Program directoryPROGRAM-CATEGORY PAYOFF

Public Policy Analysis bachelor's degree outcomes at St. Mary's College of Maryland

St. Mary's City, MD · Public · Federal field 4405

Data scope

Federal records group outcomes by college, four-digit field and credential level. A record may cover several catalog programs or concentrations.

The short version

Reported earnings are close to the same-degree benchmark.

$4,489 below the national median for the same field and credential.

Debt pressure
31.8% of annual earnings
Positive-payoff price ceiling
$15,580 / year
10-year scenario
−5% · Negative payoff
Price evidence
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.

What stays fixed$69,232 observed annual earnings · 4 years of study · $45,000 alternative annual earnings · ten-year horizonThe marked price is this college’s institution-wide average net price, not the exact price of this program category. This is a sensitivity test, not a tuition quote or earnings forecast.
OUTCOME SIGNALS

Graduate outcomes from several angles.

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

+47%Earnings growth, year 1 → 5$43,629$64,347
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
17Year-5 earnings observationsCohort behind the year-5 median
20Borrowers representedCohort behind the debt median
Not availableAwarding-school debtDebt attributed to the college granting the credential
Not availableRecent awardsIPEDS 2023–24 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.

23Students receiving federal aid2024–25 Title IV enrollment
Not reportedFederal-aid completers2024–25 program completers
Not reportedPell Grant recipients2024–25 program count
15Federal loan borrowers2024–25 unduplicated count
Preliminary federal earnings benchmark$36,491Informational preview, not a final accountability result
Observed year-4 earnings$69,232$32,741 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.

01 · PRICE CONTEXT$18,441

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

02 · BORROWING$22,000

Median federal debt across schools attended at this academic level.

03 · EARNINGS$69,232

Observed median earnings four full years after completion.

04 · REPAYMENT$233/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$18,441Institution-wide annual figure
COST OF ATTENDANCE$31,865Institution-wide annual budget
ADMISSION RATE68.6%Institution context
COMPLETION RATE70.0%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.

$43,629Year 1
$69,232Year 4
$64,347Year 5
CAN THE EARNINGS SUPPORT THE DEBT?

4.0% 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$5,769
Estimated loan payment$233
20borrowers represented where reported
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?

$69,232 vs. $73,721

$4,489 below 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.
Social Science Research Assistants$65,550 median wageMD estimate · 700 jobs · 19-4061+5.0% projected U.S. growth · 4.9k openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreePolitical Science Teachers, Postsecondary$105,630 median wageMD estimate · 370 jobs · 25-1065+2.5% projected U.S. growth · 1.5k openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreePolitical Scientists$153,380 median wageMD estimate · 100 jobs · 19-3094-2.0% projected U.S. growth · 0.4k openings/yrTypical entry: Master's degreeSocial Scientists and Related Workers, All Other$131,810 median wageMD estimate · 2,600 jobs · 19-3099-0.2% projected U.S. growth · 2.7k openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeMedical and Health Services Managers$131,810 median wageMD estimate · 17,030 jobs · 11-9111+24.2% projected U.S. growth · 62.3k openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeHealth Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary$108,160 median wageMD estimate · 7,460 jobs · 25-1071+17.9% projected U.S. growth · 24.9k openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeEducation Teachers, Postsecondary$78,820 median wageMD estimate · 870 jobs · 25-1081+2.5% projected U.S. growth · 5.3k openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeLegislatorsNot available median wageU.S. estimate · Unreported jobs · 11-1031NO MATCHNot available median wageU.S. estimate · Unreported jobs · 99-9999
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.

Princeton, NJ

Princeton University

$38,560 higher earnings · $11,473 less debt · $12,313 lower annual net price

Earnings
$107,792
Debt
$10,527
Annual net price
$6,128
View outcomes →
Chicago, IL

University of Chicago

$25,005 higher earnings · $4,508 less debt · $3,581 lower annual net price

Earnings
$94,237
Debt
$17,492
Annual net price
$14,860
View outcomes →
University, MS

University of Mississippi

$16,106 higher earnings · $1,000 less debt · $5,127 lower annual net price

Earnings
$85,338
Debt
$21,000
Annual net price
$13,314
View outcomes →
Chapel Hill, NC

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

$5,171 higher earnings · $7,000 less debt · $6,786 lower annual net price

Earnings
$74,403
Debt
$15,000
Annual net price
$11,655
View outcomes →
Compare these programs →
DATA QUALITY

Check the evidence behind the estimate.

17 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 →