Political Science
First Destinations
First Destinations
This graph illustrates the first destinations of recent alumni from the last four graduating classes (2015-2017). Details for each of these categories can be found below.
- 62% Employment
- 16% Graduate School
- 14% Post-Graduate Service
- 4% Fellowships
- 1% Continuing Education
- 4% Other
Top Locations
Top Locations
These are among the top locations of graduates in this major. Whether working, studying, or volunteering, you'll find Grinnellians all over the world.
- Boston, MA
- Chicago, IL
- Dallas, TX
- London, UK
- New York, NY
- Washington, DC
Employment
Employment
There is no typical path of a Grinnell graduate. As this list illustrates, Grinnellians work across all types of industries working with a rich array of employers.
| Employer | Position |
|---|---|
| American Consulate | junior educational counselor |
| Center for Court Innovation | resource coordinator |
| Department of Energy | special assistant |
| Future of Humanity Institute | research affiliate |
| High Court of Gujarat | legal intern |
| Miami Marlins | analyst: baseball analytics |
| MIT | research support associate |
| RAND Corporation | quantitative research assistant |
| Urban Institute | research assistant |
| World Wildlife Fund | research consultant |
Political Science
Employment Data
| Employer | Position | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 3M | auto electrification technician | Maplewood, MN |
| AIBrain | project manager/software engineer | Seoul, Republic of Korea |
| Amazon | area manager | Chicago, IL |
| American Consulate | junior educational counselor | São Paulo, Brazil |
| Assemblers Inc. | account manager | Chicago, IL |
| Asteroid Day Foundation | program manager and events manager | Luxembourg City, Luxembourg |
| BEST Kids Mentoring Program | enrollment & training coordinator | Washington, DC |
| Bloomberg LP | private equity data analyst | New York, NY |
| Capital One | associate data engineer | Washington, DC |
| Carleton College | coordinator | Northfield, MN |
| Center for Court Innovation | resource coordinator | New York, NY |
| Center for Research in Security Prices | market data research assistant | Chicago, IL |
| Chempetitive Group | content writer | Chicago, IL |
| City of Grinnell | intern to the city manager | Grinnell, IA |
| ConnellyWorks, Inc | content manager | Arlington, VA |
| ConvergeOne | national account manager | Wichita, KS |
| Crisis Intervention Services | shelter advocate | Oskaloosa, IA |
| Deloitte | federal strategy & operations business analyst | Arlington, VA |
| Department of Energy | special assistant | Washington, DC |
| Epic Systems | project manager | Verona, WI |
| Eze Software Group | associate engagement specialist, data integration | Boston, MA |
| Faegre Baker Daniels | legal administrative assistant | Minneapolis, MN |
| Frosty Tech | director of marketing & communications | Overland Park, KS |
| FTI Consulting | strategic communications team assistant | Shanghai, China |
| Future of Humanity Institute | research affiliate | Oxford, UK |
| Global Center for Advanced Studies | researcher | Maribor, Slovenia |
| High Court of Gujarat | legal intern | Ahmedabad, India |
| Hispanic Health Initiative of Texas | international discharge coordinator | Austin, TX |
| International Monetary Fund | research assistant | Washington, DC |
| Iowa Finance Authority | government clerk | Des Moines, IA |
| Iowa Legislature | caucus secretary | Des Moines, IA |
| Kempster, Corcoran, Quiceno & Lenz-Calvo, Ltd. | legal assistant | Chicago, IL |
| Kline & Associates | office manager | Boulder, CO |
| Lauren Zuniga | booking agent & tour manager | Eugene, OR |
| Luntz Global Partners | quantitative/communications associate | Washington, DC |
| Martens Centre for European Studies | communications intern | Brussels, Belgium |
| Martin O'Malley for President | field organizer | Grinnell, IA |
| McKinsey & Company | business analyst | Budapest, Hungary |
| McMaster-Carr | operations management | Chicago, IL |
| Miami Marlins | analyst: baseball analytics | Miami, FL |
| Microsoft | program manager | Redmond, WA |
| MIT | research support associate | Boston, MA |
| Moon & Dorsett, PC | legal intern | Los Angeles, CA |
| Morningstar | data analyst | Chicago, IL |
| Morningstar | development program | Chicago, IL |
| NAACP | intern | Baltimore, MD |
| Nationwide Insurance | regional direct sales agent | Des Moines, IA |
| Nativity Preparatory School | teaching fellow | New Bedford, MA |
| Nixon Peabody LLP | legal support assistant | Chicago, IL |
| NYC Department of Education | performance team operations consultant | New York, NY |
| NYC Mayor's Office | press advance | New York, NY |
| PAAIA | public policy research associate | Washington, DC |
| Primary school | English teacher | Shenyang, China |
| Property and Casualty Insurers Association | policy fellow | Washington, DC |
| RAND Corporation | quantitative research assistant | Pittsburgh, PA |
| ScribeAmerica | medical scribe | Seattle, WA |
| self-employed | independent business owner | Grinnell, IA |
| Semler Brossy | associate consultant | Los Angeles, CA |
| Small Planet Institute | research and writing associate | Cambridge, MA |
| Spanish Ministry of Education | assistant English teacher | Madrid, Spain |
| Stanford Social Innovation Review | marketing coordinator | Stanford, CA |
| Steptoe & Johnson LLP | conflict analyst | Washington, DC |
| Teach for America | special education teacher | Oakland, CA |
| Teach for America | teacher | New Orleans, LA |
| The Brookings Institution | research assistant | New Delhi, India |
| The Cadmus Group | research analyst | Washington, DC |
| The Concord Group | researcher | San Francisco, CA |
| The Legal Aid Society of NYC | paralegal casehandler | New York, NY |
| The Lewin Group | senior research analyst | Falls Church, VA |
| The National Interest | contributing writer | Chicago, IL |
| The Wyss Foundation | executive assistant/ office manager | Washington, DC |
| Three Brothers Outdoors Guide Service | business owner | Sunriver, OR |
| TIAA | corporate strategy analyst | New York, NY |
| United Nations Foundation | integrated development intern | Washington, DC |
| United States Navy | naval officer | , |
| Universal Service Administrative Co | assistant program analyst | Washington, DC |
| University of Chicago Bookstore | textbooks bookseller | Chicago, IL |
| Urban Institute | research assistant | Washington, DC |
| Visage Payroll | content strategist | Dallas, TX |
| Washington County Library | library services assistant | Forest Lake, MN |
| Wells Fargo | customer service representative | Des Moines, IA |
| Westminster Economic Development Initiative | capacity building specialist | Buffalo, NY |
| Women's Business Enterprise National Council | business development outreach lead | Washington, DC |
| World Bank Group | research assistant | Washington, DC |
| World Wildlife Fund | research consultant | New Delhi, India |
Positions Related to Career Goals
Positions Related to Career Goals
This graph illustrates the extent to which our graduates' first job is aligned with their career goals. It's one thing to find a job; it's an entirely different thing to land the job you want!
- 43% Completely
- 49% Moderately
- 4% Slightly
- 4% Not at All
Graduate Schools
Graduate Schools
Grinnell graduates are particularly well prepared for graduate study. You'll find Grinnellians attend the best graduate and professional school programs around the world.
| Institution | Degree | Field of Study |
|---|---|---|
| American University | MPP | public policy |
| Columbia University | MPA | international political economy |
| Johns Hopkins University | MA | international economics |
| University of Colorado | PhD | political science |
| University of Hawaii | MA | American studies |
| University of Notre Dame | JD | law |
| University of Texas | PhD | political science |
| University of Utah | MD | medicine |
Political Science
Graduate Schools Data
| Institution | Degree | Field of Study | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| American University | MPP | public policy | Washington, DC |
| Arizona State University | JD | law | Phoenix, AZ |
| Columbia University | MPA | international political economy | New York, NY |
| DePaul University | JD | law | Chicago, IL |
| Duke University | PhD | biogeochemistry | Durham, NC |
| Georgetown University | MA | German and European studies | Washington, DC |
| Georgetown University | MA | German and European studies | Washington, DC |
| Indiana University | JD | law | Bloomington, IN |
| Johns Hopkins University | MA | international economics | Baltimore, MD |
| Ohio State University | JD | law | Columbus, OH |
| School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) | MSc | contemporary India studies | London, UK |
| University of Arizona | MPA | public administration | Tucson, AZ |
| University of Chicago | PhD | chemistry | Chicago, IL |
| University of Colorado | PhD | political science | Boulder, CO |
| University of Hawaii | MA | American studies | Honolulu, HI |
| University of Illinois | MS | library and information science | Champaign, IL |
| University of Iowa | JD | law | Iowa City, IA |
| University of Iowa | MPH | community and behavioral health | Iowa City, IA |
| University of Notre Dame | JD | law | South Bend, IN |
| University of Texas | PhD | political science | Austin, TX |
| University of Utah | MD | medicine | Salt Lake City, UT |
| University of Virginia | JD | law | Charlottesville, VA |
Graduate School Acceptance Info
Of those who applied to and were accepted to at least one program, this chart illustrates the percentage of admitted students who were accepted to either their first or second choice program and institution.
88%
88% of students are accepted to their first or second choice graduate institution and program
Service
Service
Each year, Grinnellians advance causes and serve communities around the world as full-time volunteers.
Organization
- Blue Engine
- Homeless Advocacy Project
- Lake County Homelessness Continuum of Care
- Peace Corps
- Peace Corps
- The Mayor's Office for Economic Opportunity
- Urban Ecology Center
Political Science
Service Data
| Organization | Location |
|---|---|
| AmeriCorps | Missoula, MT |
| Blue Engine | New York, NY |
| Great Oaks Charter School | Bridgeport, CT |
| Grinnell Corps Nanjing | Nanjing, China |
| Homeless Advocacy Project | San Francisco, CA |
| Jesuit Volunteer Corps | Spokane, WA |
| Journey Home | Hartford, CT |
| Lake County Homelessness Continuum of Care | Libertyville, IL |
| Lutheran Volunteer Corps | Chicago, IL |
| Peace Corps | Apia, Samoa |
| Peace Corps | Lomé, Togo |
| Saving Grace | Bend, OR |
| Schuler Scholar Program | Chicago, IL |
| Schuler Scholar Program | Lake Forest, IL |
| Teens to Trails | Brunswick, ME |
| The Mayor's Office for Economic Opportunity | New York, NY |
| Urban Ecology Center | Milwaukee, WI |
| Urban Teachers | Dallas, TX |
| Voices for Children | Omaha, NE |
Fellowships
Fellowships
Grinnell has a rich history of producing recipients of some of the most prestigious post-graduate fellowships and awards.
Organization
- The Fulbright Program
- The Fulbright Program
- The Fulbright Program
- The Fulbright Program
Political Science
Fellowships Data
| Organization | Location |
|---|---|
| Nanjing University | Nanjing, China |
| The Fulbright Program | Moscow, Russia |
| The Fulbright Program | Dakar, Senegal |
| The Fulbright Program | Frankfurt, Germany |
| The Fulbright Program | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia |
| The Fulbright Program | Russia |
Experiential Learning
Experiential Learning
Participation in high-impact experiences is a hallmark of a Grinnell education. The following graphs illustrate the percentage of graduates who completed internships, research experiences (both on- and off-campus), service, and/or off-campus study prior to graduating from Grinnell.
Internships
83%
Political Science
Internships Data
| Organization | Field | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 10,000 Friends of Rural America/Stand Up for Rural America | social services | Washington, DC |
| 21 Acres | research/development/science | Woodinville, WA |
| AB-Inbev | business administration/management | São Paulo, Brazil |
| Accuracap | finance | Noida, India |
| ACLU of Nebraska | law/legal services | Lincoln, NE |
| ACLU of Nebraska | law/legal services | Lincoln, NE |
| ACLU of Nebraska | law/legal services | Lincoln, NE |
| Aflac | finance | Andover, KS |
| Alliance to Re-Industrialize for a Sustainable Economy | government/public service | Minneapolis, MN |
| American Legislative Exchange Council | government/public policy | Arlington, VA |
| Andrea Zopp for US Senate | government/public service | Chicago, IL |
| Atlantic Community | social services | Berlin, Germany |
| B612 Foundation | research/development/science | Mill Valley, CA |
| BEST Kids Mentoring Program | education | Washington, DC |
| Bibliothèques Sans Frontières | education | Paris, France |
| BIZLife | communications | Belgrade, Serbia |
| Bloomberg LP | finance | New York, NY |
| Blue Canyon Partners | business admin/management | Chicago, IL |
| Bluprint Strategies | consulting | Des Moines, IA |
| Boone County Historical Society | education | Boone, IA |
| Boston Avenue United Methodist Church | social services | Tulsa, OK |
| Boston City Council | government/public service | Boston, MA |
| Breakthrough Collaborative | education | Boston, MA |
| British Parliament | government/public service | London, UK |
| California Prison Focus | law/legal services | Oakland, CA |
| Catalyst Inc. | consulting | New York, NY |
| Center for American progress | government/public service | Washington, DC |
| Center for Constitutional Rights | law/legal services | New York, NY |
| Center for Innovation Through Data Analysis | government/public service | New York, NY |
| Central Africa Initiative (UW-Madison) | government/public service | Madison, WI |
| Centre for Applied Nonviolent Actions and Strategies | government/public policy | Belgrade, Serbia |
| Centre for South Asian Studies | government/public service | Kathmandu, Nepal |
| Chicago EEOC | law/legal services | Chicago, IL |
| Chicago Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law | law/legal services | Chicago, IL |
| Citizens for a Healthy Bay | government/public policy | Tacoma, WA |
| City of Chicago Federal Affairs Office | government/public service | Washington, DC |
| City of Grinnell | government/public policy | Grinnell, IA |
| Cline Center for Democracy | government/public service | Urbana-Champaign, IL |
| CODESEDH | government/public service | Buenos Aires, Argentina |
| Committee for the Defense of Health, Ethics and Human Rights | Buenos Aires, Argentina | |
| Council on Hemispheric Affairs | research/development/science | Washington, DC |
| Creighton University | education | Omaha, NE |
| Deloitte | consulting | Arlington, VA |
| Democratic Party of Wisconsin | government/public service | Madison, WI |
| Des Moines Social Club | sales/marketing | Des Moines, IA |
| Development Alternatives | government/public policy | New Delhi, India |
| DLA Piper | law/legal services | Chicago, IL |
| Dold for Congress | government/public service | Libertyville, IL |
| ELPC | law/legal services | Des Moines, IA |
| EMILY's List | government/public service | Washington, DC |
| Environmental Voter Project | government/public policy | Boston, MA |
| European Parliament | government/public service | Brussels, Belgium |
| Families USA | social services | Washington, DC |
| Femmes d'Ici et D'Ailleurs | government/public service | Marseille, France |
| Food & Water Watch | government/public service | Chicago, IL |
| Foundation for Sustainable Development | government/public service | Masaka, Uganda |
| Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund | law/legal services | Washington, DC |
| GCommerce Inc. | business administration/management | Des Moines, IA |
| Get Covered Illinois | government/public service | Chicago, IL |
| computing/information systems | Los Angeles, CA | |
| Government Accountability Office | government/public service | Washington, DC |
| Greater Poweshiek Community Foundation | social services | Grinnell, IA |
| Grinnell Area Local Foods Alliance | social services | Grinnell, IA |
| Grinnell College Development and Alumni Relations | communications | Grinnell, IA |
| Grinnell College Libraries | education | Grinnell, IA |
| Grinnell College Office of Development & Alumni Relations | communications | Grinnell, IA |
| Grinnell Historical Museum | education | Grinnell, IA |
| Grinnell Regional Medical Center | communications | Grinnell, IA |
| Grinnell Regional Medical Center | healthcare | Grinnell, IA |
| GrowNYC | social services | New York, NY |
| Heartland Alliance International | social services | Chicago, IL |
| Heartland Alliance Marjorie Kovler Center | social services | Chicago, IL |
| Hillary for Iowa | government/public service | Grinnell, IA |
| Hope Child Reclamation Center | education | Accra, Ghana |
| House of Commons | government/public policy | London, UK |
| Illinois Collaboration on Youth | government/public service | Chicago, IL |
| Illinois Department of Labor | government/public service | Chicago, IL |
| Illinois State Senate | government/public service | Chicago, IL |
| Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota | law/legal services | St. Paul, MN |
| Institute of Foreign Affairs | government/public service | Kathmandu, Nepal |
| Iowa Democratic Party | government/public service | Des Moines, IA |
| Iowa Department of Revenue | government/public service | Des Moines, IA |
| Iowa Senate Democratic Caucus | government/public policy | Des Moines, IA |
| JackMyRep | computing/information systems | Washington, DC |
| Judicial Services Office, Administrative Office of the USA Courts | government/public policy | Washington, DC |
| Kirkwood Community College | education | Iowa City, IA |
| Korean American Coalition | government/public service | Los Angeles, CA |
| Legal Services of Eastern Missouri | law/legal services | St. Louis, MO |
| Los Angeles City Hall | government/public service | Los Angeles, CA |
| Luntz Global Partners | consulting | Washington, DC |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | government/public policy | Washington, DC |
| Mayer Brown | law/legal services | Washington, DC |
| Mayor's Office | government/public service | Columbia, SC |
| Mayor's Office Community Affairs Unit | government/public policy | New York, NY |
| Mayor's Press Office | government/public policy | New York, NY |
| Mesa County District Attorney's Office | law/legal services | Grant Junction, CO |
| META Peace Team | government/public service | Lansing, MI |
| Mexico Solidarity Network | government/public service | Chicago, IL |
| Micronesia Conservation Trust | government/public policy | Kolonia, Federated States of Micronesia |
| Microsoft | computing/information systems | Redmond, WA |
| Migliaccio and Rathod LLC | law/legal services | Washington, DC |
| Minnesota State Senate | government/public policy | St. Paul, MN |
| Multicultural Community Service | social services | Washington, DC |
| Museum at Eldridge Street | education | New York, NY |
| National Academy of Sciences | research/development/science | Washington, DC |
| National Alliance on Mental Health | healthcare | Seattle, WA |
| National Alliance on Mental Illness | healthcare | Washington, DC |
| National World War I Museum and Memorial | education | Kansas City, MO |
| Negotiating Team for the Accession of the Republic of Serbia to the European Union | government/public service | Belgrade, Serbia |
| NESA Center for Strategic Studies | government/public service | Washington, DC |
| New Era Colorado | government/public policy | Denver, CO |
| New Jersey Department of Transportation | government/public service | Trenton, NJ |
| NGO "Aktiv" | government/public service | Kosovska Mitrovica, Serbia |
| NGO Monitor | government/public service | Jerusalem, Israel |
| Office of Dr. Lisa Cameron, MP | government/public policy | London, UK |
| Office of Illinois Representative Kate Cloonen | government/public service | Bourbonnais, IL |
| Office of Illinois Representative Lisa Dougan | government/public service | Springfield, IL |
| Office of Lori Ehrlich, State Representative | government/public policy | Boston, MA |
| Office of Louise Ellman MP | government/public service | London, UK |
| Office of US Representative Jared Polis | government/public service | Boulder, CO |
| Office of US Senator Amy Klobuchar | government/public service | Minneapolis, MN |
| Office of US Senator Amy Klobuchar | government/public service | Washington, DC |
| Office of US Senator Charles Grassley | government/public policy | Washington, DC |
| Office of US Senator Tom Harkin | government/public service | Washington, DC |
| Omaha Public Library | education | Omaha, NE |
| ParksByNature Network | computing/information systems | New York, NY |
| Partners of the Americas | government/public service | Washington, DC |
| Pathways for Change Rape Crisis Center | social services | Worcester, MA |
| Pittsburgh Post-Gazette | communications | Pittsburgh, PA |
| Polk County Assessor | government/public service | Des Moines, IA |
| Prateepsa Islamic School | education | Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand |
| Prison Justice League | law/legal services | Austin, TX |
| PwC | finance | Budapest, Hungary |
| Reading Partners | education | Washington, DC |
| RefugeeOne | social services | Chicago, IL |
| Resolution Economics | finance | Los Angeles, CA |
| Roland Berger | finance | Budapest, Hungary |
| Santa Clara County Office of the Public Defender | law/legal services | Santa Clara, CA |
| Santa Fe College | education | Gainesville, FL |
| Santa Monica Daily Press | communications | Santa Monica, CA |
| Schools Are Gardening in Evanston | education | Evanston, IL |
| Sedgwick Claims Management Services | business administration/management | Schaumberg, IL |
| Sierra Club | government/public service | Seattle, WA |
| Sogor Csaba, MEP, European Parliament | government/public service | Brussels, Belgium |
| South African Human Rights Commission | social services | Cape Town, South Africa |
| Stand Up for Rural America | government/public service | Washington, DC |
| Stanford Social Innovation Review | sales/marketing | Stanford, CA |
| State Bank of Pakistan | government/public service | Karachi, Pakistan |
| Sunlight General Capital | finance | NYC, NY |
| Teach for America | education | Chicago, IL |
| Teneo | consulting | Washington, DC |
| Tesla Memory Project | education | Berlin, Germany |
| The Argonaut | communications | Los Angeles, CA |
| The Cadmus Group | consulting | Washington, DC |
| The Heritage Foundation | government/public policy | Washington, DC |
| The Palo Alto Weekly | communications | Palo Alto, CA |
| The White House | government/public service | Washington, DC |
| Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program | research/development/science | Philadelphia, PA |
| TIAA | finance | New York, NY |
| UNESCO | government/public service | Paris, France |
| Union Iberoamericano de Municipalistas | government/public policy | Granada, Spain |
| United Nations | government/public service | New York, NY |
| United Way | social services | Ottumwa, IA |
| UniversalGiving | social services | San Francisco, CA |
| University of Iowa | computing/information systems | Iowa City, IA |
| Upright Citizen's Brigade | creative/performing arts | Chicago, IL |
| US Army Corps of Engineers | computing/information systems | Chicago, IL |
| US Commission on Civil Rights | government/public service | Grinnell, IA |
| US Congressional Campaign | government/public policy | Topeka, KS |
| US Department of State | government/public service | Munich, Germany |
| US Department of State | government/public service | Vienna, Austria |
| US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission | government/public policy | Chicago, IL |
| US House of Representatives | government/public service | Matteson, IL |
| US House of Representatives | government/public service | Miami, FL |
| US House of Representatives | government/public service | Washington, DC |
| US Navy | government/public service | Dahlgren, VA |
| US Senate | government/public service | Washington, DC |
| USDA Risk-Management Services | government/public service | Washington, DC |
| Verizon | law/legal services | Washington, DC |
| VIrtualPBX | business admin/management | San Jose, CA |
| Wakefield for Kansas | government/public service | Lawrence, KS |
| Wells Fargo | finance | Rosemont, IL |
| Wisconsin Capitol | government/public service | Madison, WI |
| WOLA | government/public service | Washington, DC |
| World Policy Institute | consulting | New York, NY |
| Writing Pad | communications | Los Angeles, CA |
Research
46%
Political Science
Research Data
| Organization | Field | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Duke University | healthcare evaluation | Durham, NC |
| Heidelberg University | authoritarian regimes | Heidelberg, Germany |
| Humboldt University | migration/refugee crisis | Berlin, Germany |
| MAMIDECOT | microfinance | Masaka, Uganda |
| Ministry of Foreign Affairs | strategic planning & reorganization | Kathmandu, Nepal |
| Parisar | urban development | Pune, India |
| Universidad de Costa Rica | sustainable development & women in agriculture | San José, Costa Rica |
| University of Arizona | yeast genetics | Tucson, AZ |
| University of Minnesota | organic synthesis and methodology | Minneapolis, MN |
| University of Pennsylvania | public policy | Philadelphia, PA |
| University of Wisconsin | language education policy | Madison, WI |
Service
59%
Off-Campus Study
63%