Political Science and Government at South Dakota State University
SD · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 45.10
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Political Science and Government degree from South Dakota State University earn a median salary of $57,115 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in SD, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $60,890. The degree typically pays for itself in 9 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
$42,336
Typical Career
$57,115
Top Performers
$72,585
Estimated break-even: 9 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$381
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $4,760. Most students can comfortably afford about a $381 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 1.5x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.7x more than the average college graduate.
Purchasing Power Context
A dollar in South Dakota buys what costs $0.94 nationally.
Industry Breadcrumbs
Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Educational Services, Manufacturing.
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
$60,890
Nominal: $57,115 in South Dakota (COL 93.8% of national avg) · 6.6% 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 | $25,275 | $34,946 | $45,156 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $42,336 | $57,115 | $72,585 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $62,381 | $80,673 | $112,107 |
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 $57,115 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in SD, which has a cost-of-living index of 93.8% of the national average.
Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $57,115 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9380)
= $60,890 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
The top industries for graduates include Health Care and Social Assistance (29.5%), Educational Services (12.5%), and Manufacturing (10.7%), suggesting diverse career opportunities. The estimated break-even point compared to a high-school-only path is approximately nine years, indicating that the investment in a degree has a reasonable return on investment over time. Overall, pursuing a degree in Political Science and Government at South Dakota State University appears to be a sound financial decision for students considering long-term career prospects.
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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.