What can you do with a Political Science And Government degree from Penn State University?

First, some facts. Of the Political Science And Government graduates from Penn State University we've analyzed , here's how many have used (or NOT used) their degree in their career:

These are estimates based on AI analysis of 10 LinkedIn profiles (see below).

The verdict? Bad. Overall, with an average relevance score of 44%, Political Science And Government graduates from Penn State University have a substantially lower likelihood (-23%) of finding work in this field compared to the average graduate across all fields:

And for comparison, here's the chart for all profiles we've looked at across all degrees.

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Also, after graduating, only 20% of these graduates have pursued further education other than another Bachelor's degree (such as a Masters degree or other), compared to the average across all profiles of 35%. This suggests a Bachelors degree is enough for most Political Science And Government graduates, and it's normal to look for work straight after graduation.

See the details:

• What jobs can you get with a Political Science And Government degree from Penn State University?
• What do Political Science And Government graduates from Penn State University do 1, 5 or 10 years out?
• How hard is a Political Science And Government degree from Penn State University? How long does it take?
• How much money can you make with a Political Science And Government degree from Penn State University?
• What are the best colleges for Political Science And Government?

View a random Political Science And Government graduate from Penn State University and our analysis:

Relevance score: 100% We think this person has gone into a career highly relevant to their degree. DEGREE INFO Graduated in 2014 from Penn State University with a Bachelor's degree in Political Science And Government. No other secondary education since. JOB HISTORY SINCE GRADUATION Northeast Regional Coordinator Heritage Action for America Jan 2014 - Sep 2015 As Northeast Regional Coordinator at Heritage Action for America, this position directly utilizes political science knowledge, particularly in grassroots advocacy and political engagement, aligning closely with the bachelor's degree. Catholic Advisory Group Member Donald Trump for President Sep 2016 - Present Being a Catholic Advisory Group Member at Donald Trump for President leverages political science competencies related to political strategy and influencing public policy, thus making it highly relevant. Director of Grassroots CatholicVote.org May 2016 - Dec 2016 The role of Director of Grassroots at CatholicVote.org directly involves applying political science skills in mobilizing and organizing grassroots efforts, which are central to political advocacy. Director of Mission Advancement CatholicVote.org Dec 2016 - Present As Director of Mission Advancement at CatholicVote.org, this position requires the use of political science knowledge to advance organizational goals and initiatives, making it directly relevant to the degree. ABOUT No information provided.

What jobs can you get with a Political Science And Government degree from Penn State University?

The top 10 most common jobs done by the graduates we've analyzed (ranked most common to least) are:

• Executive Assistant
• IRA Specialist
• Assistant Manager
• Server
• Assistant Director of Annual Giving
• Staffing Manager
• Research Assistant
• Permit Coordinator
• Canvasser
• AML Specialist

Based on the various job titles held by graduates of Political Science and Government from Penn State University, it's clear that individuals have pursued a wide range of careers after graduation. Many seem to gravitate towards roles in political advocacy, policy analysis, and government-related positions, which are highly aligned with their degree. For example, jobs like Legislative Assistant, Policy Analyst, and various roles at political organizations demonstrate a strong connection to the skills and knowledge gained from studying Political Science. These positions typically involve a deep understanding of government processes, public policy, and political engagement, emphasizing the relevance of their education.

However, there's also a noticeable number of graduates who have taken on roles in fields that aren't as directly related to Political Science. Positions like Staffing Manager, Executive Assistant, and various roles in hospitality and management focus more on administrative or human resources skills rather than political knowledge. These types of jobs suggest that while the degree is valuable, it doesn't always lead directly to a career firmly rooted in political science or government. Overall, the common thread is that many graduates find their way into roles that utilize their degree effectively, but a significant portion also branches out into unrelated fields, highlighting how versatile a Political Science degree can be.

Here is a visual representation of the most common words in job titles for Political Science And Government graduates (this is across all Political Science And Government graduates we've analyzed, not just those who went to Penn State University):

What kind of career trajectories do Political Science And Government graduates from Penn State University have? What do they do 1, 5 or 10 years out?

It seems like graduates from Penn State University's Political Science and Government program have had a pretty mixed bag when it comes to their career trajectories. Many of them started their journeys in roles that are somewhat related to politics or public service right after graduation, like staffing management, policy analyst roles, and even positions in legislative offices. For instance, those who graduated around 2014 and 2015 found themselves in impactful positions as regional coordinators and policy analysts, which align well with their studies. However, as we look further along the timeline, it appears that not all graduates have stuck with jobs directly relevant to their degrees. Some have ventured into fields like staffing, administration, and hospitality shortly after finishing school, which may not leverage the skills they learned in their political science programs.

Fast forward a few years, and while many alumni tend to settle into roles that eventually connect back to politics—like legislative assistants, legal assistants, and analysts—some are still in positions that don’t necessarily reflect a direct correlation to their major. For example, graduates from more recent classes have taken up management roles in restaurants or as paralegals, which might suggest a bit of a drift from their original course of study. Overall, while there are certainly success stories of graduates making their way into relevant and impactful political roles, there's also a sizeable number who seem to land in unrelated jobs, illustrating the unpredictable nature of career paths after college. It's a mix of ambition and flexibility, showing that while a Political Science degree offers great avenues, it doesn’t always lead directly to a clear-cut career path in government or politics.

How hard is a Political Science And Government degree from Penn State University?

Getting a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Government at Penn State can be a mix of challenges and manageable work, similar to what you’d find in many universities. It’s definitely not a walk in the park, but it’s not the hardest degree out there either. You’ll dive into stuff like political theory, international relations, and public policy, which can be really engaging if you’re into current events and debates. Expect some intense reading and writing assignments, and be ready to discuss and defend your opinions in class. Overall, a lot of students find it to be a solid balance—challenging enough to keep you on your toes, but not so tough that you’ll be losing sleep over it. So, if you’re passionate about politics, you’ll probably enjoy the journey!

How long does it take?

Most commonly, in the LinkedIn profiles we've looked at, it takes people 5 years to finish a Bachelor degree in Political Science And Government.

Do Political Science And Government graduates from Penn State University tend to make good money?

Looking at the job paths of these Political Science and Government graduates from Penn State, it seems like they've had a mixed bag in terms of salary and career growth. Some of them started in pretty basic roles, like an assistant position or intern jobs, which usually don’t pay a ton, but over time, you can see some have moved into better-paying roles, especially those in more specialized areas like law and policy analysis. For example, the 2018 graduate who became an Associate Attorney likely makes a decent salary. However, others, like the ones who are still in assistant or management positions, might not be raking in the big bucks just yet. Overall, it looks like there are opportunities for good money, but it really depends on the specific career paths they've chosen.

What buzzwords do Political Science And Government graduates use to describe themselves?

Here is a visual representation of the most common words seen in the "about" section of LinkedIn profiles who have a Bachelor degree in Political Science And Government (this is across all Political Science And Government graduates we've analyzed, not just those who went to Penn State University). This may or may not be useful:

What are the best colleges for Political Science And Government?

Here are all colleges offering a Bachelor degree in Political Science And Government (ordered by the average relevance score of their Political Science And Government graduates, best to worst) where we have analyzed at least 10 of their graduates:

College	Score	Count
The University of Alabama	83	16
New York University	79	11
San Diego State University	79	14
University of Notre Dame	79	13
University of California, Berkeley	78	28
Georgetown University	77	10
The George Washington University	76	20
University of Maryland College Park	75	10
Rutgers University	75	15
University of Nevada-Las Vegas	74	10
University at Albany, SUNY	72	13
John Jay College (CUNY)	72	11
The Catholic University of America	72	10
University of Michigan	71	18
Santa Clara University	71	10
University of Florida	69	28
California State University-Sacramento	69	15
University of Missouri-Columbia	67	10
American University	67	27
University of Washington	66	16
Miami University	66	13
Portland State University	66	13
The Ohio State University	65	20
Virginia Commonwealth University	65	17
California State University-Long Beach	65	10
The University of Texas at Austin	64	35
Baylor University	64	10
Brigham Young University	63	14
Indiana University Bloomington	63	12
Louisiana State University	63	14
Queens College	63	13
Fordham University	63	15
University of Central Florida	62	33
University of Wisconsin-Madison	62	21
University of California, Los Angeles	62	42
Georgia State University	62	20
University of Minnesota	62	11
UC Santa Barbara	62	14
Howard University	62	10
Temple University	61	15
The University of Georgia	61	11
Binghamton University	61	11
University of Colorado Boulder	60	18
Arizona State University	59	44
Florida State University	59	33
Towson University	59	14
Florida Atlantic University	59	21
Virginia Tech	59	14
San Jose State University	58	12
University of South Carolina	58	13
Michigan State University	57	10
Kansas State University	56	10
UC Irvine	56	14
College of the Holy Cross	56	11
Florida International University	55	23
University of South Florida	55	21
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill	55	12
Appalachian State University	55	15
Christopher Newport University	55	14
University of Houston	54	20
Colorado State University	54	12
Loyola University Chicago	54	10
University of Oregon	53	20
Georgia Southern University	53	10
University of Maryland Baltimore County	53	14
University of Arkansas	52	12
Harvard University	52	10
University of California, Davis	51	21
North Carolina State University	51	12
Troy University	51	10
Illinois State University	50	21
California State University, Long Beach	50	12
University of Tennessee, Knoxville	50	12
Texas Tech University	49	15
Auburn University	49	14
California State University, Northridge	49	10
West Chester University of Pennsylvania	49	10
Villanova University	49	12
San Francisco State University	48	12
Kennesaw State University	47	15
University of Arizona	46	16
West Virginia University	46	13
Texas A&M University	45	26
California State Polytechnic University-Pomona	45	14
University of California, Riverside	45	20
University of Connecticut	45	13
Penn State University	44	10
University at Buffalo	42	12
University of Iowa	41	12
University of North Carolina at Charlotte	40	19
Clemson University	37	11
University of Mississippi	29	10