Political Science and Government at The College of Saint Rose

New York's political science graduates typically earn around $35,000 in their first year—placing this program right at the state median but well below elite schools like Columbia and Cornell that push past $60,000. The estimated debt of $23,500 creates a manageable 0.67 debt-to-earnings ratio, meaning graduates would owe roughly two-thirds of their first-year salary. That's far from ideal, but it's also not the crushing burden that plagues some programs.

The real challenge here is what happens next. Political science is notoriously back-loaded—many graduates need graduate degrees for meaningful career advancement, and first-year earnings don't capture the full trajectory. When nearly 40% of students receive Pell grants, that extended timeline to financial stability matters considerably. Comparable programs across New York suggest you're looking at modest starting pay regardless of whether your child lands in state government, nonprofit work, or tries to leverage the degree into something else entirely.

Here's the practical takeaway: if your child is passionate about political science and has a clear plan (law school, public policy graduate programs, or specific government roles), this debt level won't derail those ambitions. But if they're choosing political science because it sounds interesting without concrete next steps, the estimated earnings picture suggests they'll be living lean while figuring it out. The estimates here track closely with both state and national figures, which at least suggests predictability—just not particularly strong financial returns in year one.