Political Science and Government at The University of Texas at Austin

UT Austin's political science program stands out as a rare success story in a field often criticized for poor job prospects. With first-year earnings of $43,281 and strong 37% growth to $59,257 by year four, graduates significantly outperform both national ($35,627) and Texas ($34,415) medians for political science majors. Among Texas political science programs, this ranks in the 80th percentile—trailing only elite private schools like Rice and SMU while delivering comparable outcomes to much more expensive alternatives.

The financial picture looks manageable with median debt of $20,500, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.47 that's well within reasonable bounds. While debt levels sit in the 74th percentile nationally, the strong earning potential more than compensates. The robust sample size of 100+ graduates gives confidence these results aren't statistical flukes, and the consistent upward earnings trajectory suggests graduates find meaningful career advancement.

For parents worried about their child majoring in political science, UT Austin offers compelling evidence that program quality and institutional reputation matter enormously in this field. The combination of reasonable debt, strong initial placement, and continued earnings growth makes this one of the better political science investments available, especially compared to less prestigious alternatives that often leave graduates struggling with similar debt but far weaker earning potential.