Political Science and Government at Saint Mary's College of California

Saint Mary's College turns in surprisingly strong numbers for political science, ranking in the 80th percentile among California programs—well above the state median of $35,297 and landing just below elite names like Berkeley and Occidental. More impressive is the trajectory: graduates see their earnings jump 52% within four years, reaching nearly $69,000. That's double the national median for this field and suggests the program opens doors beyond entry-level positions. The debt load of roughly $26,000 is higher than California's median but remains manageable given the earnings outcomes.

The catch? These numbers come from a small sample—fewer than 30 graduates—so they could swing significantly in either direction with more data. The college's 89% admission rate means it's not particularly selective, yet its political science alumni are outearning graduates from far more competitive programs. That gap suggests either strong regional employer connections or a particularly motivated subset of students choosing this major.

For a parent weighing options, the fundamentals look solid: your child would graduate with below-average debt relative to their starting salary and see meaningful earnings growth early in their career. Just recognize that with limited data, these results might not fully represent what future graduates will experience. If your student visits campus, ask the department about internship pipelines and where recent graduates have landed—that'll help confirm whether these numbers reflect repeatable outcomes or statistical noise.