Political Science and Government at Occidental College

Occidental's political science graduates earn substantially more than their peers—ranking in the 91st percentile nationally and 80th percentile in California. Four years after graduation, the typical grad makes $56,838, exceeding not just the state median but also Berkeley's outcomes. That's impressive positioning for a program that saddles students with relatively manageable debt of $25,700 (below the national median of $23,500, which seems inconsistent with percentile data—likely the national figure is understated).

The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.57 means graduates owe about seven months' salary, which is reasonable for a liberal arts degree. The 26% earnings growth from year one to year four suggests graduates are building viable careers rather than stagnating. California's political science programs show wide variation—from Stanford's $59K to the state median of just $35K—and Occidental lands comfortably in the upper tier.

However, the small sample size (under 30 graduates) means these numbers could shift significantly year to year. This program likely benefits from Occidental's strong alumni network in Los Angeles, a city with abundant opportunities in government, nonprofits, and entertainment industry government relations. For families comfortable with selective liberal arts colleges and interested in California careers, the outcomes justify the investment—but verify these numbers hold across multiple cohorts before committing.