Political Science and Government at Marist University

Marist's political science graduates start at $43,238—about 20% above both the national and New York state medians—and see solid earnings growth to $57,500 by year four. While this puts the program in the 85th percentile nationally, it ranks in the 60th percentile among New York's 81 political science programs, reflecting the state's particularly strong field. Still, Marist clearly outperforms most peer institutions, landing graduates closer to the elite private colleges than to typical state school outcomes.

The $23,250 debt load is manageable, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.54 that most graduates can handle comfortably. The 33% earnings growth over four years suggests graduates are successfully translating their political science degrees into career advancement—important for a field that sometimes struggles with early-career earnings. Given that political science majors often need graduate school or several years of experience to reach peak earning potential, this trajectory is encouraging.

For families weighing Marist against SUNY options or other private colleges, this program delivers meaningfully stronger outcomes than most alternatives at a reasonable debt level. If your child is considering political science and Marist is already on the list, the numbers support that choice—just recognize they'll be competing in a state where top programs like Columbia and Cornell set the high bar.