Best Political Scientist programs in Michigan, ranked by enrollment
Study the origin, development, and operation of political systems. May study topics, such as public opinion, political decisionmaking, and ideology.
32 schools in Michigan run programs that feed this job, graduating 1,506 people a year. The job pays a median of $86,290 in Michigan across about 180 jobs (BLS OEWS May 2025).
Fields of study in Michigan that lead to this job
Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level. Numbers are graduates per year in this state.
10 programs in Michigan that lead to this job
Ranked by graduates per year in Michigan (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are national College Scorecard figures reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. Each program also links to its own Michigan page.
| # | Program | Graduates / yr | Share of pipeline | Schools | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Political Science and Government, Generalmain feeder CIP 45.1001In Michigan → | 869 | 57.7% | 26 | $35,631 | $23,538 |
| 2 | CIP 44.0501In Michigan → | 243 | 16.1% | 4 | $44,740 | $22,000 |
| 3 | International/Globalization Studiesmain feeder CIP 30.2001In Michigan → | 202 | 13.4% | 13 | $32,906 | $21,966 |
| 4 | International Relations and Affairsmain feeder CIP 45.0901In Michigan → | 137 | 9.1% | 10 | $37,878 | $21,750 |
| 5 | CIP 30.5101In Michigan → | 37 | 2.5% | 2 | — | — |
| 6 | Political Science and Government, Othermain feeder CIP 45.1099In Michigan → | 6 | 0.4% | 1 | $35,631 | $23,538 |
| 7 | Political Economymain feeder CIP 45.1004In Michigan → | 5 | 0.3% | 1 | $35,631 | $23,538 |
| 8 | CIP 45.0999In Michigan → | 3 | 0.2% | 1 | $37,878 | $21,750 |
| 9 | CIP 45.1002In Michigan → | 2 | 0.1% | 1 | $35,631 | $23,538 |
| 10 | CIP 44.0504In Michigan → | 2 | 0.1% | 1 | $44,740 | $22,000 |
Top 25 schools in Michigan
Ranked by graduates per year into this job. Graduate earnings are reported for 14 of the 32 schools in this state.
| # | School | Graduates / yr | Top feeder program | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Grad rate | Net price | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI Public · 4 feeder programs | 586 | Political Science and Government, General | $39,702 | 93% | — | 16% |
| 2 | Michigan State University East Lansing, MI Public · 4 feeder programs | 287 | Political Science and Government, General | $39,514 | 81% | — | 85% |
| 3 | Wayne State University Detroit, MI Public · 1 feeder programs | 101 | Political Science and Government, General | $30,345 | 58% | — | 81% |
| 4 | Grand Valley State University Allendale, MI Public · 3 feeder programs | 57 | Political Science and Government, General | $35,358 | 67% | — | 83% |
| 5 | Hillsdale College Hillsdale, MI Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 56 | Political Science and Government, General | — | 90% | — | 21% |
| 6 | Central Michigan University Mount Pleasant, MI Public · 5 feeder programs | 53 | Political Science and Government, General | $36,006 | 59% | — | 90% |
| 7 | Oakland University Rochester Hills, MI Public · 2 feeder programs | 47 | Political Science and Government, General | $29,080 | 58% | — | 88% |
| 8 | Western Michigan University Kalamazoo, MI Public · 4 feeder programs | 36 | Political Science and Government, General | $38,744 | 58% | — | 85% |
| 9 | Eastern Michigan University Ypsilanti, MI Public · 2 feeder programs | 35 | Political Science and Government, General | $30,137 | 46% | — | 80% |
| 10 | Hope College Holland, MI Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 34 | Political Science and Government, General | $32,389 | 80% | $21,746 | 79% |
| 11 | University of Michigan - Dearborn Dearborn, MI Public · 1 feeder programs | 22 | Political Science and Government, General | $32,266 | 58% | — | 56% |
| 12 | Calvin University Grand Rapids, MI Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 20 | Political Science and Government, General | — | 74% | $22,391 | 71% |
| 13 | Northern Michigan University Marquette, MI Public · 2 feeder programs | 19 | Political Science and Government, General | $32,795 | 52% | — | 84% |
| 14 | Saginaw Valley State University University Center, MI Public · 2 feeder programs | 19 | Political Science and Government, General | $35,059 | 48% | — | 72% |
| 15 | Alma College Alma, MI Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 17 | Political Science and Government, General | — | 63% | $22,790 | 57% |
| 16 | Michigan Technological University Houghton, MI Public · 1 feeder programs | 14 | Public Policy Analysis, General | — | 68% | — | 92% |
| 17 | University of Detroit Mercy Detroit, MI Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 14 | Political Science and Government, General | — | 67% | $16,109 | 75% |
| 18 | Albion College Albion, MI Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 12 | Political Science and Government, General | $39,066 | 62% | $16,537 | 81% |
| 19 | Aquinas College Grand Rapids, MI Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 12 | Political Science and Government, General | — | 65% | $16,718 | 90% |
| 20 | Kalamazoo College Kalamazoo, MI Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 12 | Political Science and Government, General | $30,494 | 76% | $19,279 | 75% |
| 21 | University of Michigan - Flint Flint, MI Public · 1 feeder programs | 12 | Political Science and Government, General | — | 40% | — | 70% |
| 22 | Kalamazoo Valley Community College Kalamazoo, MI Public · 1 feeder programs | 9 | International/Globalization Studies | — | 28% | — | — |
| 23 | Lansing Community College Lansing, MI Public · 1 feeder programs | 8 | Political Science and Government, General | — | 25% | — | — |
| 24 | Andrews University Berrien Springs, MI Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 5 | International/Globalization Studies | — | 72% | $17,800 | 82% |
| 25 | Washtenaw Community College Ann Arbor, MI Public · 1 feeder programs | 5 | International/Globalization Studies | — | 33% | — | — |
All 32 schools in Michigan
Every school in Michigan with a program that feeds this job, ordered by graduates per year. Earnings are shown for the ranked schools above; open a school profile for the rest.
| School | City | Control | Graduates / yr | Feeder programs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Michigan - Ann Arbor | Ann Arbor | Public | 586 | 4 |
| Michigan State University | East Lansing | Public | 287 | 4 |
| Wayne State University | Detroit | Public | 101 | 1 |
| Grand Valley State University | Allendale | Public | 57 | 3 |
| Hillsdale College | Hillsdale | Private not-for-profit | 56 | 2 |
| Central Michigan University | Mount Pleasant | Public | 53 | 5 |
| Oakland University | Rochester Hills | Public | 47 | 2 |
| Western Michigan University | Kalamazoo | Public | 36 | 4 |
| Eastern Michigan University | Ypsilanti | Public | 35 | 2 |
| Hope College | Holland | Private not-for-profit | 34 | 2 |
| University of Michigan - Dearborn | Dearborn | Public | 22 | 1 |
| Calvin University | Grand Rapids | Private not-for-profit | 20 | 3 |
| Northern Michigan University | Marquette | Public | 19 | 2 |
| Saginaw Valley State University | University Center | Public | 19 | 2 |
| Alma College | Alma | Private not-for-profit | 17 | 2 |
What political scientists earn in Michigan
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
U.S. median $142,080. Michigan pays below the national figure.
1.00× means the state has its expected share of these jobs.
Metro areas in Michigan
Job outlook
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.
Growth and openings are national. The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not publish employment projections at state level, so these figures describe the occupation across the whole U.S., not this state alone.
How to get in
The full skills, tools, and day-to-day breakdown lives on the national Political Scientists page.
How to become a Political Scientist
Job zone 5 of 5 · SVP 8.0 and above- Typical entry education
- Master's degree
Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.
Top skills
The same job in other states
Where else this occupation employs the most people, and what it pays there.
Related careers in Michigan
Every major mapped to this job
The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.
All 13 majors mapped to Political Scientists12 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
- 30.2001International/Globalization Studies
- 30.4601History and Political Science
- 30.5101Philosophy, Politics, and Economics
- 44.0501Public Policy Analysis, General
- 44.0504International Policy Analysis
- 45.0901International Relations and Affairs
- 45.0902National Security Policy Studies
- 45.0999International Relations and National Security Studies, Other
- 45.1001Political Science and Government, General
- 45.1002American Government and Politics (United States)
- 45.1003Canadian Government and Politics(no graduates reported)
- 45.1004Political Economy
- 45.1099Political Science and Government, Other
Common questions
Answers for people weighing political scientists programs in Michigan.
What degree do you need to become a Political Scientist?+
Master's degree is the typical entry-level education BLS reports for this occupation. The most common program people actually graduate from is Political Science and Government, General, which awarded 869 degrees in Michigan in 2024-25, 57.7% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.
Which college majors lead to becoming a Political Scientist?+
The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 10 programs to this occupation. The largest are Political Science and Government, Public Policy Analysis, International/Globalization Studies, International Relations and National Security Studies, plus 1 more. Together they graduate about 1,506 people a year in Michigan.
How much do political scientists earn in Michigan?+
The median is $86,290 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). That is 39.3% below the U.S. median of $142,080. This is pay for people already working in the occupation, not the same thing as graduate earnings one year after finishing a degree.
Is demand for political scientists growing?+
BLS projects a -3.1% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, decline, with roughly 500 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.
How many schools offer programs for this career in Michigan?+
32 institutions in Michigan reported graduates from at least one of the 10 programs that feed this occupation in IPEDS 2024-25. Rankings on this page use graduates per year, because the federal data publishes no enrollment count by program.
Do you need training or experience beyond a degree?+
BLS lists 'None' for related work experience and 'None' for on-the-job training typically needed to reach competency.
About the data on this page
Rankings use IPEDS completions 2024–25, degrees awarded per year. That is the closest federal measure of how many people a program puts into a career, because no federal dataset publishes enrollment by program. Wages and employment come from BLS OEWS May 2025, growth and openings from BLS Employment Projections 2024-34, and which majors lead to which jobs from the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. Occupation descriptions, tasks, skills and tools are O*NET 30.3 (CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor/ETA).
BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics
May 2025Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.
BLS Employment Projections
2024–34Projected growth, annual openings and typical entry-level education.
IPEDS Completions
2024-25 (provisional)Graduates per year by program and institution — the ranking metric.
College Scorecard, Field of Study
2020-21 cohortsMedian graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.
Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes
latest availableGraduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.
NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk
CIP 2020 / SOC 2018Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.
O*NET Database 30.3
30.3Tasks, skills, knowledge, tools, job zone and alternate job titles.
Official source →CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor / ETA
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