Political Science and Government at University of Louisiana at Monroe

ULM's political science program starts graduates at $23,450—roughly $5,000 below the Louisiana median and among the bottom 5% nationally. While the program carries moderate debt at $23,467 (typical for political science), that first-year earnings figure creates a challenging 1:1 debt-to-earnings ratio that puts immediate financial pressure on new graduates. Even among Louisiana's 17 political science programs, this ranks only in the 25th percentile.

The picture improves significantly by year four, when median earnings jump to $40,703. That 74% growth rate suggests graduates find their footing in the job market, eventually reaching a respectable salary. However, there's an important caveat: this data reflects fewer than 30 graduates, making these numbers less reliable than programs with larger cohorts.

For families considering this program, the tough first year matters. Your child would likely need financial support or careful budgeting while building their career. Louisiana Tech and LSU both produce political science graduates who start $7,000-11,000 higher with similar debt loads. Unless ULM offers compelling scholarship money that dramatically reduces the debt burden, stronger-performing in-state alternatives would provide a more comfortable financial runway for launching a political science career.