College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2025 Best Political Science & Government Schools in District of Columbia

6 Colleges in District of Columbia
1,272 Political Science Degrees Awarded
$37,575 Avg Early-Career Salary
Political Science & Government is of the hottest degree programs in the United States, coming in as the #20 most popular major in the country. This makes choosing the right school a hard decision.

College Factual looked at 6 colleges and universities when compiling its 2025 Best Political Science & Government Schools in District of Columbia ranking. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 1,272 degrees in political science & government annually.

Jump to one of the following sections: * Degree-Level Rankings

Choosing a Great Political Science & Government School

Best Political Science & Government Schools in District of Columbia Your choice of political science & government school matters, so we have put together these rankings to help you make your decision. In order to come up with a best overall ranking for political science & government schools, we combine our degree-level rankings, weighting them by the number of degrees awarded at each level.

You may want to choose one of the degree levels below to find the schools of most interest to you.

Political Science & Government Rankings by Degree Level

Bachelor's Degrees in Political Science
Master's Degrees in Political Science
Doctor's Degrees in Political Science

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we've developed the Best Political Science & Government Schools in District of Columbia ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision. You can also filter this list by location to find schools closer to you.

In addition to College Factual's rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don't forget it.

More information on how we come up with our rankings can be found here: College Factual's Data Methodology.

Best Schools for Political Science & Government in District of Columbia

Although we recommend filtering by degree level first, you can view the list below to see which schools give the educational experience for the political science degree levels they offer.

Top District of Columbia Schools in Political Science

1
Georgetown crest
Georgetown University
Washington, DC
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
308 Political Science Degrees Awarded
0.6% Growth in Graduates

Georgetown University is a good decision for students pursuing a degree in political science & government. Located in the city of Washington, Georgetown is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #11 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means Georgetown is a great university overall.

There were approximately 308 political science & government students who graduated with this degree at Georgetown in the most recent data year. Degree recipients from the political science & government program at Georgetown University make $19,823 above the typical college grad with the same degree shortly after graduation.

More information about a degree in political science & government from Georgetown University

2
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
469 Political Science Degrees Awarded
$59,288 Median Starting Salary

It is difficult to beat George Washington University if you wish to pursue a degree in political science & government. GWU is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Washington. A Best Colleges rank of #25 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means GWU is a great university overall.

There were about 469 political science & government students who graduated with this degree at GWU in the most recent year we have data available. Those political science & government students who get their degree from George Washington University receive $21,713 more than the typical political science student.

More information about a degree in political science & government from George Washington University

Sponsored
Bachelors Degree Type
BA in Political Science Program Name

Gain a solid understanding of American political history, the current political landscape, and the major political parties with this online bachelor's from Southern New Hampshire University.

More information about a degree in BA in Political Science from Southern New Hampshire University
3
The American University crest
American University
Washington, DC
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
246 Political Science Degrees Awarded
$48,131 Median Starting Salary

American University is a wonderful option for students interested in a degree in political science & government. The American University is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Washington. A Best Colleges rank of #61 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means The American University is a great university overall.

There were roughly 246 political science & government students who graduated with this degree at The American University in the most recent year we have data available. Political Science & Government degree recipients from American University receive an earnings boost of around $10,556 over the average income of political science & government graduates.

More information about a degree in political science & government from American University

4
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
80 Political Science Degrees Awarded
$44,617 Median Starting Salary

Catholic University of America is a wonderful choice for students interested in a degree in political science & government. Located in the large city of Washington, CUA is a private not-for-profit university with a medium-sized student population. This university ranks 4th out of 7 colleges for overall quality in the state of District of Columbia.

There were approximately 80 political science & government students who graduated with this degree at CUA in the most recent data year. Those political science & government students who get their degree from Catholic University of America make $7,042 more than the typical political science graduate.

More information about a degree in political science & government from Catholic University of America

5
Howard crest
Howard University
Washington, DC
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
125 Political Science Degrees Awarded
$31,897 Median Starting Salary

Located in the large city of Washington, Howard is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population. This university ranks 5th out of 7 schools for overall quality in the state of District of Columbia.

There were about 125 political science & government students who graduated with this degree at Howard in the most recent data year. Graduates who receive their degree from the political science program earn around $31,897 in the first couple years of their career.

More information about a degree in political science & government from Howard University

6
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
$49,935 Median Starting Salary

University of the District of Columbia is a small public university located in the city of Washington. This university ranks 7th out of 7 schools for overall quality in the state of District of Columbia.

There were about 30 political science & government students who graduated with this degree at University of the District of Columbia in the most recent data year. Degree recipients from the political science & government program at University of the District of Columbia earn $12,360 more than the average graduate with the same degree when they enter the workforce.

More information about a degree in political science & government from University of the District of Columbia

Best Political Science & Government Colleges in the Middle Atlantic Region

Explore all the Best Political Science & Government Colleges in the Middle Atlantic Area or other specific states within that region.

State Colleges Degrees Awarded
Pennsylvania 334 2,079
New York 333 3,765
Maryland 279 1,135
New Jersey 273 792
Delaware 175 173

View All Rankings >

One of 13 majors within the Social Sciences area of study, Political Science & Government has other similar majors worth exploring.

Political Science Focus Areas

Major Annual Graduates
Political Science 1,065
American Government & Politics (United States) 148
Political Economy 46
Other Political Science & Government 13

View All Political Science Focus Areas >

Related Major Annual Graduates
International Relations & National Security 2,205
Economics 693
Sociology 145
General Social Sciences 113
Anthropology 100
Geography & Cartography 40
Urban Studies 12
Archeology 7

View All Political Science Related Majors >

Notes and References

More about our data sources and methodologies.

Popular Reports

College Rankings
Best by Location
Degree Guides by Major
Graduate Programs

Compare Your School Options