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Political Science and Government at University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

Minneapolis, MN · Public · Bachelor's Degree

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

Optimistic

Base Case

Pessimistic

Earnings $40,208/yr (10% vs median)

AI Risk Very High (50% exposed)

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

ROI 8.9x earnings multiple (4.0x out-of-state)

Ranked #132 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	$602K	$589K	$535K
Earnings Multiple (In-State)	9.1x	8.9x	8.1x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State)	4.1x	4.0x	3.7x
Probability of Field Employment	50%	44%	33%
DegreeOutlook Score	53	53	49

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)

$65,952

Out-of-state: $145,608 (4.0x ROI)

4-Year Net Price (After Aid)

$68,556

-4% less than sticker · See by income

Median Debt at Graduation

$18,500

5.5 months of Year 1 earnings

Reported Earnings (5 Year)

$63,560

58% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

First-year earnings of $40,208 at University of Minnesota-Twin Cities come in 10% above the national median of $36,684 for Political Science and Government programs.

At 8.9x the cost of in-state tuition, the ten-year earnings outlook represents a strong return. Not exceptional, but meaningfully positive.

AI risk is moderate — 50% task exposure — and the 11% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

With first-year pay of $40,208 far exceeding the $18,500 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.

Ranked #132 out of 521 programs, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities's Political Science and Government program lands in the top 5% — a strong signal of graduate success.

Earnings growth from $40,208 to $63,560 over five years (58% increase) indicates that graduates in this field see meaningful salary progression.

About University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

University of Minnesota-Twin Cities accepts 77% of applicants — an open-access institution by design, serving a student body of 30,469 in Minneapolis, MN.

See all programs and financial aid at University of Minnesota-Twin Cities →

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 University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

Is a Trade Program a Better Fit?

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 University of Minnesota-Twin Cities'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 University of Minnesota-Twin Cities rank so high for Political Science and Government?

The #132 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 →