Political Science and Government at Ashland University

Ashland University's political science program manages to produce some of the stronger initial earnings in the field, but that comes with important caveats. At $44,455 one year out, graduates earn more than 88% of political science programs nationally and outpace Ohio's median by over $7,000. The debt load of $26,738 is reasonable—well below typical borrowing levels—creating a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.60. For a field not known for lucrative starting salaries, these are encouraging numbers.

The concerning part is what happens next: earnings barely budge over four years, growing just 2% to $45,212. This puts Ashland's program in the middle of Ohio's pack (60th percentile) when measuring established career outcomes, suggesting that early advantage doesn't translate into momentum. You're essentially paying for a solid start, not necessarily strong trajectory. It's worth noting the sample size here is quite small—fewer than 30 graduates in this cohort—so these figures could shift significantly with more data.

For parents considering this program, the math works if your child plans to leverage that political science degree into graduate school or a specific career path quickly. The relatively low debt gives them flexibility, and the strong year-one earnings suggest decent immediate job placement. Just don't expect dramatic salary growth from the bachelor's degree alone.