Best colleges for Political Science and Government in New York
Ranked by graduate earnings
Columbia University, Cornell University and Hamilton College are the top bachelor's Political Science and Government programs in New York by graduate earnings. Columbia University leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $61,077, College Scorecard. Columbia University, New York University and Fordham University award the most Political Science and Government degrees in New York: 288, 196 and 157 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 77 New York colleges offer Political Science and Government and award 2,919 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 | Columbia University New York Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $61,077 | 288 | 96% | $15,315 | $22,943 |
| 2 | Cornell University Ithaca Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $60,292 | 144 | 95% | $17,613 | $14,400 |
| 3 | Hamilton College Clinton Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $58,807 | 27 | 91% | $20,680 | $12,500 |
| 4 | Barnard College New York Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $57,298 | 58 | 93% | $24,675 | $19,000 |
| 5 | Colgate University Hamilton Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $56,064 | 81 | 91% | $22,903 | $16,250 |
| 6 | New York University New York Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $50,783 | 196 | 88% | $29,023 | $20,500 |
| 7 | Union College Schenectady Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $49,759 | 30 | 80% | $25,885 | $26,899 |
| 8 | Vassar College Poughkeepsie Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $48,679 | 38 | 91% | $29,107 | $17,500 |
| 9 | Marist University Poughkeepsie Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $43,238 | 37 | 80% | $33,867 | $23,250 |
| 10 | Syracuse University Syracuse Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $43,232 | 150 | 84% | $28,851 | $26,799 |
Colleges awarding the most Political Science and Government degrees in New York
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 | Columbia University New York Private not-for-profit | 288 | $61,077 |
| 2 | New York University New York Private not-for-profit | 196 | $50,783 |
| 3 | Fordham University Bronx Private not-for-profit | 157 | $41,809 |
| 4 | Syracuse University Syracuse Private not-for-profit | 150 | $43,232 |
| 5 | Cornell University Ithaca Private not-for-profit | 144 | $60,292 |
| 6 | University at Albany Albany Public | 125 | $33,251 |
| 7 | Stony Brook University Stony Brook Public | 111 | $36,480 |
| 8 | Binghamton University Vestal Public | 109 | $37,194 |
| 9 | CUNY Hunter College New York Public | 99 | $35,154 |
| 10 | CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice New York Public | 95 | $35,828 |
ShowHide the other 67 New York colleges offering Political Science and Government
| Institution | City | Control | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| University at Buffalo | Buffalo | Public | 92 |
| Colgate University | Hamilton | Private not-for-profit | 81 |
| CUNY Bernard M Baruch College | New York | Public | 72 |
| CUNY City College | New York | Public | 72 |
| University of Rochester | Rochester | Private not-for-profit | 59 |
| Barnard College | New York | Private not-for-profit | 58 |
| Pace University | New York | Private not-for-profit | 56 |
| St. John's University - New York | Queens | Private not-for-profit | 50 |
| CUNY Brooklyn College | Brooklyn | Public | 46 |
| St Lawrence University | Canton | Private not-for-profit | 40 |
| Vassar College | Poughkeepsie | Private not-for-profit | 38 |
| Marist University | Poughkeepsie | Private not-for-profit | 37 |
| Siena University | Loudonville | Private not-for-profit | 36 |
| CUNY Queens College | Queens | Public | 35 |
| SUNY College at Geneseo | Geneseo | Public | 34 |
| College of Staten Island CUNY | Staten Island | Public | 33 |
| CUNY Graduate School and University Center (Online) | New York | Public | 33 |
| Hofstra University | Hempstead | Private not-for-profit | 32 |
| Skidmore College | Saratoga Springs | Private not-for-profit | 32 |
| SUNY Old Westbury | Old Westbury | Public | 32 |
| Union College | Schenectady | Private not-for-profit | 30 |
| CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College | New York | Public | 27 |
| Hamilton College | Clinton | Private not-for-profit | 27 |
| The New School | New York | Private not-for-profit | 25 |
| CUNY Lehman College | Bronx | Public | 19 |
| Le Moyne College | Syracuse | Private not-for-profit | 18 |
| State University of New York at Cortland | Cortland | Public | 18 |
| State University of New York at New Paltz | New Paltz | Public | 18 |
| Suffolk County Community College | Selden | Public | 17 |
| Long Island University | Brookville | Private not-for-profit | 16 |
| United States Military Academy | West Point | Public | 16 |
| Manhattan University | Riverdale | Private not-for-profit | 15 |
| Niagara University | Niagara University | Private not-for-profit | 15 |
| Hobart William Smith Colleges | Geneva | Private not-for-profit | 14 |
| SUNY Brockport | Brockport | Public | 13 |
| Adelphi University | Garden City | Private not-for-profit | 12 |
| Iona University | New Rochelle | Private not-for-profit | 12 |
| SUNY College at Potsdam | Potsdam | Public | 12 |
| SUNY Oneonta | Oneonta | Public | 11 |
| State University of New York at Plattsburgh | Plattsburgh | Public | 10 |
| Yeshiva University | New York | Private not-for-profit | 10 |
| Canisius University | Buffalo | Private not-for-profit | 9 |
| SUNY at Purchase College | Purchase | Public | 9 |
| Marymount Manhattan College | New York | Private not-for-profit | 8 |
| St. Joseph's University - New York | Brooklyn | Private not-for-profit | 8 |
| SUNY Buffalo State University | Buffalo | Public | 8 |
| Teachers College at Columbia University (Graduate only) | New York | Private not-for-profit | 8 |
| Touro University | New York | Private not-for-profit | 8 |
| CUNY York College | Jamaica | Public | 7 |
| St. Francis College | Brooklyn | Private not-for-profit | 7 |
| Ithaca College | Ithaca | Private not-for-profit | 6 |
| Rochester Institute of Technology | Rochester | Private not-for-profit | 6 |
| St Bonaventure University | Saint Bonaventure | Private not-for-profit | 6 |
| Alfred University | Alfred | Private not-for-profit | 4 |
| Utica University | Utica | Private not-for-profit | 4 |
| Clarkson University | Potsdam | Private not-for-profit | 3 |
| Daemen University | Amherst | Private not-for-profit | 3 |
| Molloy University | Rockville Centre | Private not-for-profit | 3 |
| St. John Fisher University | Rochester | Private not-for-profit | 3 |
| State University of New York at Oswego | Oswego | Public | 3 |
| Hartwick College | Oneonta | Private not-for-profit | 2 |
| SUNY at Fredonia | Fredonia | Public | 2 |
| Elmira College | Elmira | Private not-for-profit | 1 |
| Hilbert College | Hamburg | Private not-for-profit | 1 |
| Manhattanville University | Purchase | Private not-for-profit | 1 |
| Nazareth University | Rochester | Private not-for-profit | 1 |
| Wagner College | Staten Island | Private not-for-profit | 1 |
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Political Scientists (SOC 19-3094).
Top skills
What Political Scientists earn in New York
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Political Science and Government programs in New York.
Which New York colleges award the most Political Science and Government degrees?+
Columbia University (288 graduates a year), New York University (196 graduates a year) and Fordham University (157 graduates a year) award the most Political Science and Government degrees in New York, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 77 New York colleges offer Political Science and Government.
What is the best college for Political Science and Government in New York?+
By graduate earnings, Columbia University leads among bachelor's Political Science and Government programs in New York, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $61,077, College Scorecard. Cornell University and Hamilton College follow. By degrees awarded, Columbia University is the largest, with 288 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Political Science and Government program in New York has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Columbia University tops the list at $61,077. 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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