Political Science and Government at University of Redlands

University of Redlands political science graduates start modestly at $37,091 but see strong earnings growth to $51,250 by year four—a 38% jump that outpaces typical wage progression in this field. While the four-year mark beats both California's median ($35,297) and the national average ($35,627) for the major, that year-one figure puts graduates in a tight spot initially. The $26,000 debt load is higher than California's typical $17,500 for political science programs, though still reasonable compared to the national median.

What makes this more complicated is the small sample size—fewer than 30 graduates reported data, meaning one or two outliers could significantly skew these numbers. That caveat matters when you're looking at a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.70 in the first year. In practical terms, graduates might struggle more than expected if they pursue lower-paying public service or nonprofit work immediately after graduation, which many political science majors do.

The program ranks around the 60th percentile among California schools, placing it in the middle tier—well behind Stanford or UC Berkeley, but ahead of most options. If your child is committed to political science and values Redlands' small-college environment, the trajectory looks promising. Just ensure they have a plan for managing that first year or two when earnings will be tight relative to loan payments.