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Government & Politics

Colleges offering this major Rankings Trends

What you'll do in college

These majors study how governments operate, how policies are formulated, and how political systems function domestically and internationally. Coursework includes American politics, comparative politics, political theory, statistics, and public policy analysis.

Many programs encourage internships in Congress, state legislatures, advocacy organizations, or local government. Senior thesis or capstone projects often involve real policy questions, and student government, Model UN, and debate are common extracurriculars.

What you'll do after college

Graduates work in government at all levels, advocacy organizations, think tanks, lobbying firms, political campaigns, and the private sector in policy or communications roles. Many continue to graduate school in political science, public policy master's programs, or law school.

The major is strong preparation for any career that requires understanding how decisions are made—including business, journalism, and consulting. Pay varies widely: government and nonprofit roles tend to pay less, while consulting and private-sector policy roles pay more.

Famous graduates

  • Condoleezza Rice — Former U.S. Secretary of State and political scientist; B.A. in Political Science from the University of Denver
  • Anderson Cooper — Journalist and CNN anchor; B.A. in Political Science from Yale University
  • Steve Carell — Actor and comedian; B.A. in History and Political Science from Denison University

Selectivity vs. earnings

By acceptance rate

$63,249
1,623
100–85%
$63,318
3,281
83–72%
$63,866
4,908
72–65%
$62,534
6,496
65–52%
$66,293
6,616
52–32%
$69,607
4,870
32–15%
$78,580
3,235
15–7%
$97,103
1,681
6–0%
Acceptance rate · bar = degree-weighted adjusted 5-year earnings

By SAT median

$55,275
1,302
400–1060
$59,648
2,608
1060–1125
$61,687
3,801
1130–1225
$65,130
5,070
1225–1285
$71,498
5,281
1285–1386
$75,597
3,870
1390–1465
$83,322
2,629
1465–1535
$94,971
1,266
1535–1600
Median SAT · bar = degree-weighted adjusted 5-year earnings

Majors in this category

Major Colleges Degrees ▼ Male/Female Intl 5yr Earn
Government & Politics 1,028 37,544 45% / 55% 2% $64,978
Political Science 981 32,647 45% / 55% 2% $63,463
Public Administration 108 1,658 49% / 51% 3% $69,606
Public Policy 52 1,125 37% / 63% 2% $76,511
Government 17 951 46% / 54% 5% $79,072
Politics 5 241 53% / 47% 3% $74,158
Public Policy Studies 3 219 36% / 64% 3% $105,248
Political Science and Government 10 118 38% / 62% 2% $65,326
Public Affairs 1 112 28% / 72% 1% $91,653
American Politics 14 103 54% / 46% 1% $61,330
Public Policy Analysis 10 100 37% / 63% 4% $86,414
Public Service and Public Policy 1 88 49% / 51% 7% $62,366
Politics and Government 1 72 58% / 42% 0% $62,942
Public Policy and Administration 1 48 44% / 56% 2% $67,707
American Government and Politics 3 34 62% / 38% 0% $59,989
Political Studies 1 13 54% / 46% 8%
American Government 2 5 80% / 20% 0%
Political Science (Course 17) 1 4 50% / 50% 25%
Politics and International Relations 1 4 50% / 50% 25%
American Government and Politics (United States) 1 2 100% / 0% 0% $57,496