Political Science and Government at Seattle Pacific University

Among Washington's 16 political science programs, Seattle Pacific ranks near the bottom quartile for earnings, with first-year graduates earning $40,175 at the state median versus $32,288 here—a gap of nearly $8,000. Even accounting for the program's modest debt load ($26,775, well below both state and national medians), graduates are starting their careers at a significant disadvantage compared to peers at UW, Seattle University, or even smaller competitors like Whitworth and Pacific Lutheran.

The strong 45% earnings growth to $46,856 by year four offers some optimism, suggesting graduates eventually find their footing. But that early earnings gap matters: it delays loan payback, retirement savings, and other financial milestones. The 0.83 debt-to-earnings ratio isn't alarming on its own, but it's less attractive when you could get similar debt levels with $9,000 more in starting salary elsewhere in Washington.

The critical caveat: this analysis comes from fewer than 30 graduates, so these numbers could shift dramatically with a larger sample. If your child is committed to Seattle Pacific for other reasons—faith community, campus culture, specific faculty—this program won't bury them in debt. But purely as a political science investment within Washington state, stronger options exist at comparable or lower cost.