International Relations and National Security Studies: earnings, debt, and careers
CIP 45.09. Official graduate outcomes from the U.S. Department of Education across 745 programs, and the careers this field is linked to.
Graduate earnings by credential level
| Credential | Programs | Graduates (recent year) | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Typical program median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate certificate | 31 | 104 | $77,470 | $103,583 | $20,082 2 programs |
| Associate's degree | 24 | 18 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Bachelor's degree | 409 | 7,454 | $45,779 | $66,596 | $19,500 87 programs |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 8 | 0 | $73,040 | $103,122 | Data unavailable |
| Master's degree | 191 | 4,808 | $73,233 | $95,627 | Data unavailable |
| Doctoral degree | 27 | 81 | $93,999 | $99,694 | Data unavailable |
| Professional degree (JD, MD, and similar) | 4 | 22 | $68,784 | $87,697 | Data unavailable |
| Graduate certificate | 51 | 548 | $66,995 | $77,457 | Data unavailable |
National earnings are published by the Department of Education for each field and credential level Verified data. Typical program median debt is ConnectPrep's calculation: the median across programs of each program's median federal debt Calculated estimate. It covers federal loans only.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, Most Recent Field of Study Data. Varies by measure; see measure definitions. Published October 15, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Undergraduate certificate programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indiana University-Bloomington IN · Public · 80 graduates measured | $81,314 | $110,686 | $14,164 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Bachelor's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Pennsylvania PA · Private, nonprofit · 23 graduates measured | $86,811 | $87,439 | Data unavailable |
| Yale University CT · Private, nonprofit · 22 graduates measured | $75,862 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey CA · Private, nonprofit · 38 graduates measured | $69,907 | $92,728 | $16,250 |
| Middlebury College VT · Private, nonprofit · 38 graduates measured | $69,907 | $92,728 | $16,250 |
| Brown University RI · Private, nonprofit · 27 graduates measured | $67,921 | $86,780 | $12,000 |
| Tufts University MA · Private, nonprofit · 49 graduates measured | $67,656 | $77,998 | $18,500 |
| Excelsior University NY · Private, nonprofit · 27 graduates measured | $64,809 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Colgate University NY · Private, nonprofit · 16 graduates measured | $63,890 | $77,199 | $12,537 |
| Johns Hopkins University MD · Private, nonprofit · 29 graduates measured | $59,674 | $99,205 | Data unavailable |
| Northeastern University MA · Private, nonprofit · 25 graduates measured | $59,562 | $74,816 | $21,000 |
| Angelo State University TX · Public · 37 graduates measured | $59,000 | $87,991 | $15,382 |
| Georgetown University DC · Private, nonprofit · 79 graduates measured | $58,983 | $82,197 | $13,750 |
| University of San Diego CA · Private, nonprofit · 23 graduates measured | $58,963 | $61,509 | $22,991 |
| University of Southern California CA · Private, nonprofit · 109 graduates measured | $58,462 | $84,866 | $18,500 |
| Fordham University NY · Private, nonprofit · 89 graduates measured | $57,233 | $77,234 | $24,462 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Master's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yale University CT · Private, nonprofit · 27 graduates measured | $91,718 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Troy University AL · Public · 72 graduates measured | $91,569 | $68,373 | Data unavailable |
| Columbia University in the City of New York NY · Private, nonprofit · 100 graduates measured | $88,603 | $107,574 | Data unavailable |
| Georgetown University DC · Private, nonprofit · 173 graduates measured | $88,315 | $118,569 | Data unavailable |
| Johns Hopkins University MD · Private, nonprofit · 376 graduates measured | $87,121 | $114,716 | Data unavailable |
| Angelo State University TX · Public · 59 graduates measured | $84,838 | $86,451 | Data unavailable |
| Webster University MO · Private, nonprofit · 39 graduates measured | $83,408 | $88,756 | Data unavailable |
| Rice University TX · Private, nonprofit · 19 graduates measured | $82,397 | $116,551 | Data unavailable |
| Institute of World Politics DC · Private, nonprofit · 42 graduates measured | $81,725 | $97,002 | Data unavailable |
| Tufts University MA · Private, nonprofit · 216 graduates measured | $80,535 | $108,836 | Data unavailable |
| University of Arizona AZ · Public · 53 graduates measured | $79,555 | $96,058 | Data unavailable |
| University of Massachusetts-Lowell MA · Public · 70 graduates measured | $78,861 | $103,784 | Data unavailable |
| George Mason University VA · Public · 129 graduates measured | $77,714 | $100,525 | Data unavailable |
| Norwich University VT · Private, nonprofit · 57 graduates measured | $77,706 | $89,927 | Data unavailable |
| University of Miami FL · Private, nonprofit · 23 graduates measured | $76,396 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Professional degree (JD, MD, and similar) programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus PA · Public · 76 graduates measured | $65,790 | $87,777 | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Graduate certificate programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southern New Hampshire University NH · Private, nonprofit · 36 graduates measured | $71,820 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Texas A&M University-College Station TX · Public · 17 graduates measured | $59,406 | $79,886 | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Careers linked to International Relations and National Security Studies
| Occupation | Median wage, all workers | Change 2025 to 2035 | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|
| Managers, all other | $141,900 | +4.9% | Bachelor's degree |
| Political scientists | $142,080 | -2.0% | Master's degree |
| Political science teachers, postsecondary | $98,070 | +2.5% | Doctoral or professional degree |
Occupations mapped to this field in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. Occupation wages describe all workers, not recent graduates.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk. CIP 2020 and SOC 2018 taxonomies. Published April 30, 2020. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, National. May 2025 reference period. Published April 30, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, Table 1.2: Occupational projections, 2025-35, and worker characteristics, 2025. Base year 2025, projected year 2035. Published August 27, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Detailed CIP codes in this field (3)
- 45.0901 International Relations and Affairs
- 45.0902 National Security Policy Studies
- 45.0999 International Relations and National Security Studies, Other