Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Government professor education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a government professor. Government professors usually study political science, law, or history. 50% of government professors hold a bachelor's degree, and 27% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 25 real government professor resumes to see exactly what government professor education sections show.
The most common colleges for government professors are the St. Mary's University and the St. Mary's University.
There are also many online government professor courses to help get the education required to be a government professor.
What education do you need to become a government professor?
What degree do you need to be a government professor?
- Bachelor's, 50%
- Master's, 27%
- Doctorate, 18%
- Associate, 5%
What should I major in to become a government professor?
- Political Science, 35%
- Law, 9%
- History, 9%
- Rural Sociology, 4%
- Other Majors, 43%
Most common colleges for government professors
| Government professor common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| St. Mary's University | 5.56% |
| University of Texas at Austin | 5.56% |
| University of Houston | 5.56% |
| University of South Carolina - Columbia | 5.56% |
| Iowa Wesleyan University | 5.56% |
Best majors for government professors
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Political Science | 34.8% |
| 2 | Law | 8.7% |
| 3 | History | 8.7% |
| 4 | Rural Sociology | 4.3% |
| 5 | Elementary Education | 4.3% |
Best colleges for government professors
The best colleges for government professors are University of Pennsylvania, Northwestern University, and Harvard University.
A government professor with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for government professors. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become government professors.
1. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
2. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Enrollment
18,946
3. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
4. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
5. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
6. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
7. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
8. University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA • Private
In-state tuition
$17,653
Enrollment
16,405
9. University of Wisconsin - Madison
Madison, WI • Private
In-state tuition
$10,555
Enrollment
30,360
10. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$53,740
Enrollment
5,567
20 best online courses for government professors
Advertising disclosure
1. Data Governance with Databricks
Data Governance with Databricks is a meticulously designed course to help you understand and implement efficient data governance in your organization. The course begins by familiarizing you with the key principles of data governance and the role of Databricks in facilitating effective governance of data. This is followed by a deep dive into the core components of data governance such as frameworks, policies, roles, and regulatory considerations, as well as data quality and metadata management...
2. Digital Governance
Big data, artificial intelligence, machine learning, autonomous cars, chatbots, just a few terms that have become a part of our professional legal and political vocabulary. Emerging technologies and technological advancement have confronted us in our daily practice and will continue to do so in the future. Whether we’re buying something online, taking part in an election, or chatting with friends across the globe. Technology is here and it is here to stay. However, as convenience as these new...
3. The Constitution and American Government
History, Government, and Civics in the United States...
4. IT Governance: A Guide for IT Professionals
IT Governance made easy. Learn the fundamentals of IT governance and its role in the management and use of IT...
5. IS/IT Governance
Firms make significant investments in IT. In the IS/IT Governance course we will discuss how to govern IT to make sure that the IT investments contribute to organizational goals and strategies. Firms need to formally evaluate significant IT investments. IT investments are also risky, so firms need to consider the risk associated with the investments to appropriately evaluate the investment. We will discuss how to evaluate IT investments. Firms usually make multiple IT investments in a given...
6. Population Health: Governance
How can we organise care in such a way that we optimize experience, quality and costs? What type of governance is needed? And how should healthcare organisations collaborate? These are central questions in this course. In answering them, we depart from a recognition of the impact of three crucial global shifts in health care governance: 1) the change in focus from cure to population health, 2) the increased attention to social determinants of health, and 3) the stronger involvement of...
7. Project Management Master Class: Government Projects
Learn How To Win Big By Always Successfully Completing Government Projects Using Ninja Project Management Techniques...
8. Data Governance - The Complete Course for Beginners
Make yourself standout in meetings about Data Governance. Learn everything that the experts know about Data Governance...
9. Innovative Governance of Large Urban Systems
Learn about the three phases of the urban value chain: planning, governance and regeneration. With lecturers from all around the world and concrete case studies, this course will give you a comprehensive overview about the “Innovative Governance of Large Urban Systems”. This course has assembled some of the most relevant experiences and knowledge from our Innovative Governance of Large Urban Systems (IGLUS) Executive Master’s program, which has been offered by EPFL during the past 5 years...
10. Improving Leadership & Governance in Nonprofit Organizations
Identify and analyze leadership and governance issues, create practical ways to improve board performance and work with boards to implement these improvements.\n\nThis Specialization consists of three courses plus a Capstone Project: (1) Course 1 topics: The unique nature of the nonprofit sector in society; leadership in nonprofit organizations and the governance process. (2) Course 2 topics: The roles and responsibilities of nonprofit organization boards of directors and the challenges in...
11. Data Governance Fundamentals
A framework for leveraging your data...
12. 4x1 Data Management/Governance/Security/Ethics Masterclass
You'll learn about data literacy, Data Quality operations, Data Governance policies and Data Security/Privacy controls...
13. Program Governance Planning with ClickUp
By the end of this guided project, you will be fluent in creating Program Governance Planning artefacts for diverse programs. You will utilise a logical diagramming plan in an agile environment to develop the solution. This will enable you to identify and classify the required components for programme governance planning. Furthermore, it will help develop a structural model for learning about the field of Program Management. If you are interested in building up the knowledge leading to this...
14. Risk governance: Manage the risks
All organisations must grapple with fundamental issues at the heart of governance: who are our stakeholders? What are their objectives? How can we ensure these objectives are met as effectively as possible? How can we ensure all legitimate stakeholders are treated fairly? Via structured learning activities (video lectures, quizzes, discussion prompts and written assessments) this course will teach you how to address these questions and how a sound governance structure and comprehensive risk...
15. Basic Governance for Board Members
Know your rights, duties & stay out of trouble...
16. Learn Federal Government Contracting From An Expert
A comprehensive guide to Register, Search Opportunities, GSA, Certifications, Accounting, Marketing& Bidding to the feds...
17. The Factors that Influence the Effectiveness of Boards and the Governance Process
The third course in this Specialization introduces you to the factors that influence how effective boards of directors will be in carrying out their roles and responsibilities and hence the impact they have in shaping the success of the organization they govern. While this course has been developed with North American culture in mind, we do appreciate that, in other parts of the world, the nature of the factors that influence the effectiveness of nonprofit boards of directors may vary...
18. IT Governance and Information Management
IT Governance and Information Management Training Course...
19. AWS Security and Governance Administration for Professionals
In-Depth AWS Security Administration and Governance: Learn hands-on with certified industry professionals...
20. The A to Z of ESG - Environmental & Social Governance
A Perspective for Businesses on How to Manage ESG - Why it matters to Financial Performance and to the Economy...
Top 10 most affordable universities for government professors
The most affordable schools for government professors are University of Florida, baruch college of the city university of new york, and california state university - long beach.
If the best universities for government professors are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for government professors.
1. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
2. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
3. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
4. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
5. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
6. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
7. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
8. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
9. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
10. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for government professors
The hardest universities for government professors to get into are University of Pennsylvania, Northwestern University, and Harvard University.
Some great schools for government professors are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for government professors based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
2. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
3. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
4. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
5. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
6. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
7. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
8. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
9. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,506
10. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for government professors
The easiest schools for government professors to get into are Mount Saint Mary's University, barry university, and holy names university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a government professor without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for government professors.
1. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
2. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
3. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
4. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
5. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
6. Cardinal Stritch University
Milwaukee, WI • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,035
7. Fresno Pacific University
Fresno, CA • Private
Admissions rate
85%
SAT average
1,053
8. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
9. Texas Woman's University
Denton, TX • Private
Admissions rate
87%
SAT average
1,059
10. Our Lady of the Lake University
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,002
Average government professor salary by education level
| Government professor education level | Government professor salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $222,596 |
| Doctorate Degree | $349,466 |
Government professor education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common education, training, and library questions.
Search for government professor jobs
Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025