Political Science and Government at University of Wisconsin-Green Bay

UW-Green Bay's political science program sits right at the national median for earnings but trails meaningfully behind other Wisconsin options—landing in just the 40th percentile statewide. That $36,036 starting salary lags about $2,600 behind the Wisconsin median, and graduates at peer UW System schools like Oshkosh, Madison, and Stevens Point all earn $5,000-6,000 more right out of the gate. The gap suggests Green Bay's location and employer connections may put students at a disadvantage compared to programs in larger metropolitan areas or at the flagship.

The $23,383 debt load is manageable at roughly eight months of first-year earnings, and the 14% earnings growth to $41,215 by year four shows steady progression. Still, that four-year mark barely catches up to where graduates from top Wisconsin programs start. For an 88% admission rate school, the outcomes are reasonable—students aren't buried in debt and earnings trend in the right direction. But families should recognize they're paying a location penalty compared to other accessible UW System options.

If your student is drawn to Green Bay specifically or needs the smaller campus environment, the numbers aren't alarming. But if flexibility exists, programs at Oshkosh, Whitewater, or even Stevens Point deliver noticeably stronger early-career earnings for similar debt levels within the same public university system.