Political Science and Government at Clarkson University

A debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.67 suggests manageable borrowing, but the numbers behind that ratio tell a more sobering story. Similar political science programs in New York produce first-year earnings around $35,000—virtually identical to the national median—while graduates at this school likely carry $23,500 in debt. That's a monthly loan payment of roughly $260 for ten years on an entry-level salary that leaves little room for error. The small graduate sample that necessitated these estimates also raises questions about program size and career support infrastructure.

The gap between Clarkson and New York's top programs is substantial. Columbia and Cornell graduates in political science earn around $60,000 in their first year—nearly double what peer programs suggest for this program. While those elite schools represent outliers, the pattern matters: political science degrees derive much of their value from institutional prestige and alumni networks, advantages that a STEM-focused university in rural upstate New York may not provide for this particular major.

For families weighing this investment, the core issue is opportunity cost. At a school known for engineering, a political science degree estimated to produce typical state outcomes doesn't leverage Clarkson's strengths. If your child is set on political science, programs closer to urban centers or with stronger social science reputations might justify similar debt loads with better networking and internship access. At Clarkson specifically, exploring programs that align with its technical reputation could produce stronger returns.