Political Science and Government at University of Massachusetts at Boston
MA · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 45.10
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Political Science and Government degree from University of Massachusetts at Boston earn a median salary of $66,850 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in MA, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $45,108. The degree typically pays for itself in 7.1 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
$50,676
Typical Career
$66,850
Top Performers
$85,156
Estimated break-even: 7.1 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$446
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $5,571. Most students can comfortably afford about a $446 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 1.7x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.9x more than the average college graduate.
Purchasing Power Context
A dollar in Massachusetts buys what costs $1.48 nationally.
Industry Breadcrumbs
Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Professional, Scientific & Technical Services, Educational Services.
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
$45,108
Nominal: $66,850 in Massachusetts (COL 148.2% of national avg) · 32.5% 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).
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 | $29,531 | $42,938 | $55,592 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $50,676 | $66,850 | $85,156 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $69,154 | $88,299 | $132,649 |
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 $66,850 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in MA, which has a cost-of-living index of 148.2% of the national average.
Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $66,850 × (1.0 ÷ 1.4820)
= $45,108 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 & Social Assistance (34.3%), Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (11.5%), and Educational Services (10.7%). This distribution suggests that Political Science and Government graduates can find diverse opportunities across various sectors. The estimated break-even point for this degree compared to a high-school-only path is approximately 7.1 years, indicating that while the financial return on investment is positive, it may take over seven years to recoup the costs associated with obtaining the degree.
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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.