Political Science and Government at Bucknell University

Bucknell's political science graduates earn nearly 50% more than the typical Pennsylvania grad in this field and place in the top 5% nationally—outcomes that justify the program's selective positioning. While first-year earnings of $53,012 might seem modest in absolute terms, they're actually strong for political science, a field where the national median sits below $36,000. More importantly, earnings jump to nearly $70,000 by year four, suggesting graduates are landing opportunities with real advancement potential rather than hitting early career plateaus.

The $26,000 median debt figure deserves attention—it matches the state average but represents only about half of first-year earnings, a manageable ratio for a liberal arts degree. Bucknell's 11% Pell enrollment and $1,389 average SAT signal this is largely a full-pay student body, which explains the relatively contained debt despite private school tuition. If your family qualifies for substantial aid, those economics could change significantly.

For families who can afford Bucknell without excessive borrowing, this program delivers measurably better career positioning than most Pennsylvania alternatives. Only Penn substantially outperforms it, and even prestigious peers like Lafayette and Lehigh trail by $5,000-10,000 in earnings. The combination of strong initial placement and solid early-career growth suggests the Bucknell network and credential open doors that many political science degrees simply don't.