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Political Science and Government: University of California-Berkeley vs University of Pennsylvania

Side-by-side ROI comparison · Bachelor's Degree
Return on Investment
10-year earnings ÷ tuition · higher is better
University of California-Berkeley
Berkeley, CA
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA
In-State
11.3x
$59,400 tuition
3.2x
$264,416 tuition
Out-of-State
3.7x
$182,508 tuition
3.2x
$264,416 tuition
$672,849 10-yr earnings · Public
$845,181 10-yr earnings · Private nonprofit

Head-to-Head

University of California-Berkeley University of Pennsylvania
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 11.3x 3.2x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 3.7x 3.2x
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $59,400 $264,416
Year 1 Earnings $45,418 $65,473
10-Year Earnings $673K $845K
Median Debt $13,000 $14,250
Debt-to-Earnings Ratio 3.4 months 2.6 months
DegreeWorth Score (In-State) 55/100 49/100
Acceptance Rate 11.7% 5.9%

Both programs have very high AI automation risk (50% task exposure) — the same career paths apply to Political Science and Government graduates regardless of school. See full AI analysis →

ROI Breakdown

How tuition costs translate into long-term earnings for Political Science and Government graduates.

University of California-Berkeley University of Pennsylvania
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $59,400 $264,416
4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) $182,508 $264,416
10-Year Projected Earnings $673K $845K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 11.3x 3.2x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 3.7x 3.2x
5-Year Salary Growth +72% +71%

"Earnings Multiple" = projected 10-year earnings ÷ 4-year tuition. Higher is better. Not a discounted financial ROI.

AI Disruption Scenarios

Both schools share identical AI exposure for Political Science and Government (same career paths). The score differences below reflect how each school's earnings and ROI hold up under stress.

University of California-Berkeley University of Pennsylvania
Optim. Base Pessim. Optim. Base Pessim.
10-Year Earnings $697K $673K $598K $892K $845K $728K
Earnings Multiple (IS) 11.7x 11.3x 10.1x 3.4x 3.2x 2.8x
DegreeWorth Score 57 55 49 51 49 44

For the full AI analysis of Political Science and Government career paths, see the University of California-Berkeley or University of Pennsylvania program pages.

Earnings Trajectory Comparison

Projected annual earnings for Political Science and Government graduates. Year 1 uses actual reported data.

Tuition Gap (In-State)
$205,016
University of California-Berkeley saves you this
Year 1 Earnings Gap
$20,055/yr
University of Pennsylvania grads earn more
ROI Range (In-State)
11.3x / 3.2x
Out-of-state: 3.7x / 3.2x

Career Paths

Political Science and Government graduates from both schools map to the same career paths. Differences in earnings reflect school prestige, location, and employer networks.

Career Path Wage Openings/yr Growth AI Risk
Political scientists $139,380 500 -3.1% 48%
Managers, all other $136,550 106,700 +4.5% 47%
Economics teachers, postsecondary $119,980 1,200 +2.1% 48%
Economists $115,440 900 +1.2% 61%
Political science teachers, postsecondary $94,680 1,600 +2.0% 48%
Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education $64,580 66,200 -1.6% 33%
Social science research assistants $58,040 5,200 +4.4% 67%
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Explore Each Program

Political Science and Government at University of California-Berkeley → Political Science and Government at University of Pennsylvania →

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Political Science and Government Overview

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for Political Science and Government: University of California-Berkeley or University of Pennsylvania?
University of California-Berkeley scores 55/100 while University of Pennsylvania scores 49/100. University of California-Berkeley has significantly lower tuition, which drives its higher ROI. The best choice depends on whether you prioritize raw earnings or return on investment.
Which school has better ROI for Political Science and Government?
University of California-Berkeley has an in-state earnings multiple of 11.3x vs University of Pennsylvania's 3.2x. That means University of California-Berkeley grads earn more per dollar spent on tuition. The $205,016 tuition gap is the biggest driver of this difference.
How do University of California-Berkeley and University of Pennsylvania compare on Political Science and Government earnings?
Year 1 median earnings are $45,418 at University of California-Berkeley vs $65,473 at University of Pennsylvania. Over 10 years, the projected totals are $672,849 vs $845,181 — a difference of $172,332.
How much does Political Science and Government cost at each school?
Four-year in-state tuition is $59,400 at University of California-Berkeley and $264,416 at University of Pennsylvania. Median debt at graduation is $13,000 vs $14,250. Both programs lead to the same Political Science and Government career paths — the cost difference is the main factor in ROI.
Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024-2034 (employment projections), OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs research (AI task exposure), Felten et al. AIOE. Scenarios use a continuous weighting function combining AI exposure and BLS job growth projections. "Earnings Multiple" is total 10-year projected earnings divided by tuition — not a discounted financial ROI. Last updated 2025.