Political Science and Government at Salisbury University

Salisbury's political science graduates start modestly at $33,397, but the real story emerges four years later when median earnings jump 45% to $48,497. That growth trajectory matters because it transforms what initially looks like a below-average program into something more competitive—though it still trails the state's stronger options by a significant margin.

The challenge is Maryland's context. At the 25th percentile for in-state political science programs, Salisbury lags behind University of Maryland-College Park, Towson, and even smaller Frostburg State by the four-year mark. Students here earn about $6,000 less annually than Maryland's median political science graduate, which compounds over a career. The $23,160 debt load is reasonable and slightly below state norms, keeping the initial debt-to-earnings ratio manageable at 0.69, but debt relief alone doesn't overcome the earnings gap.

For Maryland families, this program works best if your child values Salisbury's smaller campus environment and you're comfortable with earnings that sit in the bottom quarter statewide. The strong growth curve suggests graduates develop valuable skills over time, but they're starting from further behind than at most Maryland alternatives. If maximizing early-career earnings matters—and for political science majors eyeing competitive graduate programs or expensive metro areas, it often does—the data points toward the flagship campus or Towson instead.