Political Science and Government at University of Mary

A debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.69 isn't alarming on paper, but the underlying numbers tell a more sobering story. Political science graduates from comparable bachelor's programs nationally earn around $35,600 in their first year—not a strong starting salary for someone carrying an estimated $24,600 in debt. What's particularly striking is that other political science programs in North Dakota report considerably lower first-year earnings, with the state median at just $26,600. If University of Mary's outcomes track closer to state norms than national ones, that debt burden becomes significantly heavier.

The small graduate sample that triggered data suppression here makes it harder to know whether this program performs closer to the national average or falls in line with North Dakota's weaker earnings pattern. For a degree that rarely leads directly to lucrative careers without graduate school, that uncertainty matters. Political science majors often need additional credentials or pivot into unrelated fields to achieve financial stability, which means this initial debt load could be just the beginning of borrowing.

Before committing, understand that political science is fundamentally a gateway degree rather than a direct path to high earnings. If your child is certain about law school, public policy graduate programs, or already has connections in government or nonprofits, the investment makes more sense. But if they're exploring options or hoping the bachelor's alone will launch a career, the estimated debt could prove difficult to manage on entry-level nonprofit or campaign salaries.