Bachelor's-3% vs national median1,467 grads tracked
Political Science and Government at University of South Carolina - Columbia
Ranked 114th of 322 bachelor's programs in Political Science and Government by 5-year earnings.
Median · 1 year out
$35,516
middle 50%: $25,104 – $48,042
Median · 5 years out
$60,543
middle 50%: $43,812 – $82,252
Median · 10 years out
$82,889
middle 50%: $59,134 – $118,197
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
University of South Carolina - Columbia Political Science graduates earn a median $36k in year one. Median salaries reach $61k by year five.
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
7.2 yrs
≈ $8,682 total interest
Same major at other universities
Western Oregon University
$61,580 · 5 yrs out
University of South Dakota
$61,461 · 5 yrs out
University of Oregon
$61,300 · 5 yrs out
North Carolina State University
$60,990 · 5 yrs out
Radford University
$60,720 · 5 yrs out
Texas Southern University
$60,590 · 5 yrs out
Liberty University
$60,495 · 5 yrs out
University of Texas at San Antonio
$60,491 · 5 yrs out
University of Illinois Chicago
$60,479 · 5 yrs out
Truman State University
$60,425 · 5 yrs out
Western Connecticut State University
$60,013 · 5 yrs out
State University of New York at Oneonta
$60,013 · 5 yrs out
Other majors at University of South Carolina - Columbia
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Doctorate)
$176,841 · 5 yrs out
Medicine (Doctorate)
$168,157 · 5 yrs out
Health Professions and Related Programs (Doctorate)
$153,126 · 5 yrs out
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (Doctorate)
$150,876 · 5 yrs out
Engineering (Doctorate)
$129,928 · 5 yrs out
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (Bachelor's)
$122,810 · 5 yrs out
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Master's)
$115,242 · 5 yrs out
Engineering (Master's)
$114,563 · 5 yrs out
Physical Sciences (Doctorate)
$102,325 · 5 yrs out
Health Professions and Related Programs (Doctorate)
$100,689 · 5 yrs out
Education (Doctorate)
$100,245 · 5 yrs out
Legal Professions and Studies (Doctorate)
$99,491 · 5 yrs out