Political Science and Government at Notre Dame of Maryland University

A political science bachelor's degree carrying $26,000 in debt against $39,600 in first-year earnings sounds reasonable on paper—the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.66 sits comfortably below the concerning 1.0 threshold. However, these figures come from peer programs across Maryland, not Notre Dame's actual graduates, which means parents are evaluating this program with blurry vision. What we do know is that Maryland's political science programs show enormous variability, with top performers like University of Maryland Global Campus producing nearly $63,000 in early earnings while others cluster in the low $40,000s.

The estimated debt load aligns closely with Maryland's typical $24,860 for this degree, suggesting Notre Dame isn't loading students with disproportionate borrowing compared to state peers. But the earnings estimate—the median for all Maryland political science programs—tells us nothing about where Notre Dame specifically falls within that wide range. Given the school's 86% admission rate and that nearly a third of students receive Pell grants, it's serving a different population than Maryland's flagship research universities that dominate the earnings rankings.

For parents, this means accepting significant uncertainty. The degree could deliver solid value if Notre Dame's outcomes mirror the state median, or it could underperform if the program lacks the networking advantages and employer recognition that lift schools like Loyola and College Park. Before committing, demand transparency: ask the school directly about recent graduate outcomes and compare job placement rates with specific competing programs.