Political Science and Government at Elizabethtown College

Pennsylvania's political science programs range from the University of Pennsylvania's $65,000+ outcomes down to mid-$30,000s, and based on comparable programs across the state, Elizabethtown College appears positioned in the middle tier. The estimated first-year earnings of $37,500 track closely with the state median for this major, though they trail significantly behind the elite outcomes at Penn, Lehigh, and Bucknell. By year four, the picture improves somewhat, with graduates reaching nearly $49,000—still modest but showing meaningful progression.

The debt picture is actually favorable here. At $27,000, Elizabethtown students graduate with slightly more debt than the typical political science major in Pennsylvania, but this falls well below the national median and places the program in the 5th percentile nationally for debt burden. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.72 means graduates could theoretically pay off their loans in less than a year if they dedicated all first-year income to it—a manageable starting point even with the modest salary estimates.

The practical reality: if your child plans to pursue political science, Elizabethtown offers a reasonable financial foundation compared to peers, though the estimated earnings won't match the outcomes from Pennsylvania's most selective institutions. This makes most sense if graduate school or public service careers are on the horizon, where the manageable debt load becomes a genuine advantage.