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2024 Best Political Science & Government Schools in North Carolina

18 Colleges in North Carolina
1,764 Political Science Degrees Awarded
$32,681 Avg Early-Career Salary
If you pursue a degree in political science & government, you won't be alone. The field of study is the #20 most popular program in the country. So, there are lots of possibilities to explore when you're trying to determine where you want to get your degree.

College Factual looked at 18 colleges and universities when compiling its 2024 Best Political Science & Government Schools in North Carolina ranking. Combined, these schools handed out 1,764 degrees in political science & government to qualified students.

Jump to one of the following sections: * Degree-Level Rankings

Choosing a Great Political Science & Government School

Best Political Science & Government Schools in North Carolina Your choice of political science & government school matters, so we have put together these rankings to help you make your decision. For our Best Overall Political Science & Government School rankings, we roll up the results of our degree-level rankings, weighted by the number of degrees awarded at that level.

You may want to choose one of the degree levels below to find the schools of most interest to you.

Political Science & Government Rankings by Degree Level

Bachelor's Degrees in Political Science
Master's Degrees in Political Science
Doctor's Degrees in Political Science

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we've developed a number of rankings, including this Best Political Science & Government Schools in North Carolina list, to help you choose the best school for you. More interested in schools in a specific area of the country? Filter this list by region or state.

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.

Read more about College Factual's methodology.

Best Schools for Political Science & Government in North Carolina

If you aren't interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the political science degrees they offer, see the list below.

10 Top North Carolina Schools in Political Science

1
Duke crest
Duke University
Durham, NC
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
136 Political Science Degrees Awarded
$43,130 Median Starting Salary

Any student who is interested in political science & government needs to take a look at Duke University. Located in the city of Durham, Duke is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #7 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means Duke is a great university overall.

There were about 136 political science & government students who graduated with this degree at Duke in the most recent data year. Degree recipients from the political science & government degree program at Duke University get $10,449 above the average graduate in this field when they enter the workforce.

More information about a degree in political science & government from Duke University

2
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
360 Political Science Degrees Awarded
$35,909 Median Starting Salary

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a great option for students pursuing a degree in political science & government. UNC Chapel Hill is a very large public university located in the small city of Chapel Hill. A Best Colleges rank of #43 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means UNC Chapel Hill is a great university overall.

There were approximately 360 political science & government students who graduated with this degree at UNC Chapel Hill in the most recent year we have data available. Political Science & Government degree recipients from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill earn a boost of approximately $3,228 over the average income of political science & government graduates.

More information about a degree in political science & government from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

3
Wake Forest University crest
Wake Forest University
Winston-Salem, NC
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
125 Political Science Degrees Awarded
$49,727 Median Starting Salary

Wake Forest University is a good choice for students pursuing a degree in political science & government. Wake Forest University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university located in the medium-sized city of Winston-Salem. A Best Colleges rank of #128 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means Wake Forest University is a great university overall.

There were about 125 political science & government students who graduated with this degree at Wake Forest University in the most recent year we have data available. Degree recipients from the political science & government degree program at Wake Forest University make $17,046 above the average graduate with the same degree when they enter the workforce.

More information about a degree in political science & government from Wake Forest University

4
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
84 Political Science Degrees Awarded
7.1% Growth in Graduates

It's difficult to beat Elon University if you wish to pursue a degree in political science & government. Located in the midsize suburb of Elon, Elon is a private not-for-profit university with a medium-sized student population. A Best Colleges rank of #235 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means Elon is a great university overall.

There were roughly 84 political science & government students who graduated with this degree at Elon in the most recent data year. Those political science & government students who get their degree from Elon University receive $6,612 more than the typical political science graduate.

More information about a degree in political science & government from Elon University

5
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
163 Political Science Degrees Awarded
11.0% Growth in Graduates

NC State is a fairly large public university located in the large city of Raleigh. A Best Colleges rank of #92 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means NC State is a great university overall.

There were approximately 163 political science & government students who graduated with this degree at NC State in the most recent year we have data available. Soon after graduation, political science degree recipients generally make an average of $34,004 in the first five years of their career.

More information about a degree in political science & government from North Carolina State University

6
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
185 Political Science Degrees Awarded
$31,919 Median Starting Salary

Located in the city of Charlotte, UNC Charlotte is a public university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #378 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means UNC Charlotte is a great university overall.

There were approximately 185 political science & government students who graduated with this degree at UNC Charlotte in the most recent data year. Students who graduate with their degree from the political science program report average early career earnings of $31,919.

More information about a degree in political science & government from University of North Carolina at Charlotte

7
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
123 Political Science Degrees Awarded
$25,938 Median Starting Salary

Located in the town of Boone, Appalachian State is a public university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #445 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means Appalachian State is a great university overall.

There were roughly 123 political science & government students who graduated with this degree at Appalachian State in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate with their degree from the political science program state that they receive average early career wages of $25,938.

More information about a degree in political science & government from Appalachian State University

8
Graduate Certificate Highest Degree Type
84 Political Science Degrees Awarded
2.4% Growth in Graduates

UNC Greensboro is a large public university located in the large city of Greensboro. This university ranks 12th out of 93 colleges for overall quality in the state of North Carolina.

There were roughly 84 political science & government students who graduated with this degree at UNC Greensboro in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate with their degree from the political science program report average early career income of $29,919.

More information about a degree in political science & government from University of North Carolina at Greensboro

9
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
59 Political Science Degrees Awarded
$26,957 Median Starting Salary

Located in the city of Wilmington, UNCW is a public university with a large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #457 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means UNCW is a great university overall.

There were approximately 59 political science & government students who graduated with this degree at UNCW in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate with their degree from the political science program state that they receive average early career earnings of $26,957.

More information about a degree in political science & government from University of North Carolina at Wilmington

10
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
74 Political Science Degrees Awarded
$35,407 Median Starting Salary

ECU is a very large public university located in the city of Greenville. A Best Colleges rank of #414 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means ECU is a great university overall.

There were about 74 political science & government students who graduated with this degree at ECU in the most recent year we have data available. Those political science & government students who get their degree from East Carolina University earn $2,726 more than the average political science graduate.

More information about a degree in political science & government from East Carolina University

Best Political Science & Government Colleges in the Southeast Region

Explore all the Best Political Science & Government Colleges in the Southeast Area or other specific states within that region.

State Colleges Degrees Awarded
Georgia 287 1,199
Florida 282 2,522
Virginia 274 1,768
Tennessee 269 714
South Carolina 248 768
Kentucky 244 439
Louisiana 242 582
Mississippi 234 294
Arkansas 234 297
Alabama 233 566
West Virginia 207 290

View All Rankings >

One of 13 majors within the Social Sciences area of study, Political Science & Government has other similar majors worth exploring.

Political Science Focus Areas

Major Annual Graduates
Political Science 1,752
American Government & Politics (United States) 6
Political Economy 4
Other Political Science & Government 2

View All Political Science Focus Areas >

Related Major Annual Graduates
Economics 1,251
Sociology 1,105
Anthropology 406
Geography & Cartography 224
General Social Sciences 114
International Relations & National Security 113
Sociology & Anthropology 10
Archeology 9
Other Social Sciences 4

View All Political Science Related Majors >

Notes and References

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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