Political Science and Government at George Washington University

George Washington University's political science program places graduates in the top 5% nationally for earnings, but you're paying a significant premium over local alternatives. With first-year earnings of $51,537, your child will outearn 95% of political science graduates nationwide—yet this trails Georgetown ($55,247) and even the University of the District of Columbia ($49,935) right here in DC. The 60th percentile state ranking reveals the competitive reality: DC's concentration of government and advocacy jobs lifts all boats, and GW isn't delivering exceptional value within this market.

The financial math works better than most liberal arts programs. At $23,000 in debt against $51,537 in first-year earnings, your child reaches a manageable 0.45 debt ratio, and earnings jump 41% to $72,844 by year four. That trajectory suggests graduates are securing career-track positions in policy, government relations, or advocacy—fields where DC location matters more than the specific university name.

Here's the bottom line: if your child is choosing between GW and schools outside DC, the location premium alone justifies the investment. But if Georgetown or American University offer similar financial aid, the earnings data doesn't support paying substantially more for GW. The program delivers solid outcomes because of where it is, not because it's uniquely exceptional among DC's many strong political science options.