Bachelor's · Queens, New York
Is Political Science and Government at CUNY Queens College worth it?
High confidence High confidence: 100+ graduates behind the earnings figures.
The verdict · all families, in-state, half paid with loans
Pays back fast: graduates typically recover the cost in about 0.6 years.
- Earnings 1 year after graduating
- $46,581
- Treasury AY2020-21, AY2021-22 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
- Earnings 4 years after graduating
- $70,047
- Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
- Typical federal debt at graduation
- $12,000
- NSLDS pooled AY2022-23, AY2023-24 cohort
- Net cost to graduate, all families
- $5k (likely $5k – $7k)
- AcadYr 2024-25, reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26
- Earnings bump, year 4
- $32k a year vs high-school graduates aged 25–34 in NY
- 2023 ACS 5-year pooled, adjusted to 2024 dollars
- Payback
- 0.6 years (likely 0.4–0.9)
- Bump vs net cost plus loan interest
- 10-year net return
- $134k (likely $68k – $206k)
- Today's dollars
- 20-year net return
- $528k (likely $374k – $704k)
- Today's dollars
- Odds of finishing (school-wide)
- 53%
- 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
⚖️ 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 CUNY Queens College
- Computer Science (Bachelor's)$112,903
- Educational Administration and Supervision (Master's)$111,721
- Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education (Graduate certificate)$109,328
- Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's)$94,526
- Accounting and Related Services (Master's)$93,857
- Urban Studies/Affairs (Master's)$89,294
- Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Master's)$87,964
- Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language (Master's)$87,317
- Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology (Master's)$86,240
- Special Education and Teaching (Master's)$85,359
- Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Graduate certificate)$84,899
- Communication Disorders Sciences and Services (Master's)$83,444
Political Science and Government at other schools in New York
- Columbia University in the City of New York$100,245
- Cornell University$95,391
- Hamilton College$88,019
- Colgate University$83,188
- New York University$80,957
- Hobart William Smith Colleges$79,778
- Barnard College$77,805
- St Lawrence University$75,486
- Syracuse University$75,239
- Union College$75,005