ROI Major

Political Science and Government at City College of New York - CUNY

NY · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 45.10

Apply Now Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Political Science and Government degree from City College of New York - CUNY earn a median salary of $64,718 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in NY, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $49,029. The degree typically pays for itself in 7.6 years.

Quick Insights

Slow Burn / High Debt Risk

How this degree looks at a glance

A fast read on salary range, break-even speed, living-cost impact, and where graduates from this school usually land.

Salary Ranges

Starting Range

$46,413

Typical Career

$64,718

Top Performers

$87,104

Estimated break-even: 7.6 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$431

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $5,393. Most students can comfortably afford about a $431 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.7x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.8x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in New York buys what costs $1.32 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Educational Services, Professional, Scientific & Technical Services.

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Health Care & Social Assistance 22.0%
Educational Services 15.6%
Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 13.8%

Institution-wide industry mix for graduates, 5 years after graduation. This is not major-specific. Source: Census PSEO Flows.

5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent

$49,029

Nominal: $64,718 in New York (COL 132.0% of national avg) · 24.2% lower purchasing power

10-Year Earnings Curve

Break-Even Timeline

How long until cumulative earnings advantage exceeds total college investment (tuition + opportunity cost vs. entering workforce directly after high school).

7.6 years to break even
Graduation 15 years

Total Investment

$155,168

4yr tuition + 4yr opportunity cost

HS Graduate Baseline

$38,792/yr

BLS 2023 median, HS diploma

View Raw Data: Median Earnings by Year
Timeframe 25th Pct. Median (50th) 75th Pct.
1 Year After Graduation $26,296 $41,165 $56,086
5 Years After Graduation $46,413 $64,718 $87,104
10 Years After Graduation $57,688 $83,113 $121,352

Source: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO), 2025 release. Earnings shown for Bachelor's degree graduates (all cohorts combined).

How We Calculate Purchasing Power

The median salary of $64,718 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in NY, which has a cost-of-living index of 132.0% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $64,718 × (1.0 ÷ 1.3200) = $49,029 National Average equivalent.

COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →

Career Verdict

Graduates with a degree in Political Science and Government from City College of New York can expect a positive earnings trajectory. The median earnings one year after graduation stand at $41,165, which increases to $64,718 after five years and reaches $83,113 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the median earnings five years post-graduation equate to approximately $49,028.79 nationally, highlighting the importance of considering cost of living, especially given New York's higher cost of living index of 1.32 compared to the national average of 1.0.

In terms of career opportunities, graduates predominantly enter sectors such as Health Care & Social Assistance (22.0%), Educational Services (15.6%), and Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (13.8%). The estimated break-even point for graduates compared to those with only a high school diploma is approximately 7.6 years, suggesting that the investment in a degree can yield a favorable return over time. Overall, while the initial earnings may be modest, the long-term financial benefits and diverse career paths available make this degree a viable option for students.

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Data sources: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO). Cost-of-living index: BLS Regional CPI & MIT Living Wage Project. Cost of attendance: IPEDS. For informational use only; data may be suppressed for small cohort sizes.