Bachelor's · West Lafayette, Indiana
Is Political Science and Government at Purdue University-Main Campus worth it?
Medium confidence Medium confidence: 40–99 graduates behind the earnings figures.
The verdict · all families, in-state, half paid with loans
Pays back in time: graduates typically recover the cost in about 3.3 years.
- Earnings 1 year after graduating
- $45,477
- Treasury AY2020-21, AY2021-22 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
- Earnings 4 years after graduating
- $76,908
- Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
- Typical federal debt at graduation
- $16,250
- NSLDS pooled AY2022-23, AY2023-24 cohort
- Net cost to graduate, all families
- $63k (likely $63k – $79k)
- AcadYr 2024-25, reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26
- Earnings bump, year 4
- $39k a year vs high-school graduates aged 25–34 in IN
- 2023 ACS 5-year pooled, adjusted to 2024 dollars
- Payback
- 3.3 years (likely 2.8–4.2)
- Bump vs net cost plus loan interest
- 10-year net return
- $121k (likely $37k – $205k)
- Today's dollars
- 20-year net return
- $586k (likely $409k – $803k)
- Today's dollars
- Odds of finishing (school-wide)
- 84%
- Fall 2019 or AcadYr 2019-20 cohort (differs by institutional calendar), reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26
Change income, residency or loans Compare Political Science and Government at other schools
Other majors at Purdue University-Main Campus
- Agricultural Business and Management (Master's)$155,217
- Computer Science (Bachelor's)$146,685
- Engineering, Other (Master's)$140,404
- Computer and Information Sciences, General (Master's)$140,205
- Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering (Master's)$137,523
- Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (First professional)$135,033
- Mechanical Engineering (Master's)$133,021
- Engineering, General (Master's)$132,800
- Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's)$132,747
- Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering (Master's)$131,275
- Veterinary Medicine (First professional)$123,596
- Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General (Master's)$122,295
Political Science and Government at other schools in Indiana
- University of Notre Dame$94,297
- DePauw University$79,117
- Saint Mary's College$74,623
- Wabash College$74,061
- Indiana University-Bloomington$69,992
- Indiana State University$59,060
- Ball State University$58,953
- Indiana University-Indianapolis$56,560
- Valparaiso University$56,054
- University of Indianapolis$53,579