Political Science and Government at University of Wisconsin-Whitewater

With just a handful of graduates tracked, it's hard to draw firm conclusions about UW-Whitewater's political science certificate, but the available numbers reveal a troubling pattern. The $41,188 median starting salary lands in just the 5th percentile nationally for this credential—meaning 95% of similar programs produce better-earning graduates. While it's true this hits the Wisconsin median, that's only because so few schools in the state offer this particular certificate, limiting the comparison pool.

The debt load compounds the concern. At $25,791, graduates carry more debt than the national median while earning significantly less, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.63. That means you're borrowing roughly eight months of your first year's salary—manageable, but only if those earnings grow. For a certificate rather than a full degree, this represents a substantial financial commitment with unclear returns.

The small sample size means one year's cohort could be wildly unrepresentative. Perhaps these graduates weren't pursuing careers requiring this credential, or maybe they're in entry-level positions that will pay off later. But parents should recognize they're looking at very limited evidence for a program that currently shows graduates earning $7,500 less than the national benchmark. If your student is considering this certificate, push hard to understand what specific career path it serves and whether those $41,000 starting salaries lead somewhere better.