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2024 Best Political Science & Government Schools in the Plains States Region

50 Colleges in the Plains States Region
2,307 Political Science Degrees Awarded
$34,104 Avg Early-Career Salary
Political Science & Government is of the hottest degree programs in the United States, coming in as the #20 most popular major in the country. This makes choosing the right school a hard decision.

College Factual reviewed 50 schools in the Plains States Region to determine which ones were the best for degree seekers in the field of political science & government. Combined, these schools handed out 2,307 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 the Plains States Region Your choice of political science & government school matters, so we have put together these rankings to help you make your decision. In order to come up with a best overall ranking for political science & government schools, we combine our degree-level rankings, weighting them by the number of degrees awarded at each 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 the Plains States Region list, to help you choose the best school for you. You can also filter this list by location to find schools closer to you.

In addition to College Factual's rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don't forget it.

More information on how we come up with our rankings can be found here: College Factual's Data Methodology.

Best Schools for Political Science & Government in the Plains States Region

Although we recommend filtering by degree level first, you can view the list below to see which schools give the educational experience for the political science degree levels they offer.

10 Top Plains States Region Schools in Political Science

1
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
94 Political Science Degrees Awarded
$45,909 Median Starting Salary

Washington University in St Louis is one of the finest schools in the United States for getting a degree in political science & government. Located in the large suburb of Saint Louis, WUSTL is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #17 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means WUSTL is a great university overall.

There were about 94 political science & government students who graduated with this degree at WUSTL in the most recent year we have data available. Those political science & government students who get their degree from Washington University in St Louis make $11,805 more than the typical political science grad.

More information about a degree in political science & government from Washington University in St Louis

2
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
259 Political Science Degrees Awarded
$36,359 Median Starting Salary

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is a good decision for students pursuing a degree in political science & government. Located in the city of Minneapolis, UMN Twin Cities is a public university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #51 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means UMN Twin Cities is a great university overall.

There were about 259 political science & government students who graduated with this degree at UMN Twin Cities in the most recent year we have data available. Those political science & government students who get their degree from University of Minnesota - Twin Cities earn $2,255 more than the typical political science grad.

More information about a degree in political science & government from University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

3
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
134 Political Science Degrees Awarded
$35,343 Median Starting Salary

University of Missouri - Columbia is a wonderful option for students pursuing a degree in political science & government. Mizzou is a fairly large public university located in the midsize city of Columbia. A Best Colleges rank of #124 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means Mizzou is a great university overall.

There were about 134 political science & government students who graduated with this degree at Mizzou in the most recent data year. Students who receive their degree from the political science program make about $35,343 for their early career.

More information about a degree in political science & government from University of Missouri - Columbia

4
Iowa crest
University of Iowa
Iowa City, IA
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
136 Political Science Degrees Awarded
$37,220 Median Starting Salary

It is difficult to beat University of Iowa if you wish to pursue a degree in political science & government. Iowa is a fairly large public university located in the city of Iowa City. A Best Colleges rank of #84 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means Iowa is a great university overall.

There were approximately 136 political science & government students who graduated with this degree at Iowa in the most recent data year. Those political science & government students who get their degree from University of Iowa make $3,116 more than the typical political science student.

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

5
Grinnell crest
Grinnell College
Grinnell, IA
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
32 Political Science Degrees Awarded
$31,893 Median Starting Salary

Located in the remote town of Grinnell, Grinnell is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population. A Best Colleges rank of #103 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means Grinnell is a great college overall.

There were approximately 32 political science & government students who graduated with this degree at Grinnell in the most recent year we have data available. Soon after graduating, political science degree recipients generally earn an average of $31,893 in their early careers.

More information about a degree in political science & government from Grinnell College

6
KU crest
University of Kansas
Lawrence, KS
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
111 Political Science Degrees Awarded
$35,655 Median Starting Salary

KU is a very large public university located in the small city of Lawrence. A Best Colleges rank of #141 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means KU is a great university overall.

There were about 111 political science & government students who graduated with this degree at KU in the most recent data year. Students who receive their degree from the political science program make an average of $35,655 for their early career.

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

7
St. Olaf crest
St Olaf College
Northfield, MN
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
49 Political Science Degrees Awarded
$38,398 Median Starting Salary

St. Olaf is a small private not-for-profit college located in the town of Northfield. A Best Colleges rank of #190 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means St. Olaf is a great college overall.

There were approximately 49 political science & government students who graduated with this degree at St. Olaf in the most recent data year. Degree recipients from the political science & government major at St Olaf College make $4,294 more than the standard college graduate in this field shortly after graduation.

More information about a degree in political science & government from St Olaf College

8
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
69 Political Science Degrees Awarded
$35,620 Median Starting Salary

Located in the city of Ames, Iowa State is a public university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #75 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means Iowa State is a great university overall.

There were roughly 69 political science & government students who graduated with this degree at Iowa State in the most recent data year. Students who graduate with their degree from the political science program state that they receive average early career earnings of $35,620.

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

9
Augustana Sioux Falls crest
Augustana University
Sioux Falls, SD
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
$46,610 Median Starting Salary

Located in the medium-sized city of Sioux Falls, Augustana Sioux Falls is a private not-for-profit university with a small student population. This university ranks 4th out of 13 colleges for overall quality in the state of South Dakota.

There were roughly 15 political science & government students who graduated with this degree at Augustana Sioux Falls in the most recent year we have data available. Those political science & government students who get their degree from Augustana University receive $12,506 more than the average political science grad.

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

10
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
85 Political Science Degrees Awarded
$25,360 Median Starting Salary

UNL is a fairly large public university located in the large city of Lincoln. A Best Colleges rank of #138 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means UNL is a great university overall.

There were about 85 political science & government students who graduated with this degree at UNL in the most recent year we have data available. Graduates who receive their degree from the political science program earn an average of $25,360 in the first couple years of their career.

More information about a degree in political science & government from University of Nebraska - Lincoln

Best Political Science & Government Colleges by State

Explore the best political science & government colleges for a specific state in the Plains States Region .

State Colleges Degrees Awarded
Minnesota 284 685
Missouri 283 574
Kansas 266 270
Iowa 264 406
Nebraska 238 219
North Dakota 210 55
South Dakota 204 71

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 2,283
American Government & Politics (United States) 14
Political Economy 5
Other Political Science & Government 5

View All Political Science Focus Areas >

Related Major Annual Graduates
Economics 2,132
Sociology 1,248
Anthropology 580
General Social Sciences 520
Geography & Cartography 494
International Relations & National Security 410
Other Social Sciences 171
Urban Studies 73
Sociology & Anthropology 48
Archeology 16

View All Political Science Related Majors >

Notes and References

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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