Bachelor's · Baltimore, Maryland

Is Political Science and Government at University of Maryland-Baltimore County 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 6.2 years.

Earnings 1 year after graduating: $49,036; Treasury AY2020-21, AY2021-22 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
Earnings 4 years after graduating: $69,556; Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
Typical federal debt at graduation: $15,469; NSLDS pooled AY2022-23, AY2023-24 cohort
Net cost to graduate, all families: $107k (likely $107k – $144k); AcadYr 2024-25, reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26
Earnings bump, year 4: $30k a year vs high-school graduates aged 25–34 in MD; 2023 ACS 5-year pooled, adjusted to 2024 dollars
Payback: 6.2 years (likely 5.0–7.9); Bump vs net cost plus loan interest
10-year net return: −$38k (likely −$129k – $40k); Today's dollars
20-year net return: $323k (likely $152k – $513k); Today's dollars
Odds of finishing (school-wide): 68%; Fall 2019 or AcadYr 2019-20 cohort (differs by institutional calendar), reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26
Borrowers making progress / in default, 2 years in: not reported / ≤ 20%; NSLDS AY2016-17, AY2017-18 pooled cohorts measured in 2018-19, 2019-20

Change income, residency or loans Compare Political Science and Government at other schools

⚖️ Getting ready in high school

Students heading toward law, government & society majors like this one often take these classes. Every school offers a different mix, so check with your counselor.

AP classes

AP U.S. Government and Politics
AP U.S. History
AP English Language and Composition
AP Comparative Government and Politics

IB Higher Level

History HL
Global Politics HL

Build my roadmap 🗺️ Middle school to career, plus high schools near you that offer these classes.

Other majors at University of Maryland-Baltimore County

Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other (Graduate certificate)$135,262
Information Science/Studies (Master's)$129,398
Engineering-Related Fields (Master's)$128,766
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology (Doctoral)$121,493
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other (Master's)$113,688
Computer Engineering (Bachelor's)$113,299
Computer Science (Bachelor's)$105,706
Information Science/Studies (Bachelor's)$95,435
Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's)$95,078
Chemical Engineering (Bachelor's)$91,547
Mathematics (Bachelor's)$88,967
Economics (Bachelor's)$79,729

Political Science and Government at other schools in Maryland

Johns Hopkins University$121,729
University of Maryland Global Campus$82,263
Loyola University Maryland$81,575
University of Maryland-College Park$74,437
St. Mary's College of Maryland$72,397
Washington College$69,018
Towson University$60,313
Salisbury University$60,089
Frostburg State University$57,770
Mount St. Mary's University$56,507