Political Science and Government: University of Maryland Global Campus vs University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Side-by-side ROI comparison · Bachelor's Degree
Return on Investment
10-year earnings ÷ tuition · higher is better
In-State
18.5x
$31,968 tuition
17.7x
$35,956 tuition
Out-of-State
12.0x
$49,344 tuition
4.1x
$157,320 tuition
$592,534 10-yr earnings · Public
$638,008 10-yr earnings · Public

Head-to-Head

University of Maryland Global Campus University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 18.5x 17.7x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 12.0x 4.1x
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $31,968 $35,956
Year 1 Earnings $62,476 $41,200
10-Year Earnings $593K $638K
Median Debt $19,910 $14,569
Debt-to-Earnings Ratio 3.8 months 4.2 months
DegreeWorth Score (In-State) 67/100 60/100

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 Maryland Global Campus University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $31,968 $35,956
4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) $49,344 $157,320
10-Year Projected Earnings $593K $638K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 18.5x 17.7x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 12.0x 4.1x
5-Year Salary Growth +13% +73%

"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 Maryland Global Campus University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Optim. Base Pessim. Optim. Base Pessim.
10-Year Earnings $606K $593K $538K $657K $638K $572K
Earnings Multiple (IS) 18.9x 18.5x 16.8x 18.3x 17.7x 15.9x
DegreeWorth Score 69 67 62 62 60 55

For the full AI analysis of Political Science and Government career paths, see the University of Maryland Global Campus or University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill program pages.

Earnings Trajectory Comparison

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

Tuition Gap (In-State)
$3,988
University of Maryland Global Campus saves you this
Year 1 Earnings Gap
$21,276/yr
University of Maryland Global Campus grads earn more
ROI Range (In-State)
18.5x / 17.7x
Out-of-state: 12.0x / 4.1x

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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Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for Political Science and Government: University of Maryland Global Campus or University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill?
University of Maryland Global Campus scores 67/100 while University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill scores 60/100. University of Maryland Global Campus 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 Maryland Global Campus has an in-state earnings multiple of 18.5x vs University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's 17.7x. That means University of Maryland Global Campus grads earn more per dollar spent on tuition.
How do University of Maryland Global Campus and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill compare on Political Science and Government earnings?
Year 1 median earnings are $62,476 at University of Maryland Global Campus vs $41,200 at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Over 10 years, the projected totals are $592,534 vs $638,008 — a difference of $45,474.
How much does Political Science and Government cost at each school?
Four-year in-state tuition is $31,968 at University of Maryland Global Campus and $35,956 at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Median debt at graduation is $19,910 vs $14,569. 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.