Political Science and Government at University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus

At first glance, UC Denver's political science program seems to lag behind Boulder and Metro State, but that's actually the wrong story. What matters here is trajectory: graduates start at $40,272 but reach $58,929 by year four—a 46% jump that dramatically outpaces the typical career path for poli sci majors. This puts the program at the 75th percentile nationally, and while it ranks 60th percentile among Colorado programs initially, that strong earnings growth suggests graduates are landing in roles with genuine advancement potential rather than the administrative assistant positions that trap many liberal arts grads.

The debt picture reinforces the value proposition. At $21,066, graduates owe slightly less than both the state median ($20,658) and national benchmark ($23,500), yielding a manageable 0.52 debt-to-earnings ratio. That's well below the concerning 1.0 threshold, meaning graduates can realistically handle their loan payments even during that lower-earning first year. By year four, when earnings approach $59,000, the debt burden becomes even more negligible.

For parents worried about a political science degree leading nowhere, UC Denver delivers something rare: a liberal arts program where graduates actually see their incomes grow substantially. The moderate sample size means individual outcomes vary, but the pattern suggests this program successfully connects students to career paths—likely in state government, nonprofits, or private sector roles—where a poli sci background translates into upward mobility rather than stagnation.