Strong signal for reading, writing, and argument — the core skills for law school, policy, journalism, and management consulting. DC has the highest concentration of poli-sci jobs (think tanks, government, lobbying, consulting) in the country. Internships on the Hill or at agencies are competitive but open doors fast.

Wide variance in outcomes. Poli-sci grads who skip internships, don't network in DC, and don't apply to law school often end up underemployed in retail or admin work. The "what do you do with a poli-sci degree?" question is real — it's a framework major, not a skill major. Plan the first 3 moves from freshman year.

Law school ($200k+ salaries from top firms, but $150–300k tuition risk). Management consulting from a target school. Tech policy at big tech ($150–200k for mid-career). Foreign Service Officer ($60–180k, stable, global, need to pass FSOT). The highest-money poli-sci grads are lawyers, consultants, or policy-at-tech hybrids.

AI is eating policy memo drafting, research assistant work, and generic legal research. What survives: courtroom advocacy, legislative strategy, political judgment, relationship-heavy work (lobbying, fundraising, client management). The hollowing-out of entry-level white-collar work hits poli-sci grads hard if they don't have a second skill.