Political Science and Government at Austin College

That first-year salary of $23,243 is genuinely alarming—ranking in the bottom 10th percentile among Texas political science programs and bottom 5th nationally. Even accounting for the small sample size (which means these numbers could shift dramatically with just a few more graduates), this is roughly $11,000 below what typical Texas political science grads earn in their first year. The debt load of $21,197 isn't excessive by national standards, but when you're earning less than $2,000 per month before taxes, nearly any debt becomes burdensome.

The 82% earnings jump to $42,361 by year four offers some hope—that number actually exceeds the state median and suggests graduates eventually find their footing. However, those lean early years create real hardship when loan payments begin. For context, nearby UT Austin's political science grads start at $43,281, essentially matching Austin College's four-year mark right out of the gate.

The small sample means a few graduates in unusually low-paying public service or nonprofit roles could be skewing these numbers downward. But given that this pattern places Austin College near the bottom of 65 Texas programs offering political science, it's worth serious scrutiny. If your child is considering this program, have frank conversations about their career plans and whether they can financially weather those first few years—or whether starting at a program with stronger immediate earnings outcomes makes more sense.