Bachelor's+5% vs national median3,918 grads tracked
Political Science and Government at University of Wisconsin - Madison
Ranked 65th of 322 bachelor's programs in Political Science and Government by 5-year earnings.
Median · 1 year out
$38,680
middle 50%: $26,909 – $53,105
Median · 5 years out
$65,289
middle 50%: $47,783 – $89,742
Median · 10 years out
$96,052
middle 50%: $67,057 – $144,862
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 graduates from the University of Wisconsin - Madison earn a median of $38,680 initially. Salaries reach a median of $96,052 by year ten.
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
6.7 yrs
≈ $7,973 total interest
Same major at other universities
State University of New York at Albany
$65,897 · 5 yrs out
Saint Olaf College
$65,735 · 5 yrs out
University of Hartford
$65,698 · 5 yrs out
Gustavus Adolphus College
$65,534 · 5 yrs out
College of Staten Island/CUNY
$65,420 · 5 yrs out
Lamar University
$65,377 · 5 yrs out
University of Saint Thomas
$65,048 · 5 yrs out
Elmhurst University
$64,854 · 5 yrs out
City College of New York - CUNY
$64,718 · 5 yrs out
University of Houston - Downtown
$64,689 · 5 yrs out
Loyola University Chicago
$64,632 · 5 yrs out
University of Wisconsin - Platteville
$64,402 · 5 yrs out
Other majors at University of Wisconsin - Madison
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Doctorate)
$227,440 · 5 yrs out
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Doctorate)
$191,060 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Master's)
$179,858 · 5 yrs out
Medicine (Doctorate)
$176,530 · 5 yrs out
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (Doctorate)
$153,901 · 5 yrs out
Health Professions and Related Programs (Doctorate)
$153,036 · 5 yrs out
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Doctorate)
$143,232 · 5 yrs out
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (Bachelor's)
$140,310 · 5 yrs out
Engineering (Doctorate)
$139,926 · 5 yrs out
Mathematics and Statistics (Doctorate)
$134,767 · 5 yrs out
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Master's)
$133,218 · 5 yrs out
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods (Bachelor's)
$127,595 · 5 yrs out