Political Science and Government at SUNY College at Geneseo

At first glance, SUNY Geneseo offers the benefit of lower debt—about $4,000 below the New York median—but graduates are earning substantially less than expected. That $27,814 first-year salary lands in the bottom quarter of political science programs in New York and the bottom 11th percentile nationally. When even the state median sits at $35,158, this program's earnings gap of over $7,000 becomes hard to ignore. The 0.70 debt-to-earnings ratio isn't alarming on its own, but it's artificially flattering because both numbers are low.

The earnings shortfall is particularly striking given Genesco's decent selectivity—an average SAT of 1296 suggests capable students who might reasonably expect middle-of-the-pack outcomes, not bottom-quartile results. While some of this could reflect career choices in public service or nonprofit work (common for political science grads), the gap persists even when compared to similar programs at other SUNY schools. The moderate sample size means these numbers should be taken seriously but not as gospel.

For families considering this program, the lower debt load softens the blow but doesn't erase the fundamental challenge: your child will likely start their career earning significantly less than peers from comparable institutions. Unless there are compelling reasons to choose Geneseo specifically—family ties, particular faculty, or a clear graduate school plan—stronger-performing SUNY options for political science exist that would deliver better first-year outcomes without sacrificing the in-state tuition advantage.