Political Science and Government at East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania

The small sample size here demands caution, but the initial numbers are concerning: East Stroudsburg's political science graduates earn $26,153 in their first year—about $11,000 below Pennsylvania's median for this degree and landing in just the 10th percentile statewide. That places them far behind most Pennsylvania programs, including regional competitors. While debt levels appear manageable at $25,250, they're nearly equivalent to that first-year salary, creating an immediate financial squeeze.

The 52% earnings jump to nearly $40,000 by year four offers some relief and suggests graduates eventually find their footing in the job market. However, even that four-year mark remains below what typical Pennsylvania political science graduates earn right out of the gate. With fewer than 30 graduates in this dataset, these figures could shift significantly with more data—but the consistent pattern of underperformance relative to state benchmarks is worth noting.

For families considering this program, the question is whether the university's accessible admission and relatively modest debt load justify starting so far behind the earnings curve. If your student is committed to political science and has limited options, understand they'll likely need several years of career development to reach what peers at other Pennsylvania schools achieve immediately after graduation.