will focus on in the field such as international relations, health care policy, or American politics.

Graduates with a political science degree have many career options to choose from. They can work for the government, non-profits, businesses, and universities.

Some popular titles are:

Legislative Analyst

Survey Researcher

Market Research Analyst

Professor

Legal Assistant

Many degree-holders choose to pursue further education at graduate programs or law school.

The average political science major makes $53,000 a year (Zippa) after graduation. The bottom 10% averages $23,000 and the top 10% average $121,000. The higher-paying jobs tend to be at tech companies and the lower-paying ones at non-profits or internships. Some of the top cities that are hiring political science majors are:

New York, NY

Washington D.C

Los Angeles, CA

Arlington, VA

People pursue a bachelor's degree in political science for many reasons. Some are passionate about politics and want to run for office, some like the above-average pay and opportunities for advancement, and some just need a degree to go on to law school. The flexibility of the degree opens doors to many different types of organizations. Whatever your reason, a political science degree is valuable for the critical thinking and research skills it builds for any future job.