Is a degree in political science worth it?

When you are thinking of joining a college, it is common that you do a bit of research on all the majors available for the degree you are thinking of. Among those majors, you might be considering taking up political science degrees as a major under which there are many sub-subjects if you are interested in it. 

You might be wondering if this degree is worth your time and money. You might ask your elders if it is a good idea to join this degree, but there will be different answers as it depends on one’s perspective. But it is you who should be deciding if it is good for you and your career.

A degree in political science can absolutely be worth it in terms of return on investment and pay off. 

Thus, here is an article that gives you an idea of this degree in the aspect of gaining knowledge, career opportunities and salaries based on which you can make up your mind if it is worth getting a degree in political science.  

Before moving on to that section, let us know a bit more about political science.

An Overview of Political Science

A graduate degree in political science focuses on preparing students for academic professions, management-level positions in politics, and professions as senior analysts or consultants.

The well-known Greek Philosopher Aristotle defined politics as the “Queen of the Sciences".

Political science is a course that focuses on the theory and practice of politics and social relationships function under political systems. It involves studying topics such as the allocation and assignment of power, how political decisions are made, and the effectiveness of government.

7 Major Political Science Subtopics are as mentioned below.

• Comparative Politics

• International Relations

• Political Economy

• Public Administration

• Political Theory

• Public Policy

• Political Methodology 

Is a Degree in Political Science Worth It?

You might be holding back analyzing if this degree is worth your time and money to pursue a good career. Thus, it is better to do research and analysis of how it is beneficial to you. Here are a few important points discussed below. 

Gain Knowledge

We agree ultimately the goal will be to earn sufficiently and lead a good life. The earning potential with this degree is high. However, along with a good salary, you will be gaining knowledge. 

You can consider this degree if you are a student who is keenly interested in knowing the political state of the nation. 

And especially in this degree course, it provides you an enormous amount of knowledge which you can utilize in different stages of your daily life and the occupation you chose. 

Also, there is a wide variety of opportunities. You can get into a research team or analyst team based on your interest. With the options open, it will make you feel more confident and it also helps you to explore and gain knowledge about the subject you are interested in.

You will be given the advantage of an internship opportunity- Make the most of it. It is important to learn things in the political world. Getting real-world experience will help you to analyze and identify your career path and will teach you things about your field that can not be taught in the classroom.

Career opportunity

Political science majors benefit from exciting career and growth opportunities in many industries. These students will have the advantage of learning about government policies, rules, and regulations, the knowledge which is considered to be the most important in today's world of business. 

You might be thinking that a Political Science degree means wanting to be a politician, but truth to be told there are many other exciting careers. 

A few of the career opportunities available for political science degree holders are as follows.

Deputy Minister	Research analyst
Researcher in private companies	Government worker
Employment Insurance Officer	Member of Canada's diplomatic Service
Non-government organizations	Customs Officer
Policy Analyst	Police officer
Project officer	Constituency office worker
Member of Canada’s Foreign Services	Program manager
Journalist	Electoral returning officer
Social worker	Communications Officer
City planner	Community activist

Earning / Salaries

As discussed earlier, career growth is very high for this degree holder and accordingly, annual salaries are also very high compared to other simple ones. 

Several political science students take up several fields to work in politics, business, education, media, or marketing, with a wide range of salaries and job duties which depends on their interest. 

Here is a list of a few occupations with their mean salaries.

Job Role	Average Annual Income	Type of degree required (minimal)
Public Relations Specialist	$58,360	Bachelor’s degree
Campaign Manager	$56,585	Bachelor’s degree
County Executive	$78,651	Bachelor’s degree
Political Adviser/Consultant	$51,155	Master’s or doctoral degree
Marketing Research Analyst	$57,599	Bachelor’s degree
Legislative Assistant	$48,037	Bachelor’s degree
Governor	$70,000 - $190,000	Any degree in political science
President	$400,000	Most of the recent presidents have had extensive educations, including in political science
Political Scientists	$115,110	Bachelor’s degree, but a master or Ph.D. is preferred
Intelligence Analyst	$68,403	Bachelor’s degree

Conclusion

Is a degree in Political Science worth your time and money? Of course Yes, if you are interested in the subjects involved in this degree. 

We would like to give a few takeaway points which might be useful to you.

• It is a great opportunity to gain an enormous amount of knowledge along with earning according to your potential. 

• It is considered to be an important aspect in today’s world and also, the career growth is increasing every year. 

• It gives you a balance between the money you instill in studies and the knowledge you gain to have a job with a satisfying salary for the education you have had.

It is better to analyze the subjects involved in the degree or major and then decide for yourself if this degree is worth your efforts.

Hope it was helpful and all the best.