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Best Colleges for Political Science

The best colleges for a Political Science degree, led by Stanford University, University of Pennsylvania and Princeton University. Each school is shown with its acceptance rate, tuition, and average SAT so you can weigh Political Science programs side by side.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best college for Political Science?

Based on our rankings, Stanford University is the top-ranked college for Political Science. Other top choices include University of Pennsylvania, Princeton University, Johns Hopkins University.

What are the best Political Science schools?

The best Political Science schools, based on program-specific federal data including median earnings and graduate counts, are Stanford University, University of Pennsylvania, Princeton University. Our rankings use College Scorecard field-of-study data rather than editorial opinion.

How much does it cost to study Political Science?

The average out-of-state tuition among top Political Science programs is approximately $64,326 per year. However, costs vary significantly — many schools offer generous financial aid packages that can reduce the effective cost.

How long does it take to get a Political Science degree?

A bachelor's degree in Political Science typically takes four years of full-time study. Some programs offer accelerated tracks or combined bachelor's-to-master's options that can extend or shorten the timeline.

How are these Political Science rankings determined?

Our major rankings are independently calculated from U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study (CIP) data — primarily median earnings 4 years after graduation and program scale (graduate count), with a 10+ annual graduates minimum per program. They are not derived from US News or any other publication.

Career outcomes for Political Science graduates

Among the top 10 ranked Political Science programs, the average early-career salary is approximately $100,684 per year. Below are the highest-paying Political Science programs based on federal College Scorecard earnings data reported by graduates four years after completion.

  1. 1. Stanford University — Stanford, CA · 3.6% acceptance · SAT 1,553 · $65,910 tuition · 92% grad rate
  2. 2. University of Pennsylvania — Philadelphia, PA · 5.4% acceptance · SAT 1,553 · $68,686 tuition · 97% grad rate
  3. 3. Princeton University — Princeton, NJ · 4.6% acceptance · SAT 1,553 · $62,688 tuition · 98% grad rate
  4. 4. Johns Hopkins University — Baltimore, MD · 6.4% acceptance · SAT 1,553 · $65,230 tuition · 94% grad rate
  5. 5. Brown University — Providence, RI · 5.4% acceptance · SAT 1,546 · $71,412 tuition · 96% grad rate
  6. 6. Columbia University in the City of New York — New York, NY · 4% acceptance · SAT 1,553 · $71,845 tuition · 96% grad rate
  7. 7. Cornell University — Ithaca, NY · 8.8% acceptance · SAT 1,535 · $69,314 tuition · 95% grad rate
  8. 8. University of Southern California — Los Angeles, CA · 9.8% acceptance · SAT 1,495 · $72,097 tuition · 92% grad rate
  9. 9. Northwestern University — Evanston, IL · 7.7% acceptance · SAT 1,533 · $68,322 tuition · 95% grad rate
  10. 10. University of Chicago — Chicago, IL · 4.5% acceptance · SAT 1,554 · $70,662 tuition · 96% grad rate
  11. 11. Carnegie Mellon University — Pittsburgh, PA · 11.7% acceptance · SAT 1,546 · $66,246 tuition · 94% grad rate
  12. 12. University of Virginia-Main Campus — Charlottesville, VA · 16.8% acceptance · SAT 1,480 · $59,512 tuition · 96% grad rate
  13. 13. Georgetown University — Washington, DC · 12.9% acceptance · SAT 1,487 · $68,017 tuition · 95% grad rate
  14. 14. University of Michigan-Ann Arbor — Ann Arbor, MI · 15.6% acceptance · SAT 1,465 · $60,946 tuition · 93% grad rate
  15. 15. Emory University — Atlanta, GA · 10.7% acceptance · SAT 1,520 · $64,280 tuition · 91% grad rate
  16. 16. Harvard University — Cambridge, MA · 3.7% acceptance · SAT 1,553 · $61,676 tuition · 98% grad rate
  17. 17. Tufts University — Medford, MA · 11.5% acceptance · SAT 1,513 · $70,704 tuition · 94% grad rate
  18. 18. Duke University — Durham, NC · 5.7% acceptance · SAT 1,548 · $68,758 tuition · 97% grad rate
  19. 19. William & Mary — Williamsburg, VA · 34.1% acceptance · SAT 1,473 · $51,038 tuition · 89% grad rate
  20. 20. Rice University — Houston, TX · 8% acceptance · SAT 1,553 · $64,144 tuition · 95% grad rate
  21. 21. Claremont McKenna College — Claremont, CA · 9.6% acceptance · SAT 1,527 · $67,980 tuition · 91% grad rate
  22. 22. University of California-Berkeley — Berkeley, CA · 11% acceptance · $50,547 tuition · 93% grad rate
  23. 23. Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus — Atlanta, GA · 14.1% acceptance · SAT 1,480 · $34,484 tuition · 94% grad rate
  24. 24. Vanderbilt University — Nashville, TN · 5.9% acceptance · SAT 1,549 · $67,498 tuition · 94% grad rate
  25. 25. Northeastern University — Boston, MA · 5.2% acceptance · SAT 1,497 · $66,162 tuition · 91% grad rate

Best Colleges for Political Science on PickACampus