Program Analysis
First-year earnings of $57,111 put Santa Clara University's Political Science and Government program 56% above the national median of $36,684 — one of the higher-earning programs in this field.
At 2.6x tuition cost, the financial math is tight. Decade earnings don't dramatically exceed what you paid, making school choice and aid packages critical.
The 12% difference between AI scenarios reflects partial automation exposure. Some Political Science and Government career paths face displacement, but others in the field are more insulated.
With first-year pay of $57,111 far exceeding the $20,500 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.
A #144 ranking among 521 Political Science and Government programs places Santa Clara University in the middle-to-upper range. Solid, not exceptional.
A 29% earnings increase from $57,111 to $73,668 over five years is solid — not a moonshot, but evidence of normal career advancement.