by our College Data Analytics Team
With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Schools Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major” ranking is part of that endeavor.
Political Science is the 13th most popular major in the country with 45,964 degrees awarded in 2021-2022.
This year’s “Schools Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major” ranking analyzed 1,275 colleges that offered a degree in political science. The colleges and universities that top this list are recognized because their political science program is one of the largest majors offered at the school.
See our ranking methodology to learn more.
Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Schools Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.
The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major”.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Patrick Henry College. The school came in at #1 for the Schools Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major. Located in Purcellville, Virginia, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 20 degrees to qualified ’s poly sci students in 2021-2022.
With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read full report on Political Science at Patrick Henry College
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend United States Coast Guard Academy. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major list. This small school is located in New London, Connecticut, and it awarded 47 ’s poly sci degrees in 2021-2022.
The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read more about Political Science at United States Coast Guard Academy
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Bowdoin College. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major list. Bowdoin College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Brunswick, Maine. It awarded 83 ’s poly sci degrees in 2021-2022.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Bennett College. The school came in at #4 for the Schools Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major. Located in Greensboro, North Carolina, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 4 diplomas to qualified ’s poly sci students in 2021-2022.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.
Out of the 1,275 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Davidson College landed the #5 spot on the list. Davidson is a private not-for-profit institution located in Davidson, North Carolina. The school has a small population, and it awarded 64 ’s degrees in 2021-2022.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
College of the Holy Cross ranked #6 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major list. Holy Cross is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Worcester, Massachusetts. It awarded 110 ’s poly sci degrees in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on Political Science at College of the Holy Cross
United States Naval Academy did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major ranking, coming in at #7. Located in Annapolis, Maryland, this small public school awarded 119 diplomas to qualified ’s poly sci students in 2021-2022.
The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. With a freshman retention rate of 98%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Hillsdale College ranked #8 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major list. Located in Hillsdale, Michigan, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 46 diplomas to qualified ’s poly sci students in 2021-2022.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Union College New York ranked #9 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major list. Union College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Schenectady, New York. The school has a small population, and it awarded 47 ’s degrees in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
With a ranking of #10, Bates College did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major list. Bates is a small school located in Lewiston, Maine that handed out 57 ’s poly sci degrees in 2021-2022.
With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
Trinity College ranked #11 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major list. This small school is located in Hartford, Connecticut, and it awarded 84 ’s poly sci degrees in 2021-2022.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Colby College landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major ranking. Colby College is a small school located in Waterville, Maine that handed out 76 ’s poly sci degrees in 2021-2022.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%.
Wabash College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major ranking, coming in at #13. Wabash is a private not-for-profit institution located in Crawfordsville, Indiana. The school has a small population, and it awarded 21 ’s degrees in 2021-2022.
With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
With a ranking of #14, Gettysburg College did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major list. Gettysburg College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The school has a small population, and it awarded 76 ’s degrees in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Sewanee - The University of the South landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major ranking. Sewanee is a private not-for-profit institution located in Sewanee, Tennessee. The school has a small population, and it awarded 40 ’s degrees in 2021-2022.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Spelman College ranked #16 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major list. Located in Atlanta, Georgia, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 50 degrees to qualified ’s poly sci students in 2021-2022.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Sweet Briar College came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major ranking. Sweet Briar is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Sweet Briar, Virginia. It awarded 5 ’s poly sci degrees in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
Furman University came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major ranking. Located in Greenville, South Carolina, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 62 degrees to qualified ’s poly sci students in 2021-2022.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Haverford College landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major ranking. Haverford, Pennsylvania is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s poly sci degrees to 35 students in 2021-2022.
The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.
St Lawrence University ranked #20 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major list. St. Lawrence is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Canton, New York. It awarded 55 ’s poly sci degrees in 2021-2022.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Scripps College ranked #21 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major list. Scripps College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Claremont, California. It awarded 24 ’s poly sci degrees in 2021-2022.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%.
Colgate University landed the #22 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major ranking. Hamilton, New York is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s poly sci degrees to 87 students in 2021-2022.
With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
Dickinson College came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major ranking. This small school is located in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 49 ’s poly sci degrees in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%.
Hampden - Sydney College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major ranking, coming in at #24. Hampden-Sydney, Virginia is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s poly sci degrees to 32 students in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%.
Claremont McKenna College landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major ranking. Claremont McKenna College is a small school located in Claremont, California that handed out 46 ’s poly sci degrees in 2021-2022.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. With a freshman retention rate of 98%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
While not in the ’top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 51 | Oberlin College | Oberlin, OH |
| 52 | Amherst College | Amherst, MA |
| 53 | Hamilton College | Clinton, NY |
| 54 | Allegheny College | Meadville, PA |
| 55 | The College of Idaho | Caldwell, ID |
| 56 | Centre College | Danville, KY |
| 57 | Smith College | Northampton, MA |
| 58 | St Mary’s College of Maryland | St. Mary’s City, MD |
| 59 | University of the Ozarks | Clarksville, AR |
| 60 | Skidmore College | Saratoga Springs, NY |
| 61 | Wellesley College | Wellesley, MA |
| 62 | William & Mary | Williamsburg, VA |
| 63 | Tougaloo College | Tougaloo, MS |
| 64 | Pitzer College | Claremont, CA |
| 65 | Gustavus Adolphus College | Saint Peter, MN |
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 66 | Ripon College | Ripon, WI |
| 66 | Hobart and William Smith Colleges | Geneva, NY |
| 68 | Willamette University | Salem, OR |
| 69 | Whitman College | Walla Walla, WA |
| 70 | Williams College | Williamstown, MA |
| 71 | Saint Johns University | Collegeville, MN |
| 72 | Howard University | Washington, DC |
| 73 | Oglethorpe University | Atlanta, GA |
| 74 | Lawrence University | Appleton, WI |
| 75 | Hartwick College | Oneonta, NY |
| 76 | American University | Washington, DC |
| 77 | Citadel Military College of South Carolina | Charleston, SC |
| 78 | Princeton University | Princeton, NJ |
| 79 | St Olaf College | Northfield, MN |
| 80 | Catholic University of America | Washington, DC |
| 81 | Albion College | Albion, MI |
| 82 | Kalamazoo College | Kalamazoo, MI |
| 83 | University of the District of Columbia | Washington, DC |
| 84 | Lake Forest College | Lake Forest, IL |
| 85 | University of California - Los Angeles | Los Angeles, CA |
| 86 | Boston College | Chestnut Hill, MA |
| 87 | Hendrix College | Conway, AR |
| 88 | Ohio Wesleyan University | Delaware, OH |
| 89 | Simpson College | Indianola, IA |
| 90 | Swarthmore College | Swarthmore, PA |
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 91 | Washington College | Chestertown, MD |
| 91 | Howard Payne University | Brownwood, TX |
| 93 | Berea College | Berea, KY |
| 94 | Southwestern University | Georgetown, TX |
| 95 | University of Notre Dame | Notre Dame, IN |
| 96 | University of California - Merced | Merced, CA |
| 97 | Austin College | Sherman, TX |
| 98 | Stonehill College | Easton, MA |
| 99 | Roanoke College | Salem, VA |
| 100 | United States Air Force Academy | USAF Academy, CO |
| 101 | Wake Forest University | Winston-Salem, NC |
| 102 | Virginia Wesleyan University | Virginia Beach, VA |
| 103 | Elon University | Elon, NC |
| 104 | Siena College | Loudonville, NY |
| 105 | Bryn Mawr College | Bryn Mawr, PA |
| 106 | Wheaton College Massachusetts | Norton, MA |
| 107 | University of California - Santa Barbara | Santa Barbara, CA |
| 108 | University of Dallas | Irving, TX |
| 109 | Denison University | Granville, OH |
| 110 | Copper Mountain Community College | Joshua Tree, CA |
| 111 | Luther College | Decorah, IA |
| 111 | Fairmont State University | Fairmont, WV |
| 113 | Saint Michael’s College | Colchester, VT |
| 114 | Illinois Wesleyan University | Bloomington, IL |
| 115 | Francis Marion University | Florence, SC |
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 116 | Beloit College | Beloit, WI |
| 117 | Hiram College | Hiram, OH |
| 118 | Brigham Young University - Hawaii | Laie, HI |
| 119 | St. Mary’s University | San Antonio, TX |
| 120 | Clark University | Worcester, MA |
| 121 | Principia College | Elsah, IL |
| 122 | Florida State University | Tallahassee, FL |
| 123 | College of Saint Benedict | Saint Joseph, MN |
| 124 | Eckerd College | Saint Petersburg, FL |
| 125 | Saint Mary’s College | Notre Dame, IN |
| 126 | Providence College | Providence, RI |
| 127 | Centenary College of Louisiana | Shreveport, LA |
| 128 | Rhodes College | Memphis, TN |
| 129 | Susquehanna University | Selinsgrove, PA |
| 130 | College of Charleston | Charleston, SC |
| 131 | Alma College | Alma, MI |
| 132 | Monmouth College | Monmouth, IL |
| 133 | Texas Christian University | Fort Worth, TX |
| 134 | SUNY Geneseo | Geneseo, NY |
| 135 | Agnes Scott College | Decatur, GA |
| 136 | University of California - Berkeley | Berkeley, CA |
| 137 | Reed College | Portland, OR |
| 138 | Mount Holyoke College | South Hadley, MA |
| 139 | Washington & Jefferson College | Washington, PA |
| 140 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | Chapel Hill, NC |
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 166 | Georgetown University | Washington, DC |
| 167 | Saint Vincent College | Latrobe, PA |
| 168 | University of Minnesota - Morris | Morris, MN |
| 169 | Miami University - Oxford | Oxford, OH |
| 170 | McMurry University | Abilene, TX |
| 171 | Trinity University | San Antonio, TX |
| 172 | Villanova University | Villanova, PA |
| 173 | Linfield University - McMinnville Campus | McMinnville, OR |
| 173 | Juniata College | Huntingdon, PA |
| 175 | Yale University | New Haven, CT |
| 176 | University of Richmond | University of Richmond, VA |
| 177 | Suffolk University | Boston, MA |
| 178 | University of Portland | Portland, OR |
| 179 | Saint Norbert College | De Pere, WI |
| 180 | University of Vermont | Burlington, VT |
| 181 | Knox College | Galesburg, IL |
| 182 | Brown University | Providence, RI |
| 183 | Marietta College | Marietta, OH |
| 184 | Heidelberg University | Tiffin, OH |
| 185 | Hampton University | Hampton, VA |
| 186 | Presbyterian College | Clinton, SC |
| 187 | Western Colorado University | Gunnison, CO |
| 188 | Maryville College | Maryville, TN |
| 189 | Guilford College | Greensboro, NC |
| 190 | University of Puerto Rico - Rio Piedras | San Juan, PR |
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 191 | Georgia State University | Atlanta, GA |
| 192 | Tulane University of Louisiana | New Orleans, LA |
Read more about our data sources and methodologies