International Relations
Salary data, best schools, and honest ROI assessment
Earnings Range (4 Years After Graduation)
Best Schools for International Relations by Earnings
School-by-school analysis: International Relations
Editorial breakdowns of how international relations graduates fare at the top-earning programs in our dataset.
International Relations is Dartmouth's third-largest program at 182 graduates: $72,618 year-one and $106,153 year-four. Debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.241 (ROI grade A) with median debt of $17,500. International Relations graduates at Dartmouth enter government, NGOs, consulting, and financial services at rates consistent with the overall Dartmouth placement network. The year-one figure of $72k is notably higher than Yale ($57k) or Harvard ($61k) for the same major -- reflecting both the D-Plan's early placement patterns and Dartmouth's specific alumni network in policy and government. The four-year figure of $106k is competitive.
International Relations (130 graduates) earns $46,843 year-one, $102,789 at year four, B+-grade (debt-to-earnings 0.256) with median debt of $12,000. The year-four jump from $47k to $103k is among the most dramatic in the data and reflects graduate school entry and professional school placement. Vanderbilt IR graduates pursue law, policy, and business tracks that produce strong long-run outcomes despite modest year-one figures.
International Relations is Columbia's third-largest program at 232 graduates: $61,077 year-one and $100,245 year-four. Debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.376 (ROI grade B) with median debt of $22,943. International Relations at Columbia places into foreign policy, international development, NGOs, and multilateral institutions -- the UN's headquarters in Manhattan and the concentration of international organizations in New York creates a specific pipeline not replicable at other institutions. The year-one figure of $61k reflects the policy and NGO starting salaries; the year-four jump to $100k shows the trajectory into consulting, government, and international business.
International Relations (66 graduates) earns $54,353 at year one and $96,621 at year four -- a strong four-year growth trajectory. Median debt of $27,000 and a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.497 (ROI grade C+) reflect the mismatch between policy-track near-term earnings and private-sector peers. The year-four figure of $96,621 suggests a meaningful share of graduates enter consulting, international business, or law following graduate school. Students targeting government, NGO, or international development careers should expect lower near-term earnings but strong long-run optionality.
International Relations (70 graduates) reaches $95,190 at year four (no year-one data, no debt data). The year-four figure of $95,190 is strong for a political science track program and suggests significant placement into law, government, consulting, and international business. No debt data means ROI grade cannot be calculated, but the earnings trajectory is competitive with peer liberal arts colleges.
International Relations graduates 175 students per year with $55,316 median earnings at one year and $94,297 at four years. Median debt is $19,000 and the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.343 earns a B+ grade. The one-year figure is lower than business and STEM tracks, but the four-year trajectory to $94,297 reflects strong eventual placement in government, consulting, NGO, and corporate international affairs roles. Notre Dame's Kellogg Institute for International Studies and its Washington D.C. connections provide pipeline access to policy and international development positions. Many IR graduates continue to law school or graduate programs, which depresses the 6-year earnings figure for this cohort. The B+ grade reflects the higher debt-to-earnings ratio relative to finance and engineering programs, not a weak career outcome.
International Relations is Trinity's largest confirmed-graduate program at 77 graduates: $42,979 year-one, $94,097 at year four, grade C on $25,000 median debt. Year-one earnings of $42,979 are modest for a $34,832 net price — the C grade reflects the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.582 in the near term. The four-year trajectory to $94,097 is the story: international relations graduates are advancing into government, think tanks, international business, and graduate programs that produce strong mid-career earnings. The 5-year institutional payback period depends partly on this delayed-growth profile. Students who choose international relations at Trinity should have a clear plan for the near-term income gap between graduation and the $94,097 trajectory.
Is International Relations Worth It?
Proceed With a Plan
The financial returns for International Relations are below average. At $39,341 in average earnings four years out, graduates often face a long payback period, especially at higher-cost institutions. This doesn't mean the field is worthless - it means the financial math demands careful attention to school cost and debt levels.
With 591 schools offering this major, you have significant choice. That's good news - it means you can shop for the best ROI within the field rather than settling for whatever program accepts you.
The top school for this major by earnings is Johns Hopkins University, where graduates earn $121,729 four years out. But averages hide a wide range - where you attend and what you do with the degree matter as much as the major itself.
Earnings data represents median earnings 4 years after graduation for graduates of bachelor's programs, as reported by the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Individual outcomes vary significantly based on career path, location, and other factors.