Political Science and Government at University of Dallas

University of Dallas political science graduates earn $41,639 their first year out—solidly above both Texas and national medians for the major, though the sample size here is small enough that individual career choices heavily influence these numbers. Among Texas political science programs, this slots in at the 60th percentile, trailing the state's elite privates but outperforming most public options except UT-Austin and Texas A&M. Nationally, it reaches the 79th percentile, suggesting the program punches above what you'd expect from a mid-sized Catholic university.

The $21,500 debt load works out to about six months of first-year earnings—manageable by liberal arts standards, where graduates often take circuitous paths to stable careers. Political science rarely leads straight to high-paying work, so starting above $40,000 while keeping debt in check matters more than chasing prestige. The real question is whether your student plans graduate school (law, policy, international relations), where these early earnings become less relevant than the foundation and network the program provides.

With fewer than 30 graduates in the sample, these figures could shift dramatically year to year. But the combination of reasonable debt and earnings that exceed most Texas competitors suggests the program delivers solid value—assuming your student understands they're choosing formation and relationships over immediate financial returns.