Political Science and Government at Wofford College
SC · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 45.10
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Political Science and Government degree from Wofford College earn a median salary of $62,631 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in SC, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $65,789. The degree typically pays for itself in 7.7 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
$47,802
Typical Career
$62,631
Top Performers
$82,479
Estimated break-even: 7.7 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$418
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $5,219. Most students can comfortably afford about a $418 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 1.6x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.8x 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: 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
$65,789
Nominal: $62,631 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 | $24,947 | $36,638 | $50,767 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $47,802 | $62,631 | $82,479 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $70,870 | $99,192 | $134,060 |
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 $62,631 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)
= $62,631 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9520)
= $65,789 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 are Health Care & Social Assistance (18.5%), Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (16.1%), and Educational Services (13.6%). This distribution suggests diverse career opportunities for Political Science and Government graduates. The estimated break-even point compared to a high-school-only path is approximately 7.7 years, indicating a reasonable return on investment for pursuing this degree. Overall, the combination of earnings potential and industry placement supports a favorable outlook for graduates in this field.
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Other Degrees at Wofford 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.