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Political Science and Government at Eckerd College

Saint Petersburg, FL · Private nonprofit · Bachelor's Degree
32 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case)
32
Optimistic
32
Base Case
29
Pessimistic
Earnings $34,621/yr (-6% vs median)
AI Risk Very High (50% exposed)
Job Market Very Large (182,300 openings/yr)
ROI 2.7x earnings multiple
Ranked #482 of 521 Political Science and Government programs

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 $540K $534K $494K
Earnings Multiple 2.7x 2.7x 2.5x
Probability of Field Employment 50% 44% 33%
DegreeOutlook Score 32 32 29

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition (Sticker)
$201,496
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$132,044
34% less than sticker · See by income
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$53,089
53% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

Graduates earn $34,621/yr, roughly in line with the $36,684 national median for Political Science and Government. The value proposition here depends on cost, not earnings.

An earnings multiple of 2.7x means the program roughly breaks even in financial terms over ten years. Non-financial factors need to justify the investment.

AI risk is moderate — 50% task exposure — and the 8% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

At #482 out of 521 programs, Eckerd College's financial outcomes for Political Science and Government trail the majority of peers. The value case depends on other factors.

Earnings growth from $34,621 to $53,089 over five years (53% increase) indicates that graduates in this field see meaningful salary progression.

About Eckerd College

Eckerd College accepts 79% of applicants — an open-access institution by design, with a smaller student body of 1,984 in Saint Petersburg, FL. After financial aid, the average student pays $132,044 over four years — 34% below sticker price.

See all programs and financial aid at Eckerd College →

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 Eckerd College

Communication and Media Studies ($33,544) Business Administration, Management and Operations ($33,153) Research and Experimental Psychology ($31,596) Biology, General ($26,871) International Relations and National Security Studies ($26,526) Psychology, General ($25,930) Natural Resources Conservation and Research ($25,709) Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology ($21,980)

Is a Trade Program a Better Fit?

Compare Political Science and Government trade programs on TradeSchoolWorth →

For students who prefer applied learning, trade programs can deliver strong earnings with significantly less debt and shorter time to employment.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Eckerd College's Political Science and Government program score?
This program scores 32/100 — on the lower end for Political Science and Government. Prospective students should carefully weigh costs against likely earnings.
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.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →