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

Est. Earnings (1yr)

$35,297

Est. from CA median (45 programs)

Est. Median Debt

$23,313

Est. from CA median (18 programs)

Analysis

Harvey Mudd College is known for elite STEM education, so finding a political science program here raises questions about fit and value. Based on comparable programs across California, first-year earnings around $35,000 represent typical outcomes for political science bachelor's graduates—right in line with the national median of $35,627. However, this sits awkwardly against Harvey Mudd's 13% admission rate and 1537 average SAT scores. Students who could get into Harvey Mudd typically have options at schools where political science graduates earn significantly more: Stanford's program produces first-year earnings of $59,000, Berkeley's $45,000.

The estimated $23,000 debt load is manageable on its own and creates a reasonable 0.66 debt-to-earnings ratio. But context matters: Harvey Mudd's tuition rivals the nation's most expensive schools, and these estimates are drawn from similar programs statewide, not Harvey Mudd's actual graduates in this field. Given that Harvey Mudd graduates only a handful of political science majors each year—small enough that the Department of Education suppresses the data—this isn't really what the college specializes in or what its institutional resources are built around.

If your child is set on political science and has the credentials for Harvey Mudd, they likely qualify for stronger political science programs where outcomes data exists and career networks in government, law, and policy run deeper. Harvey Mudd's value proposition centers on engineering and hard sciences, not social sciences.

Where Harvey Mudd College Stands

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

Compare to Similar Programs in California

Political Science and Government bachelors's programs at peer institutions in California (72 total in state)

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School	In-State Tuition	Earnings (1yr)*	Earnings (4yr)	Median Debt*	Debt/Earnings
Harvey Mudd CollegeClaremont	$66,255	$35,297*	—	$23,313*	—
Stanford UniversityStanford	$62,484	$59,297*	$75,464	$12,000*	0.20
Santa Clara UniversitySanta Clara	$59,241	$57,111*	$64,616	$21,750*	0.38
Ashford UniversitySan Diego	$13,160	$55,196*	$38,857	$32,813*	0.59
University of California-BerkeleyBerkeley	$14,850	$45,418*	$62,430	$13,000*	0.29
Saint Mary's College of CaliforniaMoraga	$56,134	$45,296*	$68,762	$25,967*	0.57
National Median	—	$35,627*	—	$23,500*	0.66

* Estimated from similar programs

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 Harvey Mudd College, approximately 14% 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.

Estimated Earnings: Actual earnings data is not available for this program (typically due to privacy thresholds when fewer than 30 graduates reported earnings). The estimate shown is based on the median of 45 similar programs in CA. Actual outcomes may vary.