Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degree) at Carthage College

Median Earnings (1yr)

$24,259

5th percentile

10th percentile in Wisconsin

Median Debt

$19,190

18% below national median

Analysis

Carthage's political science graduates earn $24,259 in their first year—roughly $14,000 below Wisconsin's median for the major and landing in just the 10th percentile statewide. That places them behind every UW campus in the state and nearly $18,000 behind UW-Oshkosh grads in the same field. Even compared nationally, where political science earnings are already modest, Carthage ranks in the bottom 5%.

The debt picture offers little relief. While the $19,190 median is lower than state and national averages, it still represents nearly 80% of first-year earnings—a burden that would take considerable time to manage on these wages. This becomes particularly concerning when you see that other Wisconsin programs routinely launch grads into $40,000+ first-year salaries with similar debt loads.

The small sample size (under 30 graduates) means these numbers could shift year to year, but the gap is too large to dismiss. If political science is the goal, Wisconsin families have multiple public options that deliver substantially better outcomes. For a private college charging premium tuition, Carthage's political science program hasn't demonstrated it can compete with in-state alternatives on the metric that matters most: career launch.

Where Carthage College Stands

Earnings vs. debt across all political science and government bachelors's programs nationally

Earnings Distribution

How Carthage College graduates compare to all programs nationally

Compare to Similar Programs in Wisconsin

Political Science and Government bachelors's programs at peer institutions in Wisconsin (23 total in state)

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School	In-State Tuition	Earnings (1yr)	Earnings (4yr)	Median Debt	Debt/Earnings
Carthage CollegeKenosha	$36,500	$24,259	—	$19,190	0.79
University of Wisconsin-OshkoshOshkosh	$8,212	$42,366	—	$25,015	0.59
University of Wisconsin-MadisonMadison	$11,205	$42,063	$56,465	$22,000	0.52
University of Wisconsin-Stevens PointStevens Point	$8,834	$41,455	$39,639	$21,313	0.51
University of Wisconsin-MilwaukeeMilwaukee	$10,020	$40,487	$50,414	$24,000	0.59
University of Wisconsin-WhitewaterWhitewater	$8,250	$39,042	$51,411	$25,791	0.66
National Median	—	$35,627	—	$23,500	0.66

Career Paths

Occupations commonly associated with political science and government graduates

Political Scientists

Study the origin, development, and operation of political systems. May study topics, such as public opinion, political decisionmaking, and ideology. May analyze the structure and operation of governments, as well as various political entities. May conduct public opinion surveys, analyze election results, or analyze public documents.

$139,380/yrJobs growth:Master's degree

Economists

Conduct research, prepare reports, or formulate plans to address economic problems related to the production and distribution of goods and services or monetary and fiscal policy. May collect and process economic and statistical data using sampling techniques and econometric methods.

$115,440/yrJobs growth:Master's degree

Environmental Economists

Conduct economic analysis related to environmental protection and use of the natural environment, such as water, air, land, and renewable energy resources. Evaluate and quantify benefits, costs, incentives, and impacts of alternative options using economic principles and statistical techniques.

$115,440/yrJobs growth:Master's degree

Economics Teachers, Postsecondary

Teach courses in economics. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

$83,980/yrJobs growth:

Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary

Teach courses in political science, international affairs, and international relations. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

$83,980/yrJobs growth:

Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education

Teach one or more subjects to students at the secondary school level.

$64,580/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Managers, All Other

All managers not listed separately.

Regulatory Affairs Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate production activities of an organization to ensure compliance with regulations and standard operating procedures.

Compliance Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate activities of an organization to ensure compliance with ethical or regulatory standards.

Loss Prevention Managers

Plan and direct policies, procedures, or systems to prevent the loss of assets. Determine risk exposure or potential liability, and develop risk control measures.

Wind Energy Development Managers

Lead or manage the development and evaluation of potential wind energy business opportunities, including environmental studies, permitting, and proposals. May also manage construction of projects.

Brownfield Redevelopment Specialists and Site Managers

Plan and direct cleanup and redevelopment of contaminated properties for reuse. Does not include properties sufficiently contaminated to qualify as Superfund sites.

About This Data

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (October 2025 release)

Population: Graduates who received federal financial aid (Title IV grants or loans). At Carthage College, approximately 26% of students receive Pell grants. Students who did not receive federal aid are not included in these figures.

Earnings: Median earnings from IRS W-2 data for graduates who are employed and not enrolled in further education, measured 1 year after completion. Earnings are pre-tax and include wages, salaries, and self-employment income.

Debt: Median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation. Does not include private loans or Parent PLUS loans borrowed on behalf of students.

Sample Size: Based on 21 graduates with reported earnings and 23 graduates with debt data. Small samples may not be representative.