ROI Major

Political Science and Government at University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point

WI · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 45.10

Apply Now Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Political Science and Government degree from University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point earn a median salary of $52,495 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in WI, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $55,200. The degree typically pays for itself in 10.4 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

$40,635

Typical Career

$52,495

Top Performers

$66,366

Estimated break-even: 10.4 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$350

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $4,375. Most students can comfortably afford about a $350 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.4x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.7x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Wisconsin 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

Educational Services 19.6%
Health Care & Social Assistance 15.2%
Public Administration 10.5%

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

$55,200

Nominal: $52,495 in Wisconsin (COL 95.1% of national avg) · 5.2% 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).

10.4 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 $25,302 $34,768 $44,530
5 Years After Graduation $40,635 $52,495 $66,366
10 Years After Graduation $50,795 $69,318 $97,541

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 $52,495 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in WI, which has a cost-of-living index of 95.1% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $52,495 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9510) = $55,200 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 the University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point experience a positive earnings trajectory over time. Median earnings one year after graduation stand at $34,768, increasing to $52,495 after five years and reaching $69,318 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary equates to approximately $55,199.79 nationally, indicating that graduates can expect a competitive salary relative to their peers across the country, despite the cost of living index in Wisconsin being slightly lower than the national average.

The top industries for graduates include Educational Services (19.6%), Health Care & Social Assistance (15.2%), and Public Administration (10.5%), reflecting a diverse range of career opportunities. The estimated break-even point for those pursuing this degree compared to a high-school-only path is approximately 10.4 years, suggesting that while there is a significant initial investment in education, the long-term return on investment can be favorable. Overall, students considering this path should weigh the potential for steady income growth against the time required to recoup educational costs.

Compare with Another School

See how the Political Science and Government degree at University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point stacks up against another institution side-by-side.

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All colleges for Political Science and Government → Top majors at University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point →

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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.