Political Science and Government at SUNY Oneonta

SUNY Oneonta's political science program tells an unusual story: graduates start significantly below both state and national benchmarks at $32,295, trailing the national median by nearly $3,500 and placing in just the 29th percentile nationally. But four years later, earnings jump to $58,170—an 80% increase that rivals elite institutions like Hamilton College and puts these graduates on competitive financial footing despite the modest starting point.

The debt picture makes this trajectory more viable. At $22,375, graduates borrow slightly less than typical political science majors, and the relatively low first-year earnings still produce a manageable 0.69 debt-to-earnings ratio. Within NY, the program performs around the 40th percentile—middle-of-the-pack among 81 programs that include Columbia and Cornell. For students at a school with a 70% admission rate where a third receive Pell grants, reaching nearly $60,000 by year four represents meaningful upward mobility.

The catch is enduring those first few years when earnings lag substantially behind peers. Families need to plan for a longer runway before graduates hit their financial stride—whether that means additional education, career pivots, or simply time spent climbing organizational ladders. If your child can weather that initial period and you're comfortable with moderate debt, the long-term outcome justifies the patience. But if immediate post-graduation earnings matter for loan repayment or living expenses, this program's delayed payoff could create real stress.