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A Closer Look at Our List of Affordable Political Science Master's Programs

If you're considering an online master鈥檚 in political science, you鈥檙e likely balancing big questions: What will this cost me? Will it pay off? And will I get a strong academic experience in return? 

Our curated list of 15 fully online master鈥檚 programs in political science answers those questions through data, with affordability as the starting point.

The median total tuition cost on our list is $10,278. That鈥檚 a strong value considering that many traditional on-campus political science master鈥檚 programs can run $20,000 to $40,000 or more. You can calculate the full program cost by multiplying published per-credit rates by total required credits or by using confirmed flat-rate tuition if available. 

Out of the 15 online schools: 

This means that the majority of programs on our list cost less in total than a single year at many other institutions. That affordability opens doors, especially for students entering public service, nonprofit work, or academic research fields where ROI matters deeply. 

But while price sets the stage, the real differentiators come from what each program delivers in terms of learning experience, faculty access, and long-term career outcomes. Below, we dive into the numbers in order to determine the true value of these master's programs. 

Why Affordability Matters in Political Science

Political science attracts deep thinkers 鈥� people who want to understand institutions, influence public policy, or drive social change. But it鈥檚 no secret that many of the roles tied to this field, from government analysts to nonprofit directors to advocacy researchers, aren鈥檛 known for six-figure salaries right out of grad school. That鈥檚 why choosing an affordable online school is essential. 

Every school on this list offers an online master鈥檚 degree in political science (or a closely related specialization) for under $18,000 per year, and in many cases, far under. The lowest-priced option, the University of Illinois at Springfield (UIS), comes in at just $7,315. That鈥檚 nearly $10,000 less than the most expensive programs on the list, like Norwich or the University of West Florida.

These kinds of numbers matter when you're preparing for a career where impact often outweighs income. And yet, the numbers show that the initial investment still pays off. One standout example is the American Public University System (APUS), which offers a yearly tuition of $8,190 and reports average earnings of $78,460 for political science master鈥檚 graduates. This places it in the 56th percentile nationally for earnings in this field, better than half of your peers. That kind of return on such a modest tuition is hard to beat.

The lower the financial barrier, the easier you can keep your debt load manageable, and in some cases, still offer above-average earning potential. 

Faculty Access & Online Experience

The student-to-faculty ratio of a school is often overlooked, but it matters too, especially online. A lower ratio typically means more individualized attention:

And speaking of scale, schools like Liberty University (with over 45,000 online students) and ASU Online are powerhouses in distance education, great for networking and access to digital learning tools, though possibly less intimate than smaller programs. 

Ultimately, it comes down to asking yourself: What kind of experience am I looking for? 

Specialization & Program Design: Not All Political Science Degrees Are Alike

While every program on this list falls under the political science umbrella, don鈥檛 be fooled. The degrees vary dramatically in focus, structure, and career trajectory. That鈥檚 good news if you鈥檙e trying to tailor your graduate experience to fit a very specific vision of your future, whether that鈥檚 in local government, global diplomacy, campaign strategy, or academic research.

Some political science master's programs stick to the classic model. Schools like Sam Houston State, Eastern Illinois, and the University of Nebraska at Omaha offer traditional master鈥檚 degrees in political science that cover the fundamentals 鈥� political theory, comparative politics, public law, and more. These are strong choices if you're aiming to teach, continue on to a Ph.D., or keep your career options open in both research and applied roles.

Others take a more specialized or interdisciplinary approach. Take ASU Online, for instance. Instead of a standard poli sci degree, it offers a master鈥檚 in political psychology. This is a particularly rare niche that blends political science with behavioral research and cognitive theory. If you're fascinated by how voters make decisions, how campaigns frame narratives, or how leaders persuade the public, this program could be a uniquely strategic fit.

Then there鈥檚 Oregon State University, which bypasses the 鈥減olitical science鈥� label entirely in favor of a Master of Public Policy. It鈥檚 still grounded in politics, but with a practical, administrative slant. Think: policy evaluation, budgeting, economic development. It's ideal if you're targeting a career in government leadership or policy analysis.

Norwich University offers yet another twist: a master鈥檚 in international relations, which appeals to students looking to work globally, whether in diplomacy, intelligence, or humanitarian roles. It shares academic DNA with political science, but leans into international systems, security studies, and foreign affairs.

These variations reflect real philosophical differences in how schools approach the study of power, governance, and civic life. And for you, the prospective student, they signal how your coursework and your post-grad opportunities might unfold.

So as you browse tuition and outcomes, take a close look at curriculum, too. Do you want deep dives into political theory? Or hands-on training in policy design? Do you picture yourself decoding election data or crafting foreign policy? The good news: There鈥檚 a program above that fits. The challenge is choosing the one that matches your goals, not just your budget.

Policy in Practice: A Former Federal Advisor on the Real-World Value of a Master鈥檚 in Political Science

Founder of Marshall Policy Solutions

I have a Master of Public Administration and have served in leadership roles in the nonprofit and government sectors. Most recently I was a member of the Biden-Harris Administration as a senior advisor at the US Department of Health and Human Services. I have also held senior roles at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a nationally renowned think tank that focuses on tax and budget policies.

In your experience, what motivates students to pursue a master鈥檚 in political science? 

Students who pursue any master鈥檚 degree do so because they identified the graduate level education as key to developing their expertise in a field as well as gaining practical tools and connections to further their career. Political Science and other related degrees offer students the chance to develop their analytical skills, deepen their knowledge of research methods (both qualitative and quantitively) as well as understand how our government works and why it does what it does. 

Depending on their focus, they can become experts on the legislative process or on the role of the executive branch on both the state and federal levels. They can learn how policy and laws are shaped and enacted and how outside groups, private firms, and nonprofits play a role in shaping national debates and local developments.

How realistic are students' expectations about where this degree can lead? 

Degrees in poly sci and other fields can lead people to leading social and political research projects, working at think tanks and policy labs, or joining political campaigns. They can also join the staff of elected leaders and join administrations (presidential, gubernatorial, mayoral). 

I think organizations and individuals who are hiring employees know these degrees indicate the candidate has a high level of research methods knowledge, strong reading and writing skills, and can consume and translate large amounts of information quickly and accurately. They also want to see candidates who know how to properly identify, assess, and solve problems. So, courses and projects that show that type of skills are important, as is learning some of the basics of data manipulation and research methods and the common software involved.

What kinds of roles are open to those with advanced political science training? 

I鈥檝e seen people with these degrees at large think tanks, nonprofit advocacy groups, or working for consulting firms. I have also known them to work for lobbying and legal firms or doing external and community affairs work (i.e. events for the public and policymakers, liaising between different levels of government and the private and nonprofit sectors).

Every large corporation has a public policy team that manages their relations with elected leaders, government officials, and external partners to advance their policy agenda. People with these degrees often end up in those roles as well.

Are there specific subfields that you think offer a strategic advantage in today鈥檚 job market? 

Everyone and every entity can benefit from better communication. So, anything comms and public affairs related is always in high demand. Along that line, orgs are always hiring government affairs staff: individuals who know how government works and more importantly who works in government and who can help move things along. And data is kind. So, any way to depend on your understanding of how to collect and analyze data is always important鈥攊n so many different fields.

What advice would you give to someone starting an online master鈥檚 in political science? 

I鈥檇 say focus more on the key hard skills you want to learn that are important for the type of role you want out in the world. You don鈥檛 need to be an expert on every policy arena, theory, or political development. But having a strong foundation in key skills means you can easily pivot from one subject area expertise to another. People are looking for smart people who know how to do the work and are quick learners. Oh, and connect with everyone.

What kinds of roles are open to those with advanced political science training? 

I鈥檝e seen people with these degrees at large think tanks, nonprofit advocacy groups, or working for consulting firms. I have also known them to work for lobbying and legal firms or doing external and community affairs work (i.e. events for the public and policymakers, liaising between different levels of government and the private and nonprofit sectors).

Every large corporation has a public policy team that manages their relations with elected leaders, government officials, and external partners to advance their policy agenda. People with these degrees often end up in those roles as well.

Are there specific subfields that you think offer a strategic advantage in today鈥檚 job market? 

Everyone and every entity can benefit from better communication. So, anything comms and public affairs related is always in high demand. Along that line, orgs are always hiring government affairs staff: individuals who know how government works and more importantly who works in government and who can help move things along. And data is kind. So, any way to depend on your understanding of how to collect and analyze data is always important鈥攊n so many different fields.

What advice would you give to someone starting an online master鈥檚 in political science? 

I鈥檇 say focus more on the key hard skills you want to learn that are important for the type of role you want out in the world. You don鈥檛 need to be an expert on every policy arena, theory, or political development. But having a strong foundation in key skills means you can easily pivot from one subject area expertise to another. People are looking for smart people who know how to do the work and are quick learners. Oh, and connect with everyone.

Final Takeaways

A master鈥檚 in political science may not come with the flashy earning potential of some technical fields, but for those driven by public impact, institutional change, or policy innovation, it can be one of the most strategic and versatile graduate degrees available, especially when pursued online at an affordable price.

This year鈥檚 most affordable online political science master鈥檚 programs prove that students no longer have to choose between cost and quality. With most programs priced under $11,000 total, and several offering unique specializations in areas like Political Psychology, International Relations, and Public Policy, these degrees can be tailored to match a wide range of goals, from joining a nonprofit or think tank to managing legislative affairs at a Fortune 500 company.

And as former federal advisor Joshuah Marshall reminds us, employers aren鈥檛 just looking for policy knowledge. They want professionals who can think critically, translate complexity into clarity, and communicate across sectors. The best online colleges help build exactly those skills, often with the added benefit of flexible formats, smaller class sizes, and access to expansive digital learning communities.

If you're considering this path, the most important question isn鈥檛 just where you鈥檒l study 鈥� it鈥檚 why. What kind of problems do you want to solve? What communities do you want to serve? And how can your degree sharpen the tools you鈥檒l need to lead in those spaces?

Because in today鈥檚 evolving political landscape, the most valuable credential may not be prestige or pedigree 鈥� it鈥檚 purpose, paired with preparation.