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Political Science and Government at University of California-Berkeley

Berkeley, CA · Public · Bachelor's Degree
63 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
64
Optimistic
63
Base Case
58
Pessimistic
Earnings $45,418/yr (24% vs median)
AI Risk Very High (50% exposed)
Job Market Very Large (182,300 openings/yr)
ROI 11.3x earnings multiple (3.7x out-of-state)
Ranked #8 of 521 Political Science and Government programs Top 5%

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 $697K $673K $598K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 11.7x 11.3x 10.1x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 3.8x 3.7x 3.3x
Probability of Field Employment 50% 44% 33%
DegreeOutlook Score 64 63 58

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$59,400
Out-of-state: $182,508 (3.7x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$59,916
-1% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$13,000
3.4 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$78,026
72% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

University of California-Berkeley's Political Science and Government graduates start at $45,418/yr — above the $36,684 national average, though not by a wide margin.

The 11.3x 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.

Loan repayment is a non-issue here — $13,000 in median debt clears quickly against $45,418 in annual earnings.

Ranked #8 out of 521 programs, University of California-Berkeley's Political Science and Government program lands in the top 5% — a strong signal of graduate success.

Earnings growth from $45,418 to $78,026 over five years (72% increase) indicates that graduates in this field see meaningful salary progression.

About University of California-Berkeley

Only 12% of applicants gain admission to University of California-Berkeley, reflecting elite selectivity, one of the larger campuses at 33,073 students in Berkeley, CA.

See all programs and financial aid at University of California-Berkeley →

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)

Compare Political Science and Government

University of California-Berkeley vs Dartmouth College → University of California-Berkeley vs University of Pennsylvania → University of California-Berkeley vs University of Maryland Global Campus → University of California-Berkeley vs Harvard University →

Other Majors at University of California-Berkeley

Computer Science ($149,866) Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering ($137,295) Business Administration, Management and Operations ($90,008) Operations Research ($88,685) Mechanical Engineering ($88,497) Computer and Information Sciences, General ($88,030) Statistics ($83,227) Chemical Engineering ($81,553)

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 University of California-Berkeley's Political Science and Government program score?
This program scores 63/100, 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 University of California-Berkeley rank so high for Political Science and Government?
The #8 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 →