Political Science and Government at Pacific University

Comparable political science programs in Oregon produce first-year earnings around $36,000, which would leave Pacific University graduates with debt payments consuming a manageable portion of their income—assuming the estimated $24,625 in borrowing holds true. That debt load sits right at the state median for this major, suggesting nothing unusual about Pacific's cost structure despite its small size and high acceptance rate.

What's harder to assess is where Pacific's political science graduates actually land compared to Oregon's public universities. Oregon State and Lewis & Clark both report outcomes near $39,000, roughly $3,000 above the state median Pacific is estimated against. That gap matters: it's the difference between comfortable debt service and tight margins in your first year out. Political science degrees often lead to public sector or nonprofit work where salaries start modest, making those first few thousand dollars particularly important.

The bigger question is whether a small liberal arts college in Forest Grove opens different doors than Oregon's flagship programs. Pacific's 92% acceptance rate suggests it's not competing on selectivity, so value here depends on whether smaller classes and individualized attention translate to career outcomes that justify potentially higher costs. Without actual graduate data, you're betting on institutional reputation more than proven results.