Political Science and Government at Whitworth University

Whitworth's political science graduates earn significantly more than most of their peers nationally—ranking in the 87th percentile—but the story is more nuanced within Washington state. The $43,933 starting salary beats the national median by $8,300, though it sits in the middle of the pack among Washington's 16 programs offering this degree. More striking is the 43% earnings jump to nearly $63,000 by year four, suggesting this program opens doors that compound over time rather than leading to the wage stagnation common in political science careers.

The debt picture is reasonable: $22,624 translates to a 0.51 debt-to-earnings ratio, meaning graduates owe roughly half their first-year salary. That's manageable for a liberal arts degree and actually slightly below the national median debt for political science programs. Combined with those strong four-year earnings, graduates should be able to pay down loans without financial strain if they stay on a similar career trajectory.

The caveat here matters: these numbers come from a small sample of fewer than 30 graduates, so your child's experience could vary considerably. Still, if they're drawn to Whitworth's tight-knit community and the program's apparent career development support (that earnings growth doesn't happen by accident), this looks like a solid choice that balances the idealism of political science with practical career outcomes.