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Political Science and Government at The Catholic University of America

Washington, DC · Private nonprofit · Bachelor's Degree
47 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case)
47
Optimistic
47
Base Case
42
Pessimistic
Earnings $44,617/yr (22% vs median)
AI Risk Very High (50% exposed)
Job Market Very Large (182,300 openings/yr)
ROI 2.8x earnings multiple
Ranked #253 of 521 Political Science and Government programs Top 50%

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 $642K $624K $562K
Earnings Multiple 2.9x 2.8x 2.5x
Probability of Field Employment 50% 44% 33%
DegreeOutlook Score 47 47 42

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition (Sticker)
$223,336
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$131,192
41% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$25,000
6.7 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$70,657
58% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

First-year earnings of $44,617 at The Catholic University of America come in 22% above the national median of $36,684 for Political Science and Government programs.

An earnings multiple of 2.8x 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 12% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

The $25,000 debt-to-$44,617 income ratio translates to about 7 months of earnings. Standard loan terms should handle this comfortably.

Ranked #253 out of 521 programs, The Catholic University of America's Political Science and Government offering sits in the upper half but doesn't break into the top tier.

Earnings growth from $44,617 to $70,657 over five years (58% increase) indicates that graduates in this field see meaningful salary progression.

About The Catholic University of America

The Catholic University of America accepts 84% of applicants — an open-access institution by design, a smaller institution with 3,063 students in Washington, DC. After financial aid, the average student pays $131,192 over four years — 41% below sticker price.

See all programs and financial aid at The Catholic University of America →

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 The Catholic University of America

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing ($81,044) Civil Engineering ($77,501) Mechanical Engineering ($76,409) Accounting and Related Services ($69,915) Finance and Financial Management Services ($64,618) Business Administration, Management and Operations ($57,490) Marketing ($52,392) Architecture ($44,615)

Explore the Trade Alternative

Compare Political Science and Government trade programs on TradeSchoolWorth →

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 The Catholic University of America's Political Science and Government program score?
This program scores 47/100 — 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 →