Political Science and Government at Duquesne University

Duquesne's political science graduates start at a concerning disadvantage: $28,840 after one year places them in the bottom quarter nationally and well below Pennsylvania's median of $37,534. This isn't just an industry-wide trend—graduates from Penn, Lehigh, and Bucknell all start nearly double this figure. The program's 79% admission rate and below-average Pell grant participation suggest resources that should support better career placement than these numbers reflect.

The dramatic 76% earnings jump to $50,606 by year four does recover lost ground, eventually positioning graduates slightly above both national and state norms. However, this catch-up pattern means spending crucial early career years at a significant financial disadvantage. At $24,250, the debt load itself is manageable—roughly equivalent to national averages and actually below Pennsylvania's typical burden for the major. The 0.84 debt-to-earnings ratio, while high in year one, becomes quite reasonable once earnings climb.

For families considering this program, understand you're accepting delayed financial returns. If your student needs immediate earning power after graduation—to make loan payments or support themselves independently—this trajectory presents real challenges. The program works better as an investment for students with financial cushion who can wait for those career earnings to materialize, perhaps through graduate school or extended job searches in competitive fields like law or public policy.