Politics is a diverse field in which your career greatly depends on your skills, abilities, and expertise. Students aspiring to enter this field should consider the best majors for politics. In this article, you’ll learn how to choose a major for politics that will develop your professional skills in the field.
A college education is a significant part of career development, and carefully choosing a major is important to proceed smoothly. The best college majors for politics, such as political science degree programs, provide students with a strong foundation to enter the lucrative field of politics. They serve as an entry route to both grad school and diverse careers in this field.
What Major Is the Best for Politics?
Economics is the best major for politics because it trains students to deal with fundamental economic concepts involved in the political sector. A major for politics is a degree path that lets students learn about the theories, ideas, concepts, and practices prevalent in the field of politics. This prepares them to enter the field equipped with the necessary information and skills.
According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), business and social science rank among the top five most popular majors in the US among postsecondary students. Both these majors help pave your way to a stable career in politics. You can complete your post-secondary education in these fields and develop essential skills for your professional life.
How to Choose a Major for Politics
- Explore available options. Before choosing a major, you should consider what degree options are available for you. List potential majors for politics and learn a bit about all of them. Analyze the future prospects of each major to decide which one aligns with your career plans and learning objectives the most.
- Consider your career plan. There is a wide range of career options in the field of politics. Before choosing a major for politics, you must first consider the career you want to pursue. This will narrow down the available academic major options to make it easier for you to choose from them.
- Think about your strengths. Your college major will require more hard work than what was required in high school, and therefore you should consider your abilities before choosing a major. Choose an academic major that aligns with your strengths so that you can excel in your college studies.
- Consider a major’s relevant job outlook. Does the major you want to choose lead to ample career opportunities? If career growth is important to you, you should calculate the expected career growth rate of the particular occupation you are seeking to adopt.
- Get expert advice. Reach out to an expert or senior student that is studying or working in the same field to ask for their advice. With their practical experience in the field, they can guide you better regarding the employability and learning opportunities in politics.
What Are the Best Majors for Politics?
- Economics | Average Salary: $78,000
- Business Administration | Average Salary: $74,000
- Finance | Average Salary: $72,000
- Public Policy | Average Salary: $72,000
- International Relations | Average Salary: $70,000
- Public Administration | Average Salary: $69,000
- Law | Average Salary: $65,000
- Communication | Average Salary: $57,000
- Political Science | Average Salary: $56,000
- Public Health | Average Salary: $50,000
Best College Majors for Politics: Explained
Economics | Average Salary: $78,000
An economics degree discusses the significant topics related to financial and economic matters, including demand, supply, purchasing power, market analysis, interest rate, and inflation. You can get an undergraduate degree in economics to get fundamental knowledge of these concepts. For advanced degree knowledge, you might require getting a master’s degree.
Economics stands out as an important aspect in the political sector that politicians must have a keen knowledge of. It helps them in formulating and analyzing different policies, preparing budgets, and planning for the growth and development of the country. It directly or indirectly applies to the majority of jobs in politics.
Business Administration | Average Salary: $74,000
A business administration degree leads to the development of leadership qualities and management skills among students. These skills benefit them in performing their duties on administrative levels. A person having a key role in a governmental organization needs these skills to perform several responsibilities associated with the job.
As an Associate in Business Administration student, you learn the foundational concepts and theories mainly focused on management. At the higher degree level, this major trains you to efficiently allocate available resources to obtain the desired outcome. These skills are crucial for anyone in the role of policy maker, administrator, or planner.
Finance | Average Salary: $72,000
The major in finance deals with topics related to financial planning, management, budgeting, and financial policies. It involves studying these concepts in detail through theoretical and practical learning. Opting for finance as a college major leads you to become a finance expert performing various roles such as consulting, advising, planning, policy-making, and others.
This major helps in popular job roles available in the field of politics. It provides useful insights not only for entry-level jobs but also for important top-level posts that involve complex problem-solving and decision-making.
Public Policy | Average Salary: $72,000
Public policy involves studying the fundamentals of policy making and implementation. It trains individuals to design policies targeted at making people’s lives better. At the undergraduate level, it includes the concepts of crafting policies from scratch, keeping into consideration their short and long-term impacts on the lives of people.
Many government officeholders are involved in drafting, reviewing, and implementing public policies. This major prepares them for such jobs by offering detailed, evidence-based learning in this field. They can successfully take on responsibilities as a senator, minister, prime minister, and president.
International Relations | Average Salary: $69,000
International relations offers interdisciplinary studies of the complex topics related to foreign relations of a country. A major in international relations, whether at the associate’s level or advanced degree level, prepares learners for specialized jobs such as foreign ministers, diplomats, and analysts.
If you wish to pursue a career in politics, you must have a keen knowledge of rules and ideas governing international relations. Even if your job is focused only on American politics rather than foreign affairs, you will still require the expertise to analyze the impact of the world on your local economy and other walks of life.
Law | Average Salary: $65,000
This major deals with theories related to the legislative process, criminal law, and justice and includes topics such as human rights, legal system, restorative justice, and administrative law. Having a deep understanding of these topics is significant for politicians irrespective of their domain. An associate criminal justice degree provides foundational insights into this subject.
You can also pursue a Bachelor’s Degree in Law to become a lawyer. A law degree prepares aspiring politicians to understand the fundamental knowledge of the legal system. Politicians are involved in law-making, and having prerequisites in law provides them with an edge in political governance. Many students attend law school to earn their law degree.
Communication | Average Salary: $57,000
A major in communication focuses on the efficient gathering, processing, and disseminating of information. It is a crucial part of our daily lives and a wide range of careers, including politics. This field of study includes oral and written communication and develops essential skills, including problem-solving, information processing, and decision-making.
To become a successful politician, you must have effective communication and debate skills. It becomes crucial if you are seeking a career as a bureaucrat or a diplomat. Having this essential skill and qualification prepares you for a diverse range of careers in politics.
Political Science | Average Salary: $56,000
Political science is the field of study leading to a career in politics. A political science major is concerned with the art of understanding the complex field of politics. It includes the study of different political structures, political systems, ideologies, theories, and concepts guiding this field.
While pursuing a degree in political science, you can explore the fund of knowledge about concepts such as communism, capitalism, and other ideals governing this area of study. It prepares you for a range of different careers in politics through a firm understanding of essential concepts. Popular jobs for political science majors after graduation include consultants, political analysts, and aides.
Public Administration | Average Salary: $52,000
Public administration is a popular college major among students aspiring to seek a lucrative career in politics. This major includes the study of implementing government policies efficiently and the process of transitioning government policies into laws. This major opens doors for careers in government agencies.
You can earn an undergraduate degree to begin your career as an entry-level employee and gain experience over time to seek better positions. It is a valuable major that can help you land high-paying jobs in politics in a wide range of areas. The most popular areas include civil service, political organizations, and the economy.
Public Health | Average Salary: $50,000
Public health refers to the study of improving healthcare services available to the local community. It involves the study of policy making and implementation aimed at improving community health standards. This is a significant area having an impact on the lives of the majority of voters.
To become a successful political leader or a public office holder, you must be able to offer the maximum value and benefit to the local community. Healthcare is one of the basic necessities that creates a significant impact on people’s lives. Having strong foundational knowledge in this field enables you to take on different roles such as consultant, policy strategist, and community health expert.
What Are the Best Careers in Politics?
With a major in politics, you can get jobs such as political scientist, policy analyst, public relations specialist, and economist. The careers in politics mainly depend on the major you select in your college. There are various diverse careers in politics with good earning potential.
Top 10 Best Careers in Politics
There are diverse career opportunities for graduates with the best majors in politics. You can seek potential job opportunities per your interests and areas of expertise. Building skills alongside earning a degree plays a major role in landing high-paying jobs in politics.
Political Scientist
- Average Salary: $122,510
- Job Outlook: 9% growth from 2020 to 2030*
- Required Education: Master’s degree
A political scientist analyzes the political structure and finds solutions to political problems and current issues. They utilize their expertise and knowledge to understand the impact of policies and actions on the lives of common people and seek to work for their betterment. Political scientists usually have visionary mindsets and leadership qualities to make the most of their expertise.
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Policy Analyst
- Average Salary: $61,336
- Job Outlook: 9% growth from 2020 to 2030*
- Required Education: Master’s degree
A policy analyst evaluates proposed policies from various aspects to highlight any room for improvement. The primary duties include critical evaluation, highlighting key improvement points, and recommending necessary amendments. The job requires good research skills, critical thinking, reasoning abilities, and communication skills.
Public Affairs Manager
- Average Salary: $77,976
- Job Outlook: 9% growth from 2020 to 2030*
- Required Education: Bachelor’s degree
A public affairs manager works for a governmental organization or a political party to oversee and manage matters related to public policy, relations, and political issues. The job mainly involves a consultation role where the public affairs manager advises political organizations to the best of their knowledge. Good communication skills are significant for this position.
Public Relations Manager
- Average Salary: $119,860
- Job Outlook: 13% growth from 2020 to 2030**
- Required Education: Bachelor’s degree
A public relations manager performs the primary duty of improving the public image of a political leader, party, or organization. They bridge the relationship between the public and government or political party through effectively communicating activities of public interest. Drafting press releases, designing campaigns, and suggesting activities are also a part of this job post.
Communications Coordinator
- Average Salary: $62,340
- Job Outlook: 11% growth from 2020 to 2030***
- Required Education: Bachelor’s degree
The communication coordinator performs the crucial role of managing political communications. It is an important position, and a highly creative and skilled person is suitable for this job. The primary responsibilities include finding and implementing communication strategies to improve public image and coordinate media and public relations. The job has a high demand and a high growth rate.
Economist
- Average Salary: $105,630
- Job Outlook: 13% growth from 2020 to 2030
- Required Education: Master’s degree
Economists are crucial in politics and government and are responsible for managing the economic affairs of a country. They work independently as well as other public office holders and advise them about the market conditions and other indicators to devise better public policies. The job has a high potential for personal and professional development and requires good foundational knowledge of the subject.
Lobbyist
- Average Salary: $62,800
- Job Outlook: 11% growth from 2020 to 2030***
- Required Education: Bachelor’s degree
Lobbyists are experienced professionals with good communication and persuasive skills, which can convince other groups and get their vote. They usually work for a political party to help them get the required votes for a proposed policy or an action plan of their interest. The post requires exceptionally good communication and public relations skills, along with problem-solving and logical reasoning.
Media Strategist
- Average Salary: $52,762
- Job Outlook: 11% growth from 2020 to 2030***
- Required Education: Bachelor’s degree
A media strategist has always been an important post and is even more crucial nowadays. The primary job of a media strategist is to plan and design political campaign strategies, promote an individual or organization’s performance, monitor results, and manage corresponding action plans. They also organize different events, interviews, and advertisements to promote the candidate.
Pollster
- Average Salary: $80,890
- Job Outlook: 7% growth from 2020 to 2030*
- Required Education: Master’s degree
A pollster is an expert who manages the performance and effectiveness of a political campaign and suggests necessary improvements. They analyze the campaign from the voters’ viewpoint and effectively communicate the ideas and message of the political party. Other responsibilities include gathering data, analyzing it, drawing evidence-based conclusions, and preparing reports to communicate the findings.
Legislative Assistant
- Average Salary: $39,958
- Job Outlook: 12% growth from 2020 to 2030
- Required Education: Associate’s degree
A legislative aide or a legislative assistant is an expert with a law degree who provides legal assistance to an individual or an organization. They assist policymakers and campaign managers in ensuring that legal compliance is observed. This is an entry-level post for law school graduates with a criminal justice degree to help them begin their political careers.
*This statistic is grouped under Political Scientists on the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
**This statistic is grouped under Public Relations and Fundraising Managers on BLS
***This statistic is grouped under Public Relations Specialists on BLS
Is Political Science a Good Politics Major?
Yes, a political science major is a good politics major. This major prepares political science graduates for a wide range of political careers. You can get specialized knowledge and develop relevant skills to qualify for the best jobs for political science majors.
Politics is a highly competitive field, and you must plan well before entering it. Focus on skill development and experiential learning as much as you can besides completing your college degree. It will help you pursue a sustainable and long-term political career.
Best Majors for Politics FAQ
To get into politics, personality, skills, and abilities matter a lot. You must be good at analyzing different viewpoints, communicating your ideas, understanding others’ narratives, and multitasking. Having specialized knowledge in an academic area such as political science majors serves as a worthy add-on with all these skills to help you get into politics.
To find jobs in politics, you need to employ different resources to make the most of your politics degree. Try to find and utilize internship opportunities to get field experience of concepts learned in the classroom. Besides that, build a strong resume, work as a volunteer in political campaigns, and join local political groups to build connections.
Yes, it is important to earn a degree for a career in politics, although it is not mandatory. A college degree in majors related to political science provides you with relevant concepts and skills in a systematic manner and prepares you for the industry. This increases your employment opportunities and earning potential.
Yes, you can become a president with a political science degree. Becoming the president of a country depends more on other crucial factors than your college degree. A degree in political science can help you learn about the complex political process and broaden your vision.
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