Political Science and Government at Frostburg State University

Frostburg State's political science program shows promising mid-term earnings that outpace most competitors, but the limited sample size means these numbers might not tell the whole story. Four years out, graduates earn $60,798—substantially more than the state median of $39,616 and ranking this program in the 60th percentile among Maryland's 21 political science programs. That's a respectable showing, though it still trails University of Maryland Global Campus and several other flagship options.

The 47% earnings jump from year one to year four suggests graduates are finding their footing after an initially modest start at $41,332. The debt load of $25,000 is reasonable—slightly above state and national averages but manageable with a 0.60 debt-to-earnings ratio. An 89% admission rate and one-third of students on Pell grants indicate this serves a broad access mission, which may explain why immediate post-graduation earnings start lower before climbing.

The catch: with fewer than 30 graduates in the data, a few outlier careers could be inflating these figures. For parents of students genuinely interested in political science, this program offers an accessible entry point with decent earnings potential at a manageable price, but understand you're working with incomplete information about typical outcomes.