Political Science and Government at Simpson College

Simpson's Political Science program operates in a particularly competitive Iowa market where outcomes vary dramatically—from Iowa's $39,133 down to Luther's $21,358. Based on comparable programs statewide, Simpson graduates can expect first-year earnings around $36,662, landing squarely in the middle of this range and roughly matching the national median for political science degrees.

The estimated $21,138 in debt is actually lighter than both state and national benchmarks for this major, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.58—meaning graduates would owe about seven months of their first-year salary. That's manageable territory for a liberal arts degree, though these programs rarely lead to immediate high earnings. Political science typically serves as a stepping stone to graduate school, law school, or careers in government and nonprofits where early salaries are modest but growth potential exists for those who continue their education or build specialized experience.

The uncertainty here matters: with an 89% admission rate and solid SAT scores, Simpson draws a different student profile than highly selective Grinnell, yet these estimates don't capture those distinctions. If your child is using this degree as a foundation for further education, the relatively contained debt load is encouraging. If they're planning to enter the workforce immediately after graduation, understand that $36,000 salaries are typical across Iowa for this field—not a Simpson-specific limitation, but a reality of the major itself.