Political Science and Government at Shawnee State University

Ohio's political science programs cluster tightly around the mid-$30,000s in first-year earnings, and this program's estimated outcomes align squarely with that state pattern. The projected debt load of roughly $25,000 creates a manageable 0.66 debt-to-earnings ratio—meaning graduates would owe about eight months of first-year salary. That's reasonable for a four-year degree, particularly when a third of students here receive Pell grants and may be balancing limited family resources against credential requirements for careers in government, nonprofit work, or further education.

The challenge is that political science bachelor's degrees rarely lead directly to high-paying work. The state's top performers—Miami University and Ashland—push into the mid-$40,000s, but even those programs leave graduates earning less than many technical or business fields. Similar programs across Ohio suggest that without graduate school or strategic networking into specific sectors, early earnings can feel stagnant. The national context reinforces this: $37,000 puts graduates slightly above the typical political science grad but still in territory where student loans will require careful budgeting.

For families considering this path, the financial equation makes sense only if your student has clear post-graduation plans—a specific public sector role, law school intentions, or graduate programs that value the credential. Without that roadmap, the modest debt becomes harder to justify against limited immediate earning power.