Political Science and Government at University of Hawaii at Manoa

The striking story here is the earnings trajectory: graduates start at just $24,964—nearly $11,000 below the national median for political science majors—but their income nearly doubles by year four to $48,627. That's 95% growth and substantially above both national and state benchmarks for the field. Among Hawaii's limited options for political science (just four schools), UH Manoa sits right at the median for both earnings and debt, but that 60th percentile ranking tells only part of the story when you consider where graduates end up four years out.

The manageable $18,000 debt load makes that difficult first year more tolerable—you're looking at a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.72, meaning the initial debt is less than one year's starting salary. More importantly, graduates who persist through those lean early years see real income growth. This pattern suggests many graduates may be taking public service or entry-level positions initially before moving into better-paying roles, which is common for political science majors in a state capital with government and nonprofit sectors.

The investment makes sense if your child understands they're signing up for a challenging first few years financially. The relatively low debt combined with strong four-year outcomes creates a workable path, but this isn't a program where graduates walk into comfortable salaries immediately. Students who can weather that initial period—perhaps living at home or maintaining part-time work—position themselves for solid mid-career earnings.