Political Science and Government at La Roche University

Political science programs in Pennsylvania show dramatic variation in outcomes, with top performers like Penn and Lehigh producing first-year earnings above $50,000 while the state median sits at $37,534. For La Roche's program, both the earnings and debt figures are estimates drawn from comparable Pennsylvania programs, reflecting the challenge of assessing a smaller program where actual graduate outcomes aren't publicly reported. Based on these peer programs, a debt load around $26,000 against first-year earnings of roughly $37,500 suggests a manageable but not exceptional financial picture.

That 0.69 debt-to-earnings ratio falls comfortably below the worry threshold of 1.0, meaning graduates would theoretically need about eight months of gross income to cover their debt—workable for those entering fields like nonprofit work, government, or graduate school preparation where political science majors typically land. However, the gap between La Roche's estimated outcomes and Pennsylvania's highest performers is substantial, potentially reflecting differences in alumni networks, geographic opportunities in Pittsburgh versus Philadelphia, or the career services infrastructure that larger programs can offer.

The practical question is whether this program positions students for the government affairs, policy analysis, or law school paths that justify a political science degree. Without actual outcome data from La Roche itself, families should probe deeply during campus visits: where do recent graduates actually work, what percentage pursue graduate education, and how does career advising support the transition from liberal arts study to employment?