Political Science and Government at Franklin and Marshall College

Franklin and Marshall's political science program lands in an interesting sweet spot: it places graduates well above both national and Pennsylvania medians, yet costs significantly less in debt than typical programs. While $45,928 starting out doesn't match Penn or Lehigh, the $19,000 debt load (versus $26,000 statewide) means graduates can actually service their loans comfortably—that 0.41 debt-to-earnings ratio suggests they're borrowing less than half a year's salary.

The 32% earnings jump to $60,579 by year four indicates these graduates are finding paths forward, even if political science isn't typically a high-earning field. Being in the 93rd percentile nationally but 60th in Pennsylvania tells you this is a crowded, competitive state for political science—the top programs here (Penn, Lehigh, Bucknell) pull significantly higher numbers, and F&M sits firmly in the middle tier among Pennsylvania's many options.

For a family considering this program, the question is straightforward: is your child likely to leverage F&M's strong liberal arts environment and network into graduate school, law school, or public service work? If so, the manageable debt makes sense. If they're hoping undergraduate political science alone will launch a lucrative career, even F&M's above-average outcomes still mean modest early earnings. The value here is in what doors open next, not immediate financial returns.