Home › Compare › Political Science and Government › Dartmouth College vs Harvard University

Political Science and Government: Dartmouth College vs Harvard University

Side-by-side ROI comparison · Bachelor's Degree
Return on Investment
10-year earnings ÷ tuition · higher is better
Dartmouth College
Hanover, NH
Harvard University
Cambridge, MA
2.9x
$262,956 tuition
3.8x
$236,304 tuition
$754,545 10-yr earnings · Private nonprofit
$901,499 10-yr earnings · Private nonprofit

Head-to-Head

Dartmouth College Harvard University
Earnings Multiple 2.9x 3.8x
4-Year Tuition $262,956 $236,304
Year 1 Earnings $72,618 $61,543
10-Year Earnings $755K $901K
DegreeWorth Score 49/100 51/100
Acceptance Rate 6.2% 3.5%

Both programs have very high AI automation risk (50% task exposure) — the same career paths apply to Political Science and Government graduates regardless of school. See full AI analysis →

ROI Breakdown

How tuition costs translate into long-term earnings for Political Science and Government graduates.

Dartmouth College Harvard University
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $262,956 $236,304
10-Year Projected Earnings $755K $901K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 2.9x 3.8x
5-Year Salary Growth +39% +91%

"Earnings Multiple" = projected 10-year earnings ÷ 4-year tuition. Higher is better. Not a discounted financial ROI.

AI Disruption Scenarios

Both schools share identical AI exposure for Political Science and Government (same career paths). The score differences below reflect how each school's earnings and ROI hold up under stress.

Dartmouth College Harvard University
Optim. Base Pessim. Optim. Base Pessim.
10-Year Earnings $789K $755K $660K $955K $901K $770K
Earnings Multiple 3.0x 2.9x 2.5x 4.0x 3.8x 3.3x
DegreeWorth Score 51 49 44 52 51 45

For the full AI analysis of Political Science and Government career paths, see the Dartmouth College or Harvard University program pages.

Earnings Trajectory Comparison

Projected annual earnings for Political Science and Government graduates. Year 1 uses actual reported data.

Tuition Gap
$26,652
Harvard University saves you this
Year 1 Earnings Gap
$11,075/yr
Dartmouth College grads earn more
ROI Range (In-State)
2.9x / 3.8x
Earnings multiple (10yr earnings ÷ tuition)

Career Paths

Political Science and Government graduates from both schools map to the same career paths. Differences in earnings reflect school prestige, location, and employer networks.

Career Path Wage Openings/yr Growth AI Risk
Political scientists $139,380 500 -3.1% 48%
Managers, all other $136,550 106,700 +4.5% 47%
Economics teachers, postsecondary $119,980 1,200 +2.1% 48%
Economists $115,440 900 +1.2% 61%
Political science teachers, postsecondary $94,680 1,600 +2.0% 48%
Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education $64,580 66,200 -1.6% 33%
Social science research assistants $58,040 5,200 +4.4% 67%
Want to compare different schools or majors? Try the freeform comparison tool →

Explore Each Program

Political Science and Government at Dartmouth College → Political Science and Government at Harvard University →

More Political Science and Government Comparisons

American Public University System vs Dartmouth College American Public University System vs Harvard University Brigham Young University vs Dartmouth College Brigham Young University vs Harvard University CUNY Lehman College vs Dartmouth College CUNY Lehman College vs Harvard University

Political Science and Government Overview

View all schools offering Political Science and Government →

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for Political Science and Government: Dartmouth College or Harvard University?
Dartmouth College scores 49/100 while Harvard University scores 51/100. Harvard University has significantly lower tuition, which drives its higher ROI. The best choice depends on whether you prioritize raw earnings or return on investment.
Which school has better ROI for Political Science and Government?
Dartmouth College has an in-state earnings multiple of 2.9x vs Harvard University's 3.8x. That means Harvard University grads earn more per dollar spent on tuition. The $26,652 tuition gap is the biggest driver of this difference.
How do Dartmouth College and Harvard University compare on Political Science and Government earnings?
Year 1 median earnings are $72,618 at Dartmouth College vs $61,543 at Harvard University. Over 10 years, the projected totals are $754,545 vs $901,499 — a difference of $146,954.
How much does Political Science and Government cost at each school?
Four-year in-state tuition is $262,956 at Dartmouth College and $236,304 at Harvard University. Both programs lead to the same Political Science and Government career paths — the cost difference is the main factor in ROI.
Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024-2034 (employment projections), OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs research (AI task exposure), Felten et al. AIOE. Scenarios use a continuous weighting function combining AI exposure and BLS job growth projections. "Earnings Multiple" is total 10-year projected earnings divided by tuition — not a discounted financial ROI. Last updated 2025.