Political Science and Government at Pacific Lutheran University

Pacific Lutheran University's political science program outperforms most national competitors while keeping debt surprisingly manageable. Graduates earn $41,518 in their first year—16% above the national median and landing in the 79th percentile nationally. That's competitive with University of Washington campuses despite PLU's 81% admission rate and regional focus. Within Washington, it places solidly in the middle of the pack at the 60th percentile, trailing only a handful of programs.

The financial picture looks sustainable: at $20,250, median debt sits just below both state and national averages, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.49. That means graduates owe less than half their first-year salary, a workable burden for a liberal arts degree. The 17% earnings bump to $48,683 by year four shows steady career progression rather than stagnation. For a field where many graduates enter lower-paying nonprofit or public service work initially, this trajectory is encouraging.

For families worried about political science leading nowhere financially, PLU offers a counterpoint. The program demonstrates that a selective liberal arts environment can translate to real earning power without crushing debt. The moderate sample size suggests consistent outcomes rather than outliers driving the numbers.