Political Science and Government at University of Arkansas at Monticello

A bachelor's in political science from UAM carries an estimated $21,150 in debt—notably below the national median of $23,500 for this major—while first-year earnings appear to track near the national median of $35,627. With nearly half of students receiving Pell grants, this lower debt burden matters considerably for families already stretching financially to fund a four-year degree.

The challenge lies in what these comparable-program estimates don't reveal: whether UAM's specific outcomes match its Arkansas peers like the University of Arkansas ($33,745) and University of Central Arkansas ($31,348), or fall short. Political science degrees typically open doors to fields with wide salary variation—government work, nonprofits, law school preparation—making that first-year number somewhat misleading for career trajectory. The 0.59 debt-to-earnings ratio suggests manageable repayment if graduates secure steady employment quickly, but political science careers often require graduate school or unpaid internships that aren't captured in these figures.

For families deciding whether UAM represents good value, the estimated lower debt is encouraging. However, without actual graduate outcomes from this specific program, you're essentially betting that UAM's political science graduates fare as well as typical programs nationwide. If your student has strong graduate school prospects or specific public service goals, that bet may be reasonable given the modest debt load. If they're uncertain about next steps after graduation, the lack of concrete data here makes planning difficult.