Political Science and Government at Roger Williams University

Roger Williams University's political science program lands in an interesting middle ground: it beats the national median by about $1,700, but falls short of Rhode Island's state median by nearly $2,000. That state gap matters because among nine Rhode Island programs, this ranks in just the 40th percentile—meaning you're paying private school tuition (Roger Williams charges accordingly at this 88% admission rate institution) for outcomes that trail URI and three other in-state options.

The debt picture offers some relief. At $27,000, graduates borrow roughly the national median but carry about $4,600 more than the typical Rhode Island political science student. Still, with a 0.72 debt-to-earnings ratio, the burden remains manageable compared to many liberal arts programs. The real consideration is whether Roger Williams justifies its premium over URI, which produces similar graduates who earn $31,649 but likely carry less debt as an in-state public option.

The small sample size (under 30 graduates) adds uncertainty to these figures, so one or two unusually high or low earners could skew the picture. For a family choosing between Rhode Island schools, this program doesn't stand out as either a clear value play or a career launcher—it's serviceable but not distinctive in a state where Brown and Providence College political science graduates earn substantially more.