Political Science and Government at CUNY York College

York's political science program produces first-year earnings of $37,719—solidly above both the state and national medians for this major—while drawing from a student body where 43% receive Pell grants. That's a meaningful outcome for a commuter campus serving working-class neighborhoods in Queens. With estimated debt around $19,500 based on similar CUNY programs, graduates face manageable repayment relative to their starting salaries.

The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.52 suggests monthly loan payments consuming roughly 5-6% of gross income under standard repayment—tight but workable for someone starting their career. More telling is the comparison to the elite private schools dominating New York's political science landscape: Columbia and Cornell grads may earn $60,000+ out of college, but they're also carrying significantly higher debt loads. York offers a fundamentally different value proposition—accessible public education without the financial burden that can constrain career choices early on.

For a student choosing between York and a mid-tier private college in New York, the lower debt burden matters considerably. The earnings here won't impress anyone, but they're respectable for a recent graduate in a field not known for lucrative entry-level positions. If your child plans to pursue graduate school, work in nonprofits, or needs geographic flexibility, graduating with under $20,000 in debt preserves those options rather than forcing them toward whatever job pays the bills.