Political Science and Government at Washington Adventist University

Maryland's political science programs show a surprisingly wide earnings range, from under $40,000 to over $60,000 at the state's highest earner. Based on the median for comparable programs at private Maryland institutions, Washington Adventist graduates would likely start around $39,600—matching the state median and sitting modestly above the national benchmark of $35,600. That's a reasonable starting point, but it lags substantially behind the state's top performers, where alumni from UMD-College Park and Loyola see starting salaries in the low-to-mid $40,000s.

The estimated debt load of $26,200 creates a workable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.66, suggesting graduates could realistically manage their loans on these entry-level salaries. However, with nearly half of students receiving Pell grants, affordability remains a genuine concern—especially when state flagship programs deliver similar or better outcomes at potentially lower cost for Maryland residents.

The reality here: peer data suggests this program produces modest but manageable outcomes for a political science bachelor's, performing near state and national medians. For families paying private school tuition, however, the lack of any earnings premium over Maryland's public universities should prompt a hard look at net cost after aid. If the bottom-line price approaches that of Towson or Frostburg—which report actual earnings over $41,000—those alternatives offer more documented value.