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Cheapest Political Science and Government Colleges in California

Ranked by lowest net price after financial aid. See our methodology.

California State University-Dominguez Hills delivers the state's most affordable Political Science program at just $3,659 net cost, yet graduates earn $33,993 annually. This price advantage becomes striking when compared to UC San Diego's $11,750 net cost for similar earnings of $33,281. The 20 programs span from highly selective UC San Diego with its 23.71% acceptance rate to accessible options like CSU-Stanislaus accepting 96.61% of applicants. California's massive economy creates substantial demand for political science graduates across state government in Sacramento, federal agencies throughout the state, and nonprofit organizations addressing issues from immigration to environmental policy. The Cal Grant program helps make these opportunities accessible, covering full tuition for qualifying students at CSU campuses. While earnings vary from $18,771 to $44,356, the combination of low net costs and California's extensive public sector creates pathways into careers spanning local government, policy analysis, and advocacy work.
50
Programs
$3,659 – $28,248
Net Price Range
$32,801
Avg. Program Earnings
65.8%
Avg. Graduation Rate

50 Political Science and Government Programs

Program rankings
# School Net Price In-State Tuition Graduation Rate Acceptance Rate
1 $3,659 $7,064 46.9% 89.1%
2 $4,113 $6,813 52.6% 86.9%
3 $5,646 $7,073 69.2% 66.7%
4 $5,671 $7,826 58.0% 96.6%
5 $5,825 $7,696 49.3% 86.6%
6 $5,918 $7,675 54.7% 91.1%
7 $6,480 $6,980 54.8% 95.4%
8 $7,599 $7,095 56.2% 91.2%
9 $8,931 $7,008 69.9% 40.0%
10 $9,792 $6,817 53.5% 89.7%
11 $10,512 $7,602 55.8% 93.2%
12 $10,550 $7,739 54.2% 95.2%
13 $11,276 $7,055 45.5% 96.2%
14 $11,580 $7,439 66.7% 55.4%
15 $11,750 $15,265 87.6% 23.7%
16 $12,136 $62,484 92.8% 3.7%
17 $12,744 $14,167 69.1% 89.5%
18 $12,840 $14,237 86.0% 21.2%
19 $12,882 $7,424 50.1% 94.2%
20 $13,167 $7,913 46.6% 98.2%
21 $13,707 $14,170 76.6% 68.7%
22 $13,741 $7,992 64.7% 76.7%
23 $13,801 $8,190 60.5% 94.0%
24 $13,825 $14,965 85.3% 25.9%
25 $14,013 $13,747 92.7% 8.6%
26 $14,317 $35,558 55.9% 75.0%
27 $14,838 $8,064 63.6% 95.0%
28 $14,979 $14,850 92.9% 11.3%
29 $15,288 $15,247 85.1% 37.3%
30 $15,624 $11,075 85.2% 30.4%
31 $16,174 $8,290 78.3% 39.3%
32 $16,607 $14,560 74.5% 46.9%
33 $18,902 $63,255 93.2% 2.7%
34 $19,424 $62,326 93.2% 7.0%
35 $19,798 $43,600 64.4% 87.0%
36 $20,979 $35,214 51.5% 48.5%
37 $22,867 $57,614 70.7% 81.9%
38 $25,009 $48,132 53.4% 75.8%
39 $25,300 $37,150 60.7% 65.9%
40 $25,321 $13,160 8.8%
41 $25,926 $55,340 67.8% 93.2%
42 $26,217 $35,910 68.1% 91.9%
43 $26,433 $50,670 74.0% 87.2%
44 $26,925 $47,000 65.4% 73.5%
45 $27,384 $39,720 59.5% 79.9%
46 $27,384 $64,150 95.2% 10.4%
47 $27,923 $38,522 41.7%
48 $28,046 $41,390 62.5% 69.0%
49 $28,101 $46,704 68.8% 56.6%
50 $28,248 $44,886 54.8% 62.6%

Frequently Asked Questions

What explains the $8,091 cost difference between the cheapest and most expensive programs?

CSU-Dominguez Hills charges $3,659 net cost compared to UC San Diego's $11,750, reflecting different institutional funding models and student aid packages. The CSU system generally offers lower costs with strong financial aid, while UC campuses command higher prices but provide different research opportunities. Most CSU campuses in this ranking cluster between $5,000-$11,000 net cost, making the system particularly accessible for political science students.

How do graduation rates correlate with program selectivity?

UC San Diego combines the highest selectivity at 23.71% acceptance with an 87.60% graduation rate, while CSU-Fullerton achieves 69.20% graduation with 66.72% acceptance. Interestingly, CSU-Long Beach maintains 69.90% graduation despite accepting just 39.95% of applicants. The data shows that moderate selectivity often produces strong outcomes without extreme admissions barriers.

Where do political science graduates find the highest earning potential in California?

CSU-East Bay graduates earn $44,356 annually, the highest among these programs, despite the school's 96.20% acceptance rate. CSU-Sacramento follows at $38,751, benefiting from proximity to state government opportunities. CSU-Channel Islands rounds out the top three at $35,420, showing that location and program focus matter more than institutional selectivity for earnings.

Is student debt a major concern for California political science majors?

Debt levels remain manageable across most programs, ranging from $9,895 at CSU-Los Angeles to $18,322 at CSU-East Bay. The median debt falls around $15,000, well below national averages for bachelor's degrees. California's strong financial aid programs and relatively low CSU tuition help keep borrowing minimal for in-state students.

Does program cost predict career earnings for graduates?

The relationship between cost and earnings shows interesting patterns rather than direct correlation. CSU-East Bay charges $11,276 but produces the highest earnings at $44,356, while UC San Diego costs similar amounts for lower earnings. CSU-Stanislaus offers the second-lowest cost at $5,671 but shows the lowest earnings at $18,771, suggesting location and program connections matter significantly.

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Net price reflects the average cost after grants and scholarships for first-time, full-time students. See our methodology for details.