Political Science and Government at Southern New Hampshire University

Southern New Hampshire University's Political Science program charges significantly more debt than nearly every competitor—$30,811 versus a state median of $27,000—yet lands graduates in the middle of the pack for New Hampshire earnings. While first-year earnings of $41,530 beat the national median by nearly $6,000, this program trails Saint Anselm College by just $200 but comes with $3,500 more debt. That's the tradeoff parents need to understand: you're paying premium prices for what amounts to middle-tier outcomes within New Hampshire's political science landscape.

The debt burden here sits in the 5th percentile nationally—meaning 95% of political science programs saddle students with less debt—while the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.74 means graduates start with nearly nine months of their annual salary in loans. For comparison, UNH graduates earn roughly $3,100 less but typically carry about $3,800 less debt, making the ROI calculation at Southern New Hampshire less straightforward than the national ranking might suggest.

This program works if your child values Southern New Hampshire's specific offerings enough to justify the debt premium over in-state alternatives. But purely from a financial perspective, the combination of 96% admission rate, near-average state earnings, and above-average debt creates a narrow margin for error. Unless there are compelling non-financial reasons to choose SNHU, New Hampshire families should carefully compare total costs against UNH or Saint Anselm.