Bachelor's+15% vs national median143 grads tracked
Political Science and Government at Wheaton College
Ranked 22nd of 322 bachelor's programs in Political Science and Government by 5-year earnings.
Median · 1 year out
$44,700
middle 50%: $30,804 – $63,538
Median · 5 years out
$71,605
middle 50%: $50,995 – $113,771
Median · 10 years out
$119,554
middle 50%: $75,444 – $188,960
Salary trajectory
Median earnings vs the national median for Political Science and Government (bachelor's) graduates.
This program (median)National median, same major & degreeMiddle 50% of graduates
Political Science and Government alumni earn a median of $45k in their first year. By year ten, median salaries reach $120k, outperforming many peers.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau PSEO, release V4.13.0 2025Q4. Earnings are for graduates working in covered states; figures are medians in nominal dollars.
Will the degree pay for itself?
Drag the sliders — payback uses this program's actual salary curve.
Assumes a 6.5% APR loan and this program's median salary trajectory (interpolated between years 1, 5 and 10).
Paid off in
6 yrs
≈ $7,053 total interest
Same major at other universities
Binghamton University
$73,964 · 5 yrs out
George Mason University
$73,961 · 5 yrs out
University of the District of Columbia
$73,271 · 5 yrs out
University of Connecticut
$72,068 · 5 yrs out
CUNY Queens College
$71,812 · 5 yrs out
University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill
$71,633 · 5 yrs out
Butler University
$71,441 · 5 yrs out
Texas A&M University
$71,194 · 5 yrs out
Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University
$71,124 · 5 yrs out
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
$70,611 · 5 yrs out
University of Massachusetts - Amherst
$69,765 · 5 yrs out
James Madison University
$69,761 · 5 yrs out
Other majors at Wheaton College
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Bachelor's)
$104,398 · 5 yrs out
Computer Science (Bachelor's)
$104,398 · 5 yrs out
Economics (Bachelor's)
$100,721 · 5 yrs out
Psychology (Doctorate)
$97,031 · 5 yrs out
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology (Doctorate)
$97,031 · 5 yrs out
Engineering (Bachelor's)
$95,830 · 5 yrs out
Engineering, Other (Bachelor's)
$95,830 · 5 yrs out
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Bachelor's)
$91,449 · 5 yrs out
Business/Managerial Economics (Bachelor's)
$91,449 · 5 yrs out
Physics (Bachelor's)
$89,458 · 5 yrs out
Physical Sciences (Bachelor's)
$74,959 · 5 yrs out
Mathematics and Statistics (Bachelor's)
$73,042 · 5 yrs out