Political Science and Government at Salve Regina University

Rhode Island's political science programs show a clear prestige hierarchy, and Salve Regina appears to land in the middle of the pack. Based on comparable programs in the state, graduates can expect first-year earnings around $39,200—slightly above the national median for the major but well below what Brown ($54,600) and Providence College ($43,900) produce. The estimated debt load of $25,125 creates a manageable but not trivial burden, with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.64 that falls within reasonable territory for liberal arts degrees.

The real question is whether this mid-tier outcome justifies the investment when Roger Williams and URI offer similar or alternative pathways at potentially different price points. Political science degrees typically demand either graduate education or strategic internship placement to convert into strong career outcomes, making the network and career services at Salve Regina particularly important factors that raw salary data can't capture. The 70% admission rate and solid SAT scores suggest a competent student body, but the path from a PoliSci BA to a stable career remains uncertain regardless of where you earn it.

For families banking on this degree alone to launch a career, the estimated numbers suggest modest financial pressure in year one. If your child is genuinely passionate about politics, public service, or law school—and Salve Regina offers the connections or experiences to support those goals—it could work. Otherwise, this looks like an expensive path to a credential that will need significant augmentation.