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2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major

119 Ranked Colleges
720 Degrees Awarded
$31,500 Avg Cost*
Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

In 2021-2022, 45,964 people earned their degree in political science, making the major the 13th most popular in the United States.

At the doctor’s degree level specifically, there were 720 political science graduates with average earnings and debt of $75,735 and $124,256 respectively.

This year’s “Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major” ranking analyzed 119 colleges that offered a degree in political science. The colleges and universities that top this list are recognized because their political science program is one of the largest majors offered at the school.

Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

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Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

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. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major

The colleges and universities below are the best for doctor’s degree poly sci students.

Top 25 Most Focused Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Political Science

1
Claremont Graduate University crest
Claremont Graduate University
Claremont, California

Out of the 119 schools in the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Claremont Graduate University landed the #1 spot on the list. Claremont Graduate University is a small school located in Claremont, California that handed out 13 doctorate’s poly sci degrees in 2021-2022.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Political Science at Claremont Graduate University

2
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Princeton University
Princeton, New Jersey

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Princeton University. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major list. Princeton is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Princeton, New Jersey. It awarded 26 doctorate’s poly sci degrees in 2021-2022.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Princeton University Political Science Report

3
Hillsdale College crest
Hillsdale College
Hillsdale, Michigan

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Hillsdale College. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major list. Hillsdale College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Hillsdale, Michigan. It awarded 2 doctorate’s poly sci degrees in 2021-2022.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full Hillsdale College Political Science Report

4
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Howard University
Washington, District of Columbia

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Howard University. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major list. Howard University is located in Washington, District of Columbia and, has a fairly large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 1 doctorate’s poly sci degrees to qualified students.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Political Science at Howard

5
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Stanford University
Stanford, California

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Stanford University. The school came in at #5 for the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major. Stanford University is located in Stanford, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 11 doctorate’s poly sci degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 98%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Political Science at Stanford University

6
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The Graduate Center, CUNY
New York, New York

With a ranking of #6, The Graduate Center, CUNY did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major list. New York, New York is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out doctorate’s poly sci degrees to 8 students in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full The Graduate Center Political Science Report

7
Yale crest
Yale University
New Haven, Connecticut

Yale University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major ranking, coming in at #7. Yale is a private not-for-profit institution located in New Haven, Connecticut. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 12 doctorate’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 98%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Yale Political Science Report

8
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University of New Orleans
New Orleans, Louisiana

University of New Orleans ranked #8 on this year’s Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major list. Located in New Orleans, Louisiana, this medium-sized public school handed out 14 degrees to qualified doctorate’s poly sci students in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Political Science at UNO

9
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Catholic University of America
Washington, District of Columbia

Catholic University of America landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major ranking. CUA is a private not-for-profit institution located in Washington, District of Columbia. The school has a small population, and it awarded 79 doctorate’s degrees in 2021-2022.

With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Political Science at CUA

10

University of Dallas did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major ranking, coming in at #10. University of Dallas is a private not-for-profit institution located in Irving, Texas. The school has a small population, and it awarded 3 doctorate’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Political Science at University of Dallas

11
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University of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

With a ranking of #11, University of Chicago did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major list. University of Chicago is a fairly large school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 15 doctorate’s poly sci degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 99%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Political Science at UChicago

12

Massachusetts Institute of Technology did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major ranking, coming in at #12. MIT is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts and, has a fairly large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 9 doctorate’s poly sci degrees to qualified students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 99%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full Massachusetts Institute of Technology Political Science Report

13
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University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame, Indiana

University of Notre Dame landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major ranking. University of Notre Dame is a private not-for-profit institution located in Notre Dame, Indiana. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 8 doctorate’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 98%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Political Science at University of Notre Dame

14
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University of South Dakota
Vermillion, South Dakota

University of South Dakota came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Vermillion, South Dakota, and it awarded 1 doctorate’s poly sci degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Political Science at University of South Dakota

15
Duke crest
Duke University
Durham, North Carolina

Duke University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major ranking, coming in at #15. This fairly large school is located in Durham, North Carolina, and it awarded 8 doctorate’s poly sci degrees in 2021-2022.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 98%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Political Science at Duke University

16
Harvard crest
Harvard University
Cambridge, Massachusetts

Harvard University landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major ranking. Harvard is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts and, has a large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 10 doctorate’s poly sci degrees to qualified students.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Harvard Political Science Report

17
Brown crest
Brown University
Providence, Rhode Island

Brown University landed the #17 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major ranking. Brown is a fairly large school located in Providence, Rhode Island that handed out 10 doctorate’s poly sci degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 98%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on Political Science at Brown University

18
Emory crest
Emory University
Atlanta, Georgia

Emory University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major ranking, coming in at #18. Located in Atlanta, Georgia, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 5 diplomas to qualified doctorate’s poly sci students in 2021-2022.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Political Science at Emory

19
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Georgetown University
Washington, District of Columbia

With a ranking of #19, Georgetown University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major list. Georgetown University is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Washington, District of Columbia. It awarded 7 doctorate’s poly sci degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 98%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Political Science at Georgetown University

20
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University of Rochester
Rochester, New York

University of Rochester did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major ranking, coming in at #20. Rochester, New York is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out doctorate’s poly sci degrees to 4 students in 2021-2022.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full University of Rochester Political Science Report

21
New School University crest
The New School
New York, New York

With a ranking of #21, The New School did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major list. The New School is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in New York, New York. It awarded 4 doctorate’s poly sci degrees in 2021-2022.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full New School University Political Science Report

22
Boston College crest
Boston College
Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts

With a ranking of #22, Boston College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major list. Boston College is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. It awarded 3 doctorate’s poly sci degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Political Science at Boston College

23

University of Missouri - St Louis did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major ranking, coming in at #23. UMSL is a fairly large public school situated in Saint Louis, Missouri. It awarded 3 doctorate’s poly sci degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full UMSL Political Science Report

24
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Clark Atlanta University
Atlanta, Georgia

Clark Atlanta University came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major ranking. Atlanta, Georgia is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out doctorate’s poly sci degrees to 14 students in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Political Science at CAU

25
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Rice University
Houston, Texas

Rice University landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major ranking. Rice is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Houston, Texas. It awarded 6 doctorate’s poly sci degrees in 2021-2022.

With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on Political Science at Rice

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