Political Science and Government at Mount Holyoke College

Mount Holyoke's political science graduates start strong at $48,690—well above both the national median ($35,627) and Massachusetts average ($43,010) for this major. The program ranks in the 95th percentile nationally, which is impressive, though it lands at the 60th percentile within Massachusetts, where elite liberal arts colleges cluster. For context, nearby competitors like Amherst and Williams push into the mid-to-high $50,000s. The $21,000 median debt is manageable, translating to a 0.43 debt-to-earnings ratio that shouldn't strain most graduates.

The wrinkle here is the small sample size—fewer than 30 graduates were tracked—and a slight earnings dip to $46,497 by year four. That decline might reflect career transitions common among political science majors (graduate school, public service work, campaign cycles) rather than a fundamental weakness in the program. Given Mount Holyoke's selectivity and the strong alumni network typical of prestigious women's colleges, long-term prospects likely improve beyond this four-year window.

For families comfortable with a selective liberal arts environment, this represents solid value: graduates earn substantially more than typical political science majors while carrying below-average debt. Just understand you're paying for Mount Holyoke's broader value proposition—the education, connections, and credential—not necessarily maximum earnings optimization in this particular field.