Grad school · Social sciences

International relations graduate programs: earnings and debt by school

102 colleges award master's degrees in international relations. Graduates of the typical program earned $72,452 a year after finishing, and those who borrowed left with a median of $39,024 in federal loans taken at the school.

Master's programs102

Graduates in 2023-244,552

Typical median debt$39,024

Typical earnings 1 yr after$72,452

Typical earnings 4 yrs after$89,679

Earnings to debt1.9x

Official field: International Relations and National Security Studies. Admission figures such as LSAT, MCAT or GRE scores are not part of this federal data, so check each school.

Degree level	Programs	Typical earnings 1 yr after	Typical median debt
Master's	102	$72,452	$39,024
Doctoral	15	n/a	n/a
Professional doctorate	1	n/a	n/a

Is it worth it? Debt vs first-year pay

Each dot is one master's program. Dots above the dashed line have graduates earning more in their first year than the program's median debt.

Earnings above median debt Debt above first-year earnings

Master's programs in international relations

Highest first-year earnings

Yale University$91,718

Troy University$91,569

Columbia University in the City of New York$88,603

Georgetown University$88,315

Johns Hopkins University$87,121

Angelo State University$84,838

Webster University$83,408

Rice University$82,397

Filter by school, city or state

College	Graduates (2023-24)	Earnings 1 yr after	Earnings 4 yrs after	Median debt
Georgetown UniversityWashington, DC	350	$88,315	$118,569	$74,223
Rice UniversityHouston, TX	18	$82,397	$116,551	n/a
Johns Hopkins UniversityBaltimore, MD	681	$87,121	$114,716	$51,500
Tufts UniversityMedford, MA	195	$80,535	$108,836	$55,710
Columbia University in the City of New YorkNew York, NY	266	$88,603	$107,574	$93,000
University of Massachusetts-LowellLowell, MA	53	$78,861	$103,784	$17,690
University of California-San DiegoLa Jolla, CA	87	$62,483	$101,102	$51,183
George Mason UniversityFairfax, VA	102	$77,714	$100,525	$37,125
George Washington UniversityWashington, DC	302	$75,305	$100,024	$51,250
American UniversityWashington, DC	383	$73,678	$97,808	$59,000
University of ArizonaTucson, AZ	44	$79,555	$96,058	$30,750
Texas A&M University-College StationCollege Station, TX	89	$63,300	$95,282	$32,350
San Diego State UniversitySan Diego, CA	43	$65,588	$94,199	$29,028
Fordham UniversityBronx, NY	22	$74,911	$93,706	n/a
New York UniversityNew York, NY	130	$68,822	$93,034	$99,500
Syracuse UniversitySyracuse, NY	70	$74,755	$92,844	$37,065
Norwich UniversityNorthfield, VT	39	$77,706	$89,927	$46,477
Seton Hall UniversitySouth Orange, NJ	40	$60,688	$89,431	$52,648
Webster UniversitySaint Louis, MO	36	$83,408	$88,756	n/a
Angelo State UniversitySan Angelo, TX	50	$84,838	$86,451	n/a
Arizona State University Campus ImmersionTempe, AZ	0	$71,708	$85,299	$34,500
Arizona State University Digital ImmersionScottsdale, AZ	120	$71,708	$85,299	$34,500
The University of Texas at AustinAustin, TX	53	$74,865	$84,481	$39,024
University of ChicagoChicago, IL	62	$62,155	$83,492	$47,500
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-PrescottPrescott, AZ	5	n/a	$81,886	n/a
Boston UniversityBoston, MA	47	$54,515	$81,518	$75,541
DePaul UniversityChicago, IL	16	$52,645	$75,622	$38,796
University of DenverDenver, CO	79	$54,847	$74,159	$71,939
Florida State UniversityTallahassee, FL	35	n/a	$71,829	$30,750
University of Washington-Seattle CampusSeattle, WA	17	n/a	$71,169	n/a
The New SchoolNew York, NY	13	$56,882	$70,655	n/a
North Carolina State University at RaleighRaleigh, NC	21	$55,766	$70,333	n/a
Troy UniversityTroy, AL	73	$91,569	$68,373	n/a
University of KentuckyLexington, KY	18	$55,118	$65,155	n/a
Yale UniversityNew Haven, CT	45	$91,718	n/a	n/a
University of MiamiCoral Gables, FL	8	$76,396	n/a	n/a
CUNY Bernard M Baruch CollegeNew York, NY	43	$74,762	n/a	$37,000
Liberty UniversityLynchburg, VA	128	$73,196	n/a	$27,333
CUNY John Jay College of Criminal JusticeNew York, NY	36	$64,561	n/a	$31,011
Northeastern UniversityBoston, MA	14	$63,991	n/a	n/a
University at AlbanyAlbany, NY	18	$59,705	n/a	n/a
Kennesaw State UniversityKennesaw, GA	6	$57,436	n/a	n/a
The University of Texas at El PasoEl Paso, TX	21	$57,319	n/a	n/a
University of GeorgiaAthens, GA	23	$56,703	n/a	n/a
Middle Tennessee State UniversityMurfreesboro, TN	19	$48,063	n/a	n/a
Baylor UniversityWaco, TX	1	n/a	n/a	n/a
Bellevue UniversityBellevue, NE	15	n/a	n/a	n/a
CUNY City CollegeNew York, NY	14	n/a	n/a	n/a
California State University-San BernardinoSan Bernardino, CA	18	n/a	n/a	n/a
Carnegie Mellon UniversityPittsburgh, PA	7	n/a	n/a	n/a
Central Michigan UniversityMount Pleasant, MI	1	n/a	n/a	n/a
Cleveland State UniversityCleveland, OH	0	n/a	n/a	n/a
Cornell UniversityIthaca, NY	15	n/a	n/a	n/a
Duke UniversityDurham, NC	55	n/a	n/a	n/a
East Carolina UniversityGreenville, NC	14	n/a	n/a	n/a
Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan CampusTeaneck, NJ	7	n/a	n/a	n/a
Fairmont State UniversityFairmont, WV	19	n/a	n/a	n/a
Florida International UniversityMiami, FL	10	n/a	n/a	n/a
Georgia Institute of Technology-Main CampusAtlanta, GA	17	n/a	n/a	n/a
Harvard UniversityCambridge, MA	69	n/a	n/a	n/a
Hawaii Pacific UniversityHonolulu, HI	7	n/a	n/a	n/a
Indiana University-BloomingtonBloomington, IN	7	n/a	n/a	n/a
Kansas State UniversityManhattan, KS	5	n/a	n/a	n/a
Lebanon Valley CollegeAnnville, PA	6	n/a	n/a	n/a
Loyola University ChicagoChicago, IL	14	n/a	n/a	n/a
Marquette UniversityMilwaukee, WI	3	n/a	n/a	n/a
Morgan State UniversityBaltimore, MD	1	n/a	n/a	n/a
New England CollegeHenniker, NH	13	n/a	n/a	n/a
Old Dominion UniversityNorfolk, VA	6	n/a	n/a	n/a
Park UniversityParkville, MO	4	n/a	n/a	n/a
Regent UniversityVirginia Beach, VA	13	n/a	n/a	n/a
Rutgers University-NewarkNewark, NJ	6	n/a	n/a	n/a
Salve Regina UniversityNewport, RI	11	n/a	n/a	n/a
San Francisco State UniversitySan Francisco, CA	17	n/a	n/a	n/a
St. Mary's UniversitySan Antonio, TX	11	n/a	n/a	n/a
Stanford UniversityStanford, CA	28	n/a	n/a	n/a
Stephen F Austin State UniversityNacogdoches, TX	5	n/a	n/a	n/a
Suffolk UniversityBoston, MA	1	n/a	n/a	n/a
The University of Texas at San AntonioSan Antonio, TX	6	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of Akron Main CampusAkron, OH	11	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of BaltimoreBaltimore, MD	9	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of BridgeportBridgeport, CT	2	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of Central OklahomaEdmond, OK	0	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of FloridaGainesville, FL	2	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of Hawaii at ManoaHonolulu, HI	5	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of IndianapolisIndianapolis, IN	5	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of Maryland-College ParkCollege Park, MD	18	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of Missouri-ColumbiaColumbia, MO	15	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of New Mexico-Main CampusAlbuquerque, NM	9	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of North FloridaJacksonville, FL	7	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of North GeorgiaDahlonega, GA	4	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh CampusPittsburgh, PA	41	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of Rhode IslandKingston, RI	14	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of San DiegoSan Diego, CA	26	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of South Carolina-ColumbiaColumbia, SC	2	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of Southern CaliforniaLos Angeles, CA	3	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of St ThomasHouston, TX	4	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of Virginia-Main CampusCharlottesville, VA	2	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of West FloridaPensacola, FL	3	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of Wisconsin-MadisonMadison, WI	13	n/a	n/a	n/a
Washington University in St LouisSt. Louis, MO	4	n/a	n/a	n/a
Wright State University-Main CampusDayton, OH	7	n/a	n/a	n/a

Doctoral programs in international relations

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College	Graduates (2023-24)	Earnings 1 yr after	Earnings 4 yrs after	Median debt
American UniversityWashington, DC	8	n/a	n/a	n/a
Capitol Technology UniversityLaurel, MD	1	n/a	n/a	n/a
Florida International UniversityMiami, FL	6	n/a	n/a	n/a
Georgia Institute of Technology-Main CampusAtlanta, GA	0	n/a	n/a	n/a
Johns Hopkins UniversityBaltimore, MD	3	n/a	n/a	n/a
Kansas State UniversityManhattan, KS	2	n/a	n/a	n/a
Old Dominion UniversityNorfolk, VA	5	n/a	n/a	n/a
Rutgers University-NewarkNewark, NJ	7	n/a	n/a	n/a
Salve Regina UniversityNewport, RI	8	n/a	n/a	n/a
Tufts UniversityMedford, MA	9	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of Central FloridaOrlando, FL	5	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of DenverDenver, CO	3	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of MiamiCoral Gables, FL	1	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of South FloridaTampa, FL	4	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of Virginia-Main CampusCharlottesville, VA	5	n/a	n/a	n/a

Professional doctorate programs in international relations

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College	Graduates (2023-24)	Earnings 1 yr after	Earnings 4 yrs after	Median debt
Johns Hopkins UniversityBaltimore, MD	22	n/a	n/a	n/a

Frequently asked questions

How much do international relations graduates earn?

Graduates of the typical master's program earned a median of $72,452 one year after finishing, in 2024 dollars.

How much debt do international relations graduate students take on?

The typical program's graduates who borrowed left with a median of $39,024 in federal loans taken at that school. Undergraduate loans are not included.

Undergraduate: International relations major

Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard field of study file, data release of October 15, 2026. Earnings are medians for graduates who received federal aid and were working, not enrolled. One-year figures: graduates of 2020-21 and 2021-22, measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars. Four-year figures: graduates of 2017-18 and 2018-19, measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars. More on the data.