Political Science and Government at University of Jamestown

A bachelor's in Political Science from University of Jamestown comes with an estimated debt load of $24,625—right at the national median for the field—but the earnings picture requires context. Based on national benchmarks for political science programs, first-year earnings around $35,600 would put graduates significantly ahead of other North Dakota programs. The one school in the state with actual reported data shows graduates earning just $26,635, which would make the debt-to-earnings ratio far less favorable than what comparable national programs suggest for Jamestown.

The challenge is that these figures are estimates drawn from peer institutions nationwide, not actual outcomes from Jamestown's program specifically. Political science is a degree where career paths vary enormously—some graduates head to law school, others into nonprofit work, government positions, or entirely different fields—which means individual outcomes can differ dramatically from these medians. The estimated 0.69 debt-to-earnings ratio looks manageable on paper, but if Jamestown's graduates track closer to the ND median of $26,635, you're looking at nearly a full year's salary in debt for a degree with limited earning power in the immediate term.

Given the uncertainty and North Dakota's historically lower outcomes for this major, families should understand they're making a bet that Jamestown outperforms local competitors by roughly $9,000 annually. That's possible, but without actual program-specific data, it's impossible to verify whether that premium materializes.