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Political Science and Government at Western Washington University

Bellingham, WA · Public · Bachelor's Degree

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

Optimistic

Base Case

Pessimistic

Earnings $27,217/yr (-26% vs median)

AI Risk Very High (50% exposed)

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

ROI 15.7x earnings multiple (5.2x out-of-state)

Ranked #325 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	$596K	$584K	$532K
Earnings Multiple (In-State)	16.1x	15.7x	14.3x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State)	5.4x	5.2x	4.8x
Probability of Field Employment	50%	44%	33%
DegreeOutlook Score	45	44	43

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)

$37,144

Out-of-state: $111,412 (5.2x ROI)

4-Year Net Price (After Aid)

$74,720

-101% less than sticker · See by income

Median Debt at Graduation

$18,675

8.2 months of Year 1 earnings

Reported Earnings (5 Year)

$56,069

106% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

First-year earnings of $27,217 place Western Washington University below the $36,684 national median for Political Science and Government — worth weighing against tuition and cost of living.

Every dollar of in-state tuition returns an estimated 15.7x in decade earnings — an exceptional ratio that places this among the highest-ROI Political Science and Government programs nationally.

Some AI exposure exists in Political Science and Government's typical career paths, with 50% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 11% gap from the optimistic case.

Median debt of $18,675 represents roughly 8 months of the $27,217 starting salary — a manageable burden by most borrower standards.

Ranked #325 of 521 Political Science and Government programs, Western Washington University falls below the median. Stronger options exist, though cost and location may compensate.

Five-year earnings of $56,069 show a 106% jump from the $27,217 starting point — strong upward trajectory suggesting real career acceleration.

About Western Washington University

Western Washington University accepts 91% of applicants — an open-access institution by design, with a mid-sized student body of 13,574 in Bellingham, WA.

See all programs and financial aid at Western Washington University →

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 Western Washington University

Consider the Trade Route?

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

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Political Science and Government at Western Washington University?

A score of 44/100 indicates below-average financial outcomes for Political Science and Government. Earnings, ROI, or AI risk factors are pulling the score down.

Will AI replace Political Science and Government careers?

With 50% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $531,746 in decade earnings vs $596,484 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.

Can you still earn well with Political Science and Government from Western Washington University?

First-year earnings trail the national median, but starting salary isn't the full picture. Regional cost of living, career trajectory, and tuition cost all factor in. Check the five-year earnings data when available.

Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →