Home › California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt › Political Science and Government

Political Science and Government at California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt

Arcata, CA · Public · Bachelor's Degree
53 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
54
Optimistic
53
Base Case
50
Pessimistic
Earnings $36,079/yr (-2% vs median)
AI Risk Very High (50% exposed)
Job Market Very Large (182,300 openings/yr)
ROI 17.1x earnings multiple (6.8x out-of-state)
Ranked #124 of 521 Political Science and Government programs Top 25%

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Political Science and Government graduates.

Optimistic
No Disruption		 Base Case
Gradual AI		 Pessimistic
Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings $546K $540K $498K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 17.2x 17.1x 15.7x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 6.9x 6.8x 6.3x
Probability of Field Employment 50% 44% 33%
DegreeOutlook Score 54 53 50

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$31,652
Out-of-state: $79,172 (6.8x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$52,668
-66% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$18,300
6.1 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$54,461
51% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

Graduates earn $36,079/yr, roughly in line with the $36,684 national median for Political Science and Government. The value proposition here depends on cost, not earnings.

The 17.1x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. By pure financial math, this is a standout.

AI risk is moderate — 50% task exposure — and the 9% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

The $18,300 debt-to-$36,079 income ratio translates to about 6 months of earnings. Standard loan terms should handle this comfortably.

Ranked #124 out of 521 programs, California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt's Political Science and Government program lands in the top 5% — a strong signal of graduate success.

Earnings growth from $36,079 to $54,461 over five years (51% increase) indicates that graduates in this field see meaningful salary progression.

About California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt

California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt accepts 99% of applicants — an open-access institution by design, serving 5,491 students in Arcata, CA. With 46% of students on Pell Grants, the campus draws from a broad economic spectrum.

See all programs and financial aid at California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt →

Top Career Paths

Political scientists $139,380/yr
Managers, all other $136,550/yr
Economics teachers, postsecondary $119,980/yr
View all 7 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Compare this program → View all 521 schools offering Political Science and Government →

Political Science and Government at Other Schools

Dartmouth College ($72,618) Tufts University ($67,713) University of Pennsylvania ($65,473) Princeton University ($63,317) University of Maryland Global Campus ($62,476) Harvard University ($61,543) Amherst College ($61,125) Columbia University in the City of New York ($61,077)

Other Majors at California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt

Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering ($55,589) Forestry ($52,810) Plant Sciences ($44,038) Computer Science ($37,153) Business Administration, Management and Operations ($36,586) Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics ($36,444) Social Work ($35,693) Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies ($34,309)

Consider the Trade Route?

Compare Political Science and Government trade programs on TradeSchoolWorth →

Trade programs often mean less time in school, lower student debt, and hands-on career paths that tend to be more resilient to AI disruption.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt's Political Science and Government program score?
This program scores 53/100, reflecting respectable but not exceptional financial outcomes for Political Science and Government graduates.
How vulnerable is Political Science and Government to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Political Science and Government careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 50% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.
Why does California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt rank so high for Political Science and Government?
The #124 ranking out of 521 programs is driven by strong financial outcomes — graduates earn well, debt is manageable relative to income, and the job market supports the field.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →