ROI Major

Political Science and Government at Savannah State University

GA · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 45.10

Apply Now Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Political Science and Government degree from Savannah State University earn a median salary of $45,210 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in GA, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $49,956. The degree typically pays for itself in 14 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

$32,438

Typical Career

$45,210

Top Performers

$59,055

Estimated break-even: 14 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$301

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $3,768. Most students can comfortably afford about a $301 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.2x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.6x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Georgia buys what costs $0.91 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

Educational Services 17.7%
Health Care & Social Assistance 16.9%
Public Administration 10.4%

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

$49,956

Nominal: $45,210 in Georgia (COL 90.5% of national avg) · 10.5% 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).

14 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 $24,167 $32,283 $43,422
5 Years After Graduation $32,438 $45,210 $59,055
10 Years After Graduation $43,858 $59,105 $84,159

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 $45,210 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in GA, which has a cost-of-living index of 90.5% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $45,210 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9050) = $49,956 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 Savannah State University can expect a steady increase in earnings over time. The median earnings one year after graduation stand at $32,283, rising to $45,210 after five years, and reaching $59,105 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary reflects a national equivalent of $49,955.8, indicating that graduates may experience a favorable financial trajectory relative to the cost of living in Georgia.

The top industries for graduates include Educational Services (17.7%), Health Care & Social Assistance (16.9%), and Public Administration (10.4%). With an estimated break-even point of approximately 14 years compared to a high school-only path, the return on investment for a degree in Political Science and Government appears reasonable. Graduates can anticipate diverse career opportunities, particularly in sectors that align with their academic training, contributing to a positive long-term financial outlook.

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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.