Political Science and Government at Columbia College
SC · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 45.10
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Political Science and Government degree from Columbia College earn a median salary of $37,041 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in SC, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $38,909. The degree typically pays for itself in 14.8 years.
Quick Insights
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
$29,769
Typical Career
$37,041
Top Performers
$43,626
Estimated break-even: 14.8 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$247
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $3,087. Most students can comfortably afford about a $247 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 1.0x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.5x more than the average college graduate.
Purchasing Power Context
A dollar in South Carolina buys what costs $0.95 nationally.
Industry Breadcrumbs
Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance, Public Administration.
Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work
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
$38,909
Nominal: $37,041 in South Carolina (COL 95.2% of national avg) · 5% higher 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).
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 | $23,578 | $30,647 | $39,242 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $29,769 | $37,041 | $43,626 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $49,000 | $62,224 | $78,372 |
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 $37,041 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in SC, which has a cost-of-living index of 95.2% of the national average.
Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $37,041 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9520)
= $38,909 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
The primary industries that Political Science and Government graduates enter include Educational Services (24.8%), Health Care & Social Assistance (15.5%), and Public Administration (14.6%). The estimated break-even point compared to a high-school-only path is approximately 14.8 years, suggesting that while the degree may require a significant time investment before yielding higher returns, the diverse career opportunities in stable sectors can provide a reasonable return on investment over time.
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Other Degrees at Columbia College
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.