Political Science and Government at University of Wisconsin-La Crosse

UW-La Crosse's political science program shows modest starting salaries but strong momentum over time. First-year graduates earn $35,281—slightly below both national and Wisconsin medians—but by year four, earnings jump 42% to nearly $50,000. That growth rate suggests graduates are successfully transitioning into careers where political science skills command better pay, though the starting point lags behind other Wisconsin programs like UW-Oshkosh and Madison (both over $42,000).

The debt picture offers some relief: at $21,500, graduates here borrow about $2,000 less than the state median and roughly $2,000 less than the national average. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.61 means borrowers can expect to earn back their debt burden in about 7 months of work. However, the 40th percentile state ranking reveals that among Wisconsin's 23 political science programs, this one performs below the middle of the pack on earnings.

For families prioritizing affordability and manageable debt, UW-La Crosse delivers—particularly if your student plans to pursue graduate school or career pivots where the initial salary matters less than the credential itself. But if maximizing early-career earnings is the goal, other UW system schools outperform this program by $3,000-$7,000 annually. The strong earnings growth is encouraging, yet it starts from a lower base than most Wisconsin alternatives.