Program directoryPROGRAM-CATEGORY PAYOFF

Political Science and Government bachelor's degree outcomes at Washington College

Chestertown, MD · Private nonprofit · Federal field 4510

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.

$5,725 above the national median for the same field and credential.

Debt pressure
35.8% of annual earnings
Positive-payoff price ceiling
$15,045 / year
10-year scenario
−18% · 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$69,018 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.

+81%Earnings growth, year 1 → 5$36,741$66,538
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
22Year-5 earnings observationsCohort behind the year-5 median
24Borrowers 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.

31Students receiving federal aid2024–25 Title IV enrollment
15Federal-aid completers2024–25 program completers
15Pell Grant recipients2024–25 program count
21Federal loan borrowers2024–25 unduplicated count
Preliminary federal earnings benchmark$34,808Informational preview, not a final accountability result
Observed year-4 earnings$69,018$34,210 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$27,898

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

02 · BORROWING$24,721

Median federal debt across schools attended at this academic level.

03 · EARNINGS$69,018

Observed median earnings four full years after completion.

04 · REPAYMENT$262/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$27,898Institution-wide annual figure
COST OF ATTENDANCE$73,314Institution-wide annual budget
ADMISSION RATE56.9%Institution context
COMPLETION RATE65.4%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.

$36,741Year 1
$69,018Year 4
$66,538Year 5
CAN THE EARNINGS SUPPORT THE DEBT?

4.6% 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$5,752
Estimated loan payment$262
24borrowers represented where reported
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?

$69,018 vs. $63,293

$5,725 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$159,040 median wageMD estimate · 17,530 jobs · 11-9199+4.9% projected U.S. growth · 100.9k openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreePolitical Scientists$153,380 median wageMD estimate · 100 jobs · 19-3094-2.0% projected U.S. growth · 0.4k openings/yrTypical entry: Master'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 degreeSecondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$78,670 median wageMD estimate · 16,640 jobs · 25-2031-0.2% projected U.S. growth · 63.5k openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeSocial 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 degreeEconomists$144,680 median wageMD estimate · 1,130 jobs · 19-3011+4.7% projected U.S. growth · 1.1k openings/yrTypical entry: Master's degreeEconomics Teachers, Postsecondary$133,540 median wageMD estimate · 200 jobs · 25-1063+2.4% projected U.S. growth · 1k openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degree
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.

Adelphi, MD

University of Maryland Global Campus

$13,245 higher earnings · $7,121 less debt · $5,835 lower annual net price

Earnings
$82,263
Debt
$17,600
Annual net price
$22,063
View outcomes →
College Park, MD

University of Maryland-College Park

$5,419 higher earnings · $5,953 less debt · $12,220 lower annual net price

Earnings
$74,437
Debt
$18,768
Annual net price
$15,678
View outcomes →
Baltimore, MD

Johns Hopkins University

$52,711 higher earnings · $9,089 lower annual net price

Earnings
$121,729
Debt
Not available
Annual net price
$18,809
View outcomes →
St. Mary's City, MD

St. Mary's College of Maryland

$3,379 higher earnings · $9,457 lower annual net price

Earnings
$72,397
Debt
$25,000
Annual net price
$18,441
View outcomes →
Compare these programs →
DATA QUALITY

Check the evidence behind the estimate.

22 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 →