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Political Science and Government at Indiana University-Bloomington

Bloomington, IN · Public · Bachelor's Degree

DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition

Optimistic

Base Case

Pessimistic

Earnings $32,568/yr (-11% vs median)

AI Risk Very High (50% exposed)

Job Market Very Large (182,300 openings/yr)

ROI 14.3x earnings multiple (4.2x out-of-state)

Ranked #127 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	$701K	$677K	$601K
Earnings Multiple (In-State)	14.9x	14.3x	12.7x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State)	4.3x	4.2x	3.7x
Probability of Field Employment	50%	44%	33%
DegreeOutlook Score	53	53	51

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)

$47,160

Out-of-state: $161,928 (4.2x ROI)

4-Year Net Price (After Aid)

$61,368

-30% less than sticker · See by income

Median Debt at Graduation

$17,646

6.5 months of Year 1 earnings

Reported Earnings (5 Year)

$70,848

118% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

Graduates earn $32,568/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 14.3x 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 14% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

The $17,646 debt-to-$32,568 income ratio translates to about 7 months of earnings. Standard loan terms should handle this comfortably.

Ranked #127 out of 521 programs, Indiana University-Bloomington's Political Science and Government program lands in the top 5% — a strong signal of graduate success.

Earnings growth from $32,568 to $70,848 over five years (118% increase) indicates that graduates in this field see meaningful salary progression.

About Indiana University-Bloomington

Indiana University-Bloomington accepts 80% of applicants — an open-access institution by design, one of the larger campuses at 36,571 students in Bloomington, IN.

See all programs and financial aid at Indiana University-Bloomington →

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

Political Science and Government at Other Schools

Other Majors at Indiana University-Bloomington

Explore the Trade Alternative

Not every career requires a four-year degree. Trade programs in related fields can offer competitive salaries with a fraction of the student loan burden.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Indiana University-Bloomington'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 Indiana University-Bloomington rank so high for Political Science and Government?

The #127 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 →