Best Colleges for Political Science & Pre-Law in 2025–26

30 colleges with strong political science & pre-law programs, ranked by size and selectivity.

Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL

24.2% acceptance$5,656 in-state

University of Maryland-College Park

College Park, MD

44.8% acceptance$11,809 in-state

The University of Texas at San Antonio

San Antonio, TX

86.8% acceptance$9,011 in-state

California State University-Sacramento

Sacramento, CA

94% acceptance$8,018 in-state

University of Massachusetts-Amherst

Amherst, MA

59.7% acceptance$17,772 in-state

James Madison University

Harrisonburg, VA

71.5% acceptance$14,250 in-state

University at Albany

Albany, NY

69.1% acceptance$10,866 in-state

University of Massachusetts-Boston

Boston, MA

83.8% acceptance$15,908 in-state

George Washington University

Washington, DC

47.1% acceptance$67,710 in-state

Howard University

Washington, DC

41.3% acceptance$35,810 in-state

Boston College

Chestnut Hill, MA

16.4% acceptance$70,702 in-state

University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame, IN

11.3% acceptance$65,025 in-state

Stanford University

Stanford, CA

3.6% acceptance$65,910 in-state

American University

Washington, DC

62% acceptance$58,771 in-state

William & Mary

Williamsburg, VA

34.1% acceptance$25,914 in-state

Yale University

New Haven, CT

3.9% acceptance$67,250 in-state

University of Rochester

Rochester, NY

40.1% acceptance$67,080 in-state

Dartmouth College

Hanover, NH

5.4% acceptance$68,268 in-state

United States Naval Academy

Annapolis, MD

9.3% acceptance

Christopher Newport University

Newport News, VA

86% acceptance$16,828 in-state

Suffolk University

Boston, MA

82.3% acceptance$47,550 in-state

Providence College

Providence, RI

50.9% acceptance$63,550 in-state

Xavier University

Cincinnati, OH

86.4% acceptance$50,640 in-state

Bucknell University

Lewisburg, PA

28.9% acceptance$67,812 in-state

Loyola University Maryland

Baltimore, MD

75.5% acceptance$57,150 in-state

Clark Atlanta University

Atlanta, GA

64.2% acceptance$28,310 in-state

University of Mary Washington

Fredericksburg, VA

79.8% acceptance$14,640 in-state

Barnard College

New York, NY

8.8% acceptance$69,888 in-state

Colgate University

Hamilton, NY

13.9% acceptance$70,306 in-state

College of the Holy Cross

Worcester, MA

17.6% acceptance$64,500 in-state

How to choose a political science & pre-law program

For pre-law students, undergraduate major matters less than GPA and LSAT scores — but political science builds relevant analytical skills. Look for programs near state capitals or Washington DC for internship access. Moot court and Model UN programmes are valuable extracurriculars.

Common career paths for political science & pre-law graduates

Lawyer, Legislative Aide, Policy Analyst, Campaign Manager, Diplomat

Scholarships for political science & pre-law students

There are scholarships specifically for students studying political science & pre-law. Search our database to find awards you qualify for.

Find political science & pre-law scholarships →
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KidToCollege is free to use and editorially independent. Data sourced from public records including IPEDS, Common Data Sets, College Board and FAFSA.gov. Always verify deadlines and requirements directly with institutions. Not a guarantee of admission or financial aid.