Political Science and Government at University at Buffalo

A political science degree from UB starts rough but shows promising momentum. That $27,495 first-year salary—roughly $10,000 below both state and national medians—jumps 52% by year four to reach $41,750. This trajectory matters because it suggests graduates who stick it out in their career paths see meaningful advancement, though you're still looking at earnings well below what elite NY programs deliver (Columbia grads average $61,000).

The debt picture offers some relief: at $20,750, it's lower than both state and national medians, giving graduates more breathing room during those lean early years. Still, ranking in just the 25th percentile among New York political science programs is telling. With 81 programs in-state, most are launching graduates into better immediate opportunities. The 0.75 debt-to-earnings ratio in year one isn't catastrophic, but it means your child would owe roughly nine months of their first-year salary.

For a family considering UB's political science program, the key question is whether that initial salary gap is acceptable. If your child plans to stay in New York and pursue typical political science careers—government, nonprofits, advocacy—they'll likely be competing against graduates from stronger-performing programs for the same positions. The earnings growth is encouraging, but starting from the bottom quartile of state programs means playing catch-up for years.