by our College Data Analytics Team
[Political Science And Government](/majors/social-sciences/political-science-and-government/) programs reward a close look at where graduates go on to earn the most. The highest-paying schools turn a political science and government degree into the strongest early-career earnings.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 86 schools on the early-career earnings of their political science and government graduates.
What’s on this page:
If you want to know which schools send political science and government graduates into the highest-paying careers, see the list below.
Our analysis ranked University Of Dayton the top school for political science and government graduate earnings in the Great Lakes Region. Set in the city of Dayton, University Of Dayton is a private not-for-profit institution. After graduating, political science and government degree recipients from University Of Dayton typically earn about $75,766 annually.
Strong graduate earnings at Knox College earned it the #2 place for political science and government. Set in the town of Galesburg, Knox College is a private not-for-profit institution. Students who complete the political science and government program here go on to a median salary of roughly $72,368.
A rank of #3 makes University Of Chicago one of the highest-paying schools for political science and government. Set in the city of Chicago, University Of Chicago is a private not-for-profit institution. Students who complete the political science and government program here go on to a median salary of roughly $88,531.
University Of Notre Dame came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying political science and government schools. Located in the suburb of Notre Dame, University Of Notre Dame is a private not-for-profit institution. Political Science And Government graduates of University Of Notre Dame earn a median of about $81,595 a year early in their careers.
A rank of #5 makes University Of Southern Indiana one of the highest-paying schools for political science and government. Located in the suburb of Evansville, University Of Southern Indiana is a public institution. Early-career political science and government graduates from University Of Southern Indiana make a median of around $65,679 per year.
Saint Marys College placed #6 among the highest-paying schools for political science and government. Located in the suburb of Notre Dame, Saint Marys College is a private not-for-profit institution. Students who complete the political science and government program here go on to a median salary of roughly $63,846.
Northwestern University ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying political science and government schools. Northwestern University is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Evanston. Students who complete the political science and government program here go on to a median salary of roughly $76,128.
Hanover College placed #8 among the highest-paying schools for political science and government. Hanover College is a private not-for-profit school located in the town of Hanover. Students who complete the political science and government program here go on to a median salary of roughly $60,117.
Lawrence University ranked #9 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying political science and government schools. Lawrence University is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Appleton. Students who complete the political science and government program here go on to a median salary of roughly $57,718.
Heidelberg University ranked #10 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying political science and government schools. Located in the town of Tiffin, Heidelberg University is a private not-for-profit institution. Early-career political science and government graduates from Heidelberg University make a median of around $57,709 per year.
Beloit College landed the #11 spot for political science and government salaries this year. Located in the city of Beloit, Beloit College is a private not-for-profit institution. Early-career political science and government graduates from Beloit College make a median of around $56,375 per year.
University Of Michigan Ann Arbor earned the #12 position for political science and government graduate earnings this year. Set in the city of Ann Arbor, University Of Michigan Ann Arbor is a public institution. Early-career political science and government graduates from University Of Michigan Ann Arbor make a median of around $78,402 per year.
Miami University Oxford came in at #13 for political science and government graduate earnings this year. Located in the town of Oxford, Miami University Oxford is a public institution. After graduating, political science and government degree recipients from Miami University Oxford typically earn about $64,243 annually.
Purdue University Main Campus ranked #14 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying political science and government schools. Located in the city of West Lafayette, Purdue University Main Campus is a public institution. After graduating, political science and government degree recipients from Purdue University Main Campus typically earn about $72,774 annually.
Michigan State University earned the #15 position for political science and government graduate earnings this year. Michigan State University is a public school located in the city of East Lansing. Early-career political science and government graduates from Michigan State University make a median of around $72,691 per year.
Case Western Reserve University landed the #16 spot for political science and government salaries this year. Case Western Reserve University is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Cleveland. Students who complete the political science and government program here go on to a median salary of roughly $52,742.
University Of Wisconsin Madison ranked #17 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying political science and government schools. Set in the city of Madison, University Of Wisconsin Madison is a public institution. Early-career political science and government graduates from University Of Wisconsin Madison make a median of around $68,593 per year.
Aquinas College Michigan ranked #18 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying political science and government schools. Located in the city of Grand Rapids, Aquinas College Michigan is a private not-for-profit institution. Early-career political science and government graduates from Aquinas College Michigan make a median of around $52,667 per year.
Xavier University ranked #19 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying political science and government schools. Xavier University is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Cincinnati. Early-career political science and government graduates from Xavier University make a median of around $68,170 per year.
Depauw University landed the #20 spot for political science and government salaries this year. Located in the town of Greencastle, Depauw University is a private not-for-profit institution. Students who complete the political science and government program here go on to a median salary of roughly $61,602.
Marquette University earned the #21 position for political science and government graduate earnings this year. Located in the city of Milwaukee, Marquette University is a private not-for-profit institution. After graduating, political science and government degree recipients from Marquette University typically earn about $70,053 annually.
University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign ranked #22 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying political science and government schools. Located in the city of Champaign, University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a public institution. Political Science And Government graduates of University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign earn a median of about $74,311 a year early in their careers.
Loyola University Chicago earned the #23 position for political science and government graduate earnings this year. Loyola University Chicago is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Chicago. Early-career political science and government graduates from Loyola University Chicago make a median of around $68,766 per year.
Wabash College earned the #24 position for political science and government graduate earnings this year. Set in the town of Crawfordsville, Wabash College is a private not-for-profit institution. Students who complete the political science and government program here go on to a median salary of roughly $72,527.
Ohio State University Main Campus placed #25 among the highest-paying schools for political science and government. Located in the city of Columbus, Ohio State University Main Campus is a public institution. After graduating, political science and government degree recipients from Ohio State University Main Campus typically earn about $66,909 annually.
These schools also send political science and government graduates into strong-paying careers this year:
This ranking is produced by College Factual, 2026 edition. Schools are ranked on the median early-career earnings of their political science and government graduates, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 86 schools evaluated.
*Salary figures reflect median early-career earnings (about 5 years after graduation) and may vary by how long a person takes to complete their degree.
More about our data sources and methodologies.