Political Science and Government at Northeastern University Professional Programs

Northeastern's professional program turns in remarkably strong earnings for political science graduates, with first-year median pay of $52,516—nearly 50% above the national median and sitting at the 95th percentile nationally. That's genuinely impressive for a field where most graduates start around $35,600. The debt load of $22,579 is also slightly below the national average, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.43 that makes this financially manageable from day one.

The Massachusetts context adds nuance: while these graduates significantly outperform the state median of $43,010, they're still trailing the elite liberal arts colleges and traditional Northeastern campus. Being 60th percentile in-state means solid but not spectacular performance compared to peer institutions in the Boston area. That said, for political science—a notoriously difficult major to monetize early—pulling in $65,006 four years out represents a 24% earnings bump that suggests graduates are finding professional traction in policy, advocacy, or business roles.

For parents worried about political science as a "risky" liberal arts degree, this program offers tangible reassurance. The combination of strong starting pay, reasonable debt, and steady earnings growth makes it one of the safer bets in this field nationally. Just recognize you're paying for outcomes that are excellent relative to most political science programs, but not quite elite-tier within Massachusetts itself.