Political Science and Government at Loyola Marymount University

Loyola Marymount's political science program starts graduates at $31,000—below both the national and California medians—but delivers something more valuable: dramatic upward mobility. By year four, earnings jump 86% to nearly $58,000, vaulting graduates past the state median and approaching the level of Stanford and Santa Clara alumni. This trajectory suggests the program's Los Angeles location and alumni network create meaningful career opportunities that take a few years to materialize.

The $22,000 debt load sits between the national and California medians, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.71 that's manageable if students can weather that first lean year. For families banking on immediate post-graduation earnings to start loan payments, that initial $31,000 salary requires planning. However, the sharp earnings growth indicates graduates are moving into roles—likely in policy, advocacy, or business—that political science programs elsewhere struggle to access.

The value here depends on your ability to support your child through their early career years. If you can provide a financial cushion while they leverage the program's connections, the long-term payoff looks solid. But if immediate earnings matter—say, for aggressive loan repayment—consider that LMU ranks in just the 40th percentile among California political science programs at the one-year mark, even as it ultimately delivers competitive mid-career outcomes.