Political Science and Government at Washington & Jefferson College

Washington & Jefferson College's political science program graduates carry $27,000 in debt—substantially less than the national median—and start at nearly $40,000, placing them well above typical outcomes for this major. That 0.68 debt-to-earnings ratio is notably manageable, especially for a liberal arts degree that often leads to graduate school or careers with slower initial earning trajectories. Among Pennsylvania's 72 political science programs, these graduates land around the 60th percentile for earnings while maintaining below-median debt levels.

The concerning caveat here is the sample size: fewer than 30 graduates were tracked, which means a handful of particularly successful (or struggling) alumni could skew the entire picture. The 10% earnings bump from year one to year four is modest but steady, though these graduates remain far behind the state's elite programs—Penn and Lehigh graduates earn 50-60% more out of the gate.

For a family paying private school tuition at an 82% admission rate institution, this program appears to deliver solid middle-of-the-pack results without crushing debt burdens. If your student is genuinely passionate about politics or government and plans to attend graduate school anyway, the relatively low debt load makes this a reasonable choice. Just recognize you're not buying access to the lucrative alumni networks that Pennsylvania's top-tier programs provide.