Bachelor's · Bellingham, Washington
Is Political Science and Government at Western Washington University 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 slowly: graduates typically recover the cost in about 11.9 years.
- Earnings 1 year after graduating
- $43,387
- Treasury AY2020-21, AY2021-22 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
- Earnings 4 years after graduating
- $53,319
- Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
- Typical federal debt at graduation
- $16,444
- NSLDS pooled AY2022-23, AY2023-24 cohort
- Net cost to graduate, all families
- $85k (likely $85k – $115k)
- AcadYr 2024-25, reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26
- Earnings bump, year 4
- $10k a year vs high-school graduates aged 25–34 in WA
- 2023 ACS 5-year pooled, adjusted to 2024 dollars
- Payback
- 11.9 years (likely 8.5–20+)
- Bump vs net cost plus loan interest
- 10-year net return
- −$209k (likely −$294k – −$149k)
- Today's dollars
- 20-year net return
- −$75k (likely −$203k – $68k)
- Today's dollars
- Odds of finishing (school-wide)
- 61%
- 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 Western Washington University
- Educational Administration and Supervision (Graduate certificate)$146,466
- Educational Administration and Supervision (Master's)$129,722
- Computer and Information Sciences, General (Master's)$116,543
- Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's)$110,138
- Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's)$107,131
- Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's)$97,723
- Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's)$96,695
- Polymer/Plastics Engineering (Bachelor's)$92,439
- Electrical and Computer Engineering (Bachelor's)$88,050
- Manufacturing Engineering (Bachelor's)$85,314
- Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's)$82,246
- Management Information Systems and Services (Bachelor's)$81,678
Political Science and Government at other schools in Washington
- Gonzaga University$74,303
- University of Washington-Seattle Campus$72,487
- University of Washington-Bothell Campus$72,487
- University of Washington-Tacoma Campus$72,487
- Pacific Lutheran University$69,366
- Washington State University$67,264
- Central Washington University$64,361
- Seattle University$63,443
- Seattle Pacific University$62,972
- Eastern Washington University$53,502