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What can you do with a Political Science And Government degree from West Virginia University?

First, some facts. Of the Political Science And Government graduates from West Virginia 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 13 LinkedIn profiles (see below).

The verdict? Bad. Overall, with an average relevance score of 46%, Political Science And Government graduates from West Virginia University have a substantially lower likelihood (-21%) of finding work in this field compared to the average graduate across all fields:

Average score: 46%
Average relevance score across all fields: 67%

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

× Chart

Also, after graduating, 38% 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 you may need more than just a Bachelors degree to be competitive as a Political Science And Government graduate.

See the details:

View a random Political Science And Government graduate from West Virginia 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 2021 from West Virginia University with a Bachelor of Arts - BA in Political Science And Government. No other secondary education since.

JOB HISTORY SINCE GRADUATION
Analyst to Leadership
West Virginia House of Delegates
Feb 2021 - Apr 2021
The position as an Analyst to Leadership at the West Virginia House of Delegates directly involves understanding political systems and governance, which are core components of a Political Science and Government degree.

Summer Law Clerk
Public Service Commission of West Virginia
May 2022 - Jul 2022
As a Summer Law Clerk at the Public Service Commission of West Virginia, the job requires knowledge of legal frameworks and regulatory processes relevant to political governance.

Regulatory Intern
IGS Energy
May 2023 - Aug 2023
A Regulatory Intern at IGS Energy would be applying political science principles in the context of energy regulations, making this job highly relevant to the degree.

Law Clerk
The American Tort Reform Association
Jan 2022 - Present
The Law Clerk position at The American Tort Reform Association requires knowledge of legal principles and political processes, making it directly relevant to a Political Science and Government background.

ABOUT

Rising third year law student at the West Virginia University College of Law. Interested in working in the energy, utitilies, and government relations industries.

What jobs can you get with a Political Science And Government degree from West Virginia University?

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

When looking at the job paths taken by graduates with a Political Science and Government degree from West Virginia University, it’s clear that there’s quite a variety. Many of the roles, such as sales associates, administrative assistants, and even delivery drivers, don't really tie back to the skills or knowledge you’d expect from a political science background. Instead, they lean more towards retail, administration, and other fields that don’t require a deep understanding of political systems, governance, or policy analysis. Some jobs, like those at UPMC, while they might involve project management, still don’t really hinge on political science principles.

However, there are exceptions that stand out, especially among those who pursued careers within legal or governmental settings. Positions such as law clerks, analysts, and officers in the military apply the knowledge and skills from political science directly to their work. For instance, roles within the US Army heavily rely on leadership and strategic planning, which resonate with lessons from political studies. Those who interned or worked in legal settings also have jobs that deeply intertwine with the core teachings of their degrees. Overall, while many graduates land in jobs unrelated to political science, there are significant outliers who find fulfilling roles that leverage their education effectively.

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 West Virginia University):

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

Graduates from West Virginia University with a degree in Political Science and Government seem to have a pretty mixed bag when it comes to their career paths. For those just starting out—like recent grads from 2011 to 2018—they often kick off their careers in entry-level positions that may or may not directly relate to what they studied. Roles like sales associates, administrative professionals, and customer service representatives dominate the early years. Even those who ventured into more relevant fields like the military or law typically took a roundabout route, starting in basic roles and working their way up. It seems like many are initially finding themselves in jobs that are more general than directly political or governmental.

Fast forward five to ten years, and the picture gets a bit clearer and more varied. Some individuals, particularly those who pursued law-related careers, have found themselves in significant positions like law clerks or in various administrative roles in government. Others transitioned into specialized roles, like project management or analytics, leveraging their skills in new industries like healthcare or banking. While it’s definitely inspiring to see some people move into strong, relevant positions, it’s also apparent that not every grad lands a career that closely ties back to their political science studies. Many still find themselves in unrelated fields, questioning how their education translates into the workforce. Overall, the journey of these graduates indicates that while there are success stories, a fair number of alumni appear to be navigating less directly relevant career paths, especially in their early professional years.

How hard is a Political Science And Government degree from West Virginia University?

Honestly, a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Government can be a mix of challenging and manageable, depending on your interests and strengths. At West Virginia University, like many schools, you’ll dive into a lot of reading, writing, and discussing current events, which can be super engaging if you’re passionate about politics. Some students find the theoretical stuff a bit dense, while others breeze through it, so it really depends on your vibe. Overall, I’d say it's fairly average in terms of difficulty—might be easier compared to more math-heavy majors, but it definitely requires some effort and a good amount of organization to keep up with everything. If you’re interested in what’s happening in the world and enjoy debating ideas, you’ll probably find it a rewarding experience!

How long does it take?

Most commonly, in the LinkedIn profiles we've looked at, it takes people 4 years to finish a Bachelor degree in Political Science And Government.

Do Political Science And Government graduates from West Virginia University tend to make good money?

Looking at the career paths of these WVU grads, it seems like there's a pretty mixed bag when it comes to how much money they’re making. Some folks, especially those who entered the military or moved into corporate roles at places like UPMC and Goldman Sachs, likely ended up earning decent salaries, given the nature of those jobs. Others, like the grad who was a server or held a few entry-level roles, probably aren't raking in any big bucks just yet. Overall, while there are definitely some success stories where graduates have found solid positions, it seems that a chunk of them might still be trying to climb the financial ladder. So, if you're eyeing these degrees, just know it could take time to hit those higher paychecks!

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 West Virginia 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