Political Science and Government at Millsaps College

A Political Science degree from a selective Mississippi liberal arts college comes with questions that incomplete data makes harder to answer. Based on national benchmarks for similar programs, graduates might expect around $35,600 in first-year earnings with roughly $24,600 in debt—a 0.69 debt-to-earnings ratio that sits in reasonable territory compared to many humanities degrees. However, Mississippi's political science graduates from larger programs like Ole Miss and Mississippi State typically start in the low $30,000s, suggesting the state's limited government sector and nonprofit landscape may constrain early career opportunities regardless of where you earn your degree.

The challenge here is that without actual graduate outcomes from Millsaps specifically, you're essentially betting on the value of a small liberal arts education over state universities that cost less upfront. Millsaps serves a significant population of Pell-eligible students (36%), but whether its network and personalized attention translate into better career outcomes than the state flagships remains unclear from the available data. Political science degrees often serve as stepping stones to law school or graduate programs rather than direct career paths, which these first-year earnings don't capture.

If your child is considering graduate school afterward, the debt load matters less. If they're planning to work immediately after graduation, understand that peer programs suggest modest starting salaries in a state with limited opportunities in this field, and you're relying on Millsaps' particular strengths to justify any premium over public options.