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There are the jobs directly related to political science, like political advising, lobbying, NGO think tanks, and various government jobs at various levels--cities, state and local governments are always constructing departments to analyze voting districts, or demographic patterns, or to construct government agencies, or deal with other government agencies. Government agencies especially like those types of degrees. Then there are political party type jobs, like running a state or local party office. Many corporations also have government liason and PR departments that need an understanding of political science. The demand isn't through the roof, and you may have to relocate and/or take jobs with limited longevity, but they are out there. I have a few friends who are political advisers, strategists, and campaign managers, and they are usually very busy for periods of time, and very bored at other times, and their income is uncertain until they reach a high enough level. Obviously if you become James Carville or David Axelrod your income goes way up.
Then there are jobs that are sort of related, like diplomatic services, many government jobs that have to do with government but aren't directly about government. Again, depends on where you are willing to live, and sometimes just the luck of the draw on who is hiring when you are working.
Then there are the fun jobs that PS can be used as a jumping off point for. Writing, for instance, where a degree in PS can train you on research and give you a little cred when trying to publish your first works. Obviously that's a job that requires skills of their own, and not just writing. There's a lot of salesmanship and a certain type of character that goes into being a professional writer, especially in a political field. You have to be dogged and determined, you have to be sharp on your feet when interviewing, you have to be able to stand up to an interviewee, and stuff like that.
Of course, PS is a good jumping off point for law or an MBA, too. Or more arcane fields like history, if you specialize enough as an undergrad to get the required courses for entrance.
Then there are the general fields where a degree is helpful or important even if it doesn't relate to the business. Sales is the perfect example--maybe even sales involving government. A company hiring an entry-level computer salesperson targeting government agencies might find the degree relevant. But many companies hire graduates of all types for a variety of jobs, ranging from human resources (I don't know anyone in human resources with a degree in HR) to customer service to account executives of all types. PS is a good degree for a management track professional.
I'll give you the basic advice I've been trying to give my daughter. Chase what you want to do, and don't worry about the money. (Interestingly enough, the creators of Monster.com say much the same thing, as do a number of career advisers). Whatever you choose, you will need more training to advance, anyway, so don't worry about trying to become a perfect finished product all at once. PS is a good degree for a number of fields. If you want to get into politics, pursue it with everything you have. If you fail, so what? You tried, and if you don't try you won't wind up doing it, either--at least give yourself the chance. There is always time to find a new career path, and a degree like PS is a good starting point for a lot of them. I know a guy who went to law school at 50 after selling auto parts his whole life. I knew a man in grad school for history who had done construction work until his 40s. Whatever major you choose, that won't be the final word on what you do. Follow your own goals, and you may just love what you do. And if you don't, at least you won't feel like you never got the chance.
And don't write off money as a goal--nothing wrong with getting rich if you do it with integrity. But don't make it the goal. Most people spend a lifetime trying to get money to buy things to make them forget that they aren't happy doing what they are doing for a living. Skip that step, and you might find you are so busy doing what you love that you don't have time to miss all the things you can't buy. Even better, you might find that you have as much money as you want because you are doing what you always wanted, and doing it well.
Just my thoughts. As I've mentioned, I'm a bookkeeper. I'm writing this while avoiding doing work I hate. :) So don't take it too seriously. But I took my shots at what I wanted, and didn't so much fail as decided I had other goals I thought were more important (kids do that to you). And I ain't dead yet, and I'm still working on some things. People are wrong--a master's degree in medieval history CAN keep you warm at night. What leaves you cold is feeling like you let everyone else decide your life for you. Do what you love, and define success the way you see it. Most of the people telling you otherwise are miserable about their own choices, anyway.
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