Political Science and Government at Oberlin College

Oberlin's political science graduates start at just $30,187—well below both Ohio's median ($37,344) and the national average ($35,627) for this major. That's bottom-quartile performance statewide, and given Oberlin's 33% admission rate and 1440 average SAT, these earnings are surprisingly low for such a selective institution. Other Ohio liberal arts colleges like Kenyon produce notably stronger early outcomes ($39,550).

The small sample size (under 30 graduates) makes these figures less reliable, but the pattern deserves attention. While earnings jump 71% to $51,717 by year four, that trajectory doesn't fully offset the difficult first few years. With $24,314 in debt—roughly average for this program—graduates face a workable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.81, but that's calculated against an already-weak starting salary. Programs at Miami University and Ashland University in Ohio demonstrate that political science degrees can launch stronger earning trajectories from day one.

If your child is drawn to Oberlin specifically for its culture and teaching quality, understand they're likely accepting a financial trade-off. The fourth-year earnings suggest career momentum eventually builds, but those early years living on $30,000 will be lean. Families should plan for modest initial salaries and potentially longer repayment timelines than other Ohio options would require.