Best colleges for Political Science and Government in California
Ranked by graduate earnings
Stanford University, Santa Clara University and University of California-Berkeley are the top bachelor's Political Science and Government programs in California by graduate earnings. Stanford University leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $59,297, College Scorecard. University of California-Los Angeles, University of California-Berkeley and University of California-San Diego award the most Political Science and Government degrees in California: 705, 403 and 398 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 170 California colleges offer Political Science and Government and award 7,349 degrees and certificates a year in all.
The Political Science and Government program offers students an in-depth understanding of political systems, behavior, and institutions. This program is designed for individuals interested in exploring the complexities of governance,…
Top 10 bachelor's programs, ranked by graduate earnings
Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stanford University Stanford Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $59,297 | 86 | 92% | $12,032 | $12,000 |
| 2 | Santa Clara University Santa Clara Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $57,111 | 68 | 88% | $44,094 | $21,750 |
| 3 | University of California-Berkeley Berkeley Public · Bachelor's degree | $45,418 | 403 | 93% | — | $13,000 |
| 4 | Occidental College Los Angeles Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $45,175 | 24 | 81% | $28,024 | $25,700 |
| 5 | Sonoma State University Rohnert Park Public · Bachelor's degree | $43,547 | 24 | 58% | — | $16,956 |
| 6 | Claremont McKenna College Claremont Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $42,552 | 23 | 91% | $22,678 | — |
| 7 | Pepperdine University Malibu Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $42,306 | 59 | 83% | $41,986 | $23,625 |
| 8 | California State University - Chico Chico Public · Bachelor's degree | $41,893 | 41 | 63% | — | $20,423 |
| 9 | California State University - East Bay Hayward Public · Bachelor's degree | $40,460 | 41 | 48% | — | $19,544 |
| 10 | University of San Francisco San Francisco Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $40,056 | 47 | 70% | $37,121 | $23,000 |
Colleges awarding the most Political Science and Government degrees in California
Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Certificate and associate programs, online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Starting salary (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles Public | 705 | $34,392 |
| 2 | University of California-Berkeley Berkeley Public | 403 | $45,418 |
| 3 | University of California-San Diego La Jolla Public | 398 | $33,345 |
| 4 | University of California-Irvine Irvine Public | 335 | $31,976 |
| 5 | University of California-Davis Davis Public | 334 | $36,208 |
| 6 | University of California-Santa Barbara Santa Barbara Public | 249 | $39,404 |
| 7 | University of California-Riverside Riverside Public | 234 | $30,060 |
| 8 | Santa Monica College Santa Monica Public | 211 | Not reported |
| 9 | San Diego State University San Diego Public | 203 | $38,060 |
| 10 | California State University - Northridge Northridge Public | 181 | $32,014 |
ShowHide the other 160 California colleges offering Political Science and Government
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Political Scientists (SOC 19-3094).
Top skills
What Political Scientists earn in California
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Political Science and Government programs in California.
Which California colleges award the most Political Science and Government degrees?+
University of California-Los Angeles (705 graduates a year), University of California-Berkeley (403 graduates a year) and University of California-San Diego (398 graduates a year) award the most Political Science and Government degrees in California, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 170 California colleges offer Political Science and Government.
What is the best college for Political Science and Government in California?+
By graduate earnings, Stanford University leads among bachelor's Political Science and Government programs in California, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $59,297, College Scorecard. Santa Clara University and University of California-Berkeley follow. By degrees awarded, University of California-Los Angeles is the largest, with 705 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Political Science and Government program in California has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Stanford University tops the list at $59,297. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
What is the focus of the Political Science and Government program?+
The Political Science and Government program offers students an in-depth understanding of political systems, behavior, and institutions. This program is designed for individuals interested in exploring the complexities of governance,…
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop reading comprehension, active listening, speaking, active learning, and related professional skills.
What is the job outlook for Political Scientists?+
The national job outlook is about -3.1% growth with around 500 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).
What is the typical education requirement?+
A Master's degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
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