How much do Political Science and Government bachelor's degree graduates from Fairfield University earn?

The reported median is $83,709 four years after completion.

How much federal debt do graduates of this program have?

The reported median federal debt among borrowers is $27,000.

Is this program above or below similar programs?

Reported year-four earnings are 32% above the national median for the same field and degree level.

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COLLEGE + DEGREE OUTCOMES

Political Science and Government bachelor's degree at Fairfield University

Fairfield, CT · Private nonprofit

What this page covers

Federal data group related majors at the same college and degree level. One record can include several named programs or concentrations.

The short version

Reported earnings are notably above similar programs.

$20,416 above the national median for the same field and degree level.

Debt as a share of earnings: 32.3% of annual earnings
Highest price with a positive payoff: $51,773 / year
Modeled 10-year payoff: +4% · Positive payoff
Available price data: College-wide context only

PRICE SENSITIVITY

The price can change the verdict.

Hold observed earnings constant and see how the modeled ten-year payoff changes as annual price rises.

← Negative payoff$0Positive payoff →

$0Annual price+$207,090

$14,000Annual price+$151,090

$28,000Annual price+$95,090

$42,000Annual price+$39,090

$48,000Current college-wide context+$15,090

$56,000Annual price−$16,910

$70,000Annual price−$72,910

OUTCOME SIGNALS

Graduate outcomes from several angles.

Follow earnings over time and inspect the cohort behind each federal measure.

+112%Earnings growth, year 1 → 5$38,426 → $81,620

Not availableEarn above high-school thresholdGraduate count in the year-4 cohort

Not availableWorking in the college’s stateGraduate count in the year-4 cohort

36Year-5 earnings observationsCohort behind the year-5 median

35Borrowers representedCohort behind the debt median

Not availableAwarding-school debtDebt attributed to the college granting the credential

Not availableRecent awardsIPEDS 2024–25 first-major completions in this field and credential

NEW FEDERAL PROGRAM CONTEXT

Size, aid and an earnings floor.

The Department of Education’s 2026 informational preview adds current program participation and a preliminary earnings comparison. It does not make a final eligibility determination.

62Students receiving federal aid2024–25 Title IV enrollment

15Federal-aid completers2024–25 program completers

15Pell Grant recipients2024–25 program count

43Federal loan borrowers2024–25 unduplicated count

25Graduates not recorded as employedHistorical federal cohort, three years after completion

Preliminary federal earnings benchmark$34,808Informational preview, not a final accountability result

Observed year-4 earnings$83,709$48,901 above the preliminary benchmark

Source: U.S. Department of Education PPD:2026 informational preview. Program categories use OPEID, four-digit field and credential level; federal-aid counts do not represent every enrolled student. Completion and employment measures use older cohorts shown above and are not combined into the payoff estimate.

01 · PRICE CONTEXT$48,095

Institution-wide annual average net price, not this program’s price.

02 · BORROWING$27,000

Median federal debt across schools attended at this academic level.

03 · EARNINGS$83,709

Observed median earnings four full years after completion.

04 · REPAYMENT$286/mo

Estimated standard 10-year federal payment.

WHAT WILL IT COST?

Published college costs provide the starting point.

Your exact offering, aid, residency and time to finish determine the price you actually pay.

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AVERAGE NET PRICE$48,095Institution-wide annual figure

COST OF ATTENDANCE$76,074Institution-wide annual budget

ADMISSION RATE33.3%Institution context

COMPLETION RATE84.3%Institution-wide completion rate

WHAT DO GRADUATES EARN?

Reported earnings after completion.

Each point may represent a different federal cohort. A missing bar means the figure was unavailable or suppressed.

$38,426Year 1

$83,709Year 4

$81,620Year 5

CAN THE EARNINGS SUPPORT THE DEBT?

4.1% of gross monthly earnings

Estimated monthly payment divided by observed gross monthly earnings. This excludes taxes, other debts and income-driven repayment.

Gross monthly earnings$6,976

Estimated loan payment$286

35borrowers represented where reported

HOW DOES IT COMPARE?

$83,709 vs. $63,293

$20,416 above the national median for the same field and credential.

Same-field national median

WHAT WORK CAN IT LEAD TO?

Related occupations, wages and outlook.

Official CIP–SOC links show careers the curriculum may prepare students for, not observed jobs held by this school’s graduates. BLS wages describe everyone working in an occupation.

BLS May 2025 wage estimates and 2025–35 employment projections.

Managers, All Other$162,690 median wageCT estimate · 7,330 jobs · 11-9199$119,120–$201,600 middle 50% of CT wages+4.9% projected U.S. growth · 100,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreePolitical Scientists$142,080 median wageU.S. estimate · 5,540 jobs · 19-3094-2.0% projected U.S. growth · 400 openings/yrTypical entry: Master's degreePolitical Science Teachers, Postsecondary$100,230 median wageCT estimate · 320 jobs · 25-1065$78,730–$142,000 middle 50% of CT wages+2.5% projected U.S. growth · 1,500 openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeSecondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$80,970 median wageCT estimate · 14,800 jobs · 25-2031$62,800–$101,260 middle 50% of CT wages-0.2% projected U.S. growth · 63,500 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeSocial Science Research Assistants$60,110 median wageCT estimate · 50 jobs · 19-4061$54,010–$71,340 middle 50% of CT wages+5.0% projected U.S. growth · 4,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeEconomics Teachers, Postsecondary$155,950 median wageCT estimate · 300 jobs · 25-1063$99,260–$213,490 middle 50% of CT wages+2.4% projected U.S. growth · 1,000 openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeEconomists$101,400 median wageCT estimate · 210 jobs · 19-3011$88,440–$129,340 middle 50% of CT wages+4.7% projected U.S. growth · 1,100 openings/yrTypical entry: Master's degree

CENSUS EMPLOYMENT DESTINATIONS

Where graduates work five years later

The leading industries employing graduates in this college, broad field and credential group.

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

about 21.7%

Finance and Insurance

about 19.2%

Educational Services

about 12.1%

Health Care and Social Assistance

about 10.9%

Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services

about 7.5%

Possible alternatives

Same degree, stronger on at least one reported measure.

Every option below reports higher earnings, lower federal debt or a lower college-wide net price. Same-state options appear first.

Hartford, CT

Trinity College

$10,388 higher earnings · $2,000 less debt · $13,263 lower annual net price

Earnings: $94,097
Debt: $25,000
Annual net price: $34,832

View outcomes →

New Haven, CT

Yale University

$7,055 higher earnings · $12,000 less debt · $24,318 lower annual net price

Earnings: $90,764
Debt: $15,000
Annual net price: $23,777

View outcomes →

New London, CT

Connecticut College

$2,200 less debt · $11,920 lower annual net price

Earnings: $74,190
Debt: $24,800
Annual net price: $36,175

View outcomes →

Fairfield, CT

Sacred Heart University

$6,250 less debt · $1,921 lower annual net price

Earnings: $65,879
Debt: $20,750
Annual net price: $46,174

View outcomes →

Compare these programs →

DATA QUALITY

Check the evidence behind the estimate.

36 observations in the earnings cohort

June 10, 2026 College Scorecard release

Observed, estimated and contextual figures are labeled separately throughout this page

IS IT WORTH IT AT YOUR PRICE?

Your price and current earnings determine the result.

Add your grants, borrowing and current salary to estimate payment pressure, break-even time and ten-year payoff.

Calculate my payoff →