Strong long-run earnings, but the path there is indirect and grad-heavy
International Relations graduates reach a 10-year median of $82,089 per Census PSEO — real money, earned slowly. The honest caveat is how they get there. The BLS crosswalk assigns IR to a broad 'Managers, all other' catchall (SOC 11-9199) because the field has no single dominant occupation. That bucket's $136,550 median wage and +4.5% projected growth reflect senior managers across all industries, not entry-level IR analysts. Bachelor's graduates actually earn $39,704 at year one per College Scorecard — and carry a debt-to-income ratio of 0.547 against $21,726 in median debt, above the healthy threshold of 0.40. The master's path fixes both problems: year-one earnings jump to $65,663 and the DTI drops to 0.331. Roughly 40% of all IR credentials awarded in 2024 were at the graduate level — this is a field that rewards the extra degree. Students who complete a bachelor's and stop there land in management-track careers through lateral paths, not a direct IR pipeline.
- ROI B
- Employment B−
- Debt burden C+
- Projected demand C+
International relations has a prestige problem — and not in the way students expect. The degree carries the cachet of Georgetown, GW, and American University. It implies careers at the State Department or the United Nations. What it doesn't obviously imply is a year-one median salary of $39,494 and a debt-to-income ratio above the healthy threshold.
The numbers tell a more complicated story. Census PSEO tracks IR graduates 1, 5, and 10 years out: the 10-year median lands at $82,089 — real, solid earnings. The problem is the path from year one to year ten, which is gradual and, for many graduates, runs through a master's degree. Federal debt data isn't published at the field level for this CIP code, so the $21,726 median debt figure used here is an institution-level average across 449 producing schools, not a credential-specific number. That matters because the top producers — Johns Hopkins, Georgetown, GW, American University — are expensive private universities where actual borrowing likely exceeds that average.
Roughly 40.2% of all IR credentials awarded in 2024 were at the graduate level. This isn't a field where the bachelor's alone carries you where you want to go. The rest of this page breaks down what each path actually costs, earns, and delivers — including an honest look at what the BLS occupation data does and doesn't tell you about where IR graduates end up.
- ✓ Census PSEO shows median earnings climb from $39,494 at year 1 to $82,089 at year 10, with 75th-percentile reaching $117,307.
- ✓ Master's debt-to-income ratio is 0.331 — inside the healthy 0.40 threshold — with year-1 earnings of $65,663 against $21,726 in median debt.
- ✓ Top five producing schools (Hopkins, American, GW, Georgetown, Tufts) are DC-adjacent policy hubs with government and NGO placement networks.
- ✓ BLS projects ~107k annual openings in Managers, all other (SOC 11-9199) through 2034 — the broad management track IR graduates enter over a career.
- ✓ Three-year loan default rate across 449 IR-producing institutions is effectively 0%, signaling graduates repay without financial distress.
- ! Bachelor's year-1 debt-to-income ratio is 0.547 — above the healthy 0.40 threshold — driven by $39,704 earnings against $21,726 median debt.
- ! BLS crosswalk routes IR into 'Managers, all other' (SOC 11-9199), a heterogeneous catchall; the $136,550 median reflects senior managers, not entry-level IR roles.
- ! Political scientists (SOC 19-3094) — the named IR-adjacent role — are projected to shrink -3.1% through 2034, with just 0.5k annual openings nationally.
- ! IPEDS shows IR completions fell from 13,185 in 2023 to 12,175 in 2024 — an 8% drop signaling weakening enrollment momentum.
Where international relations graduates actually land
Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO)
Earnings by credential level
College Scorecard field-level earnings (years 1–4 post-grad, aggregated across institutions)
What it costs, what you earn, what's left over
Field-level debt isn't published by College Scorecard for this CIP code. Every debt figure here is an institution-level average across the 449 schools that produce international relations credentials — $21,726 — not broken out by bachelor's versus master's. That's a real limitation, particularly because the top five IR producers (Johns Hopkins, American, Georgetown, GW, Tufts) are expensive private universities where actual borrowing almost certainly exceeds the $21,726 average. Treat all ratios below as directional floors, not precise estimates.
With that caveat in place, the bachelor's path has a real debt problem at year one. Against $39,704 in year-one earnings from College Scorecard, the $21,726 debt produces a ratio of 0.547 — clearly above the healthy threshold of 0.40. That means a new IR bachelor's graduate spends a larger share of first-year income servicing debt than financial planners recommend. The master's path flips the picture: $65,663 in year-one earnings against the same $21,726 debt estimate produces a ratio of 0.331, comfortably inside the threshold. Ten years out, Census PSEO puts the field-wide median at $82,089, so the long-term trajectory is strong — but getting from year one to year ten requires navigating the tight year-one financial window first. The 3-year loan default rate across producing institutions is effectively 0% — even with above-threshold DTI at the bachelor's level, graduates repay their loans.
The credential paths that actually produce graduates
Scorecard field-level earnings + completions_by_program (most recent year) aggregated by credential tier
Associate's
- Completions / yr 18
- Year-1 earnings —
- Year-4 earnings —
- Median debt $21,726
- % women 61.1%
- Schools 23
Bachelor's in International Relations
A four-year program combining political science, economics, history, and foreign policy analysis. Leads to roles in government agencies, think tanks, NGOs, and international business — though rarely with a direct 'IR analyst' job title. Year-1 median earnings are $39,704, rising to $66,585 by year four per College Scorecard.
- Completions / yr 6,612
- Year-1 earnings $39,704
- Year-4 earnings $66,585
- Median debt $20,758
- % women 60.4%
- Schools 390
Students planning to enter government service, consulting, or nonprofit work directly after undergrad — with an understanding that a master's will likely be needed for senior roles.
Master's in International Relations (MIR/MA)
A one-to-two-year graduate program deepening expertise in foreign policy, security studies, international economics, or diplomacy. Year-1 earnings jump to $65,663 and reach $89,672 by year four, and the debt-to-income ratio drops to a healthy 0.331. Roughly 4,791 master's credentials were awarded in 2024.
- Completions / yr 4,791
- Year-1 earnings $65,663
- Year-4 earnings $89,672
- Median debt $50,972
- % women 48.0%
- Schools 123
The smart default for students serious about policy careers, foreign service, or senior NGO and multinational roles — the master's is effectively required above the entry level in this field.
Doctoral
- Completions / yr 80
- Year-1 earnings —
- Year-4 earnings —
- Median debt $21,726
- % women 43.8%
- Schools 23
Professional
- Completions / yr 22
- Year-1 earnings $60,025
- Year-4 earnings $87,777
- Median debt $41,000
- % women 40.9%
- Schools 2
The bachelor's is a viable entry point but a career starting line, not a finish line — the master's is where IR's earnings and career trajectory actually materialize. Plan for it from day one.
The bachelor's and master's credentials dominate production. In 2024, IR bachelor's programs awarded 6,612 degrees and master's programs awarded 4,791 — together they account for over 93% of all IR credentials. Everything else is a rounding error: 80 doctoral completions, 22 professional-practice doctorates, and just 18 associate's degrees nationally. The associate's path is effectively nonexistent in this field.
The earnings gap between the bachelor's and master's is meaningful and grows over time. Bachelor's year-one earnings are $39,704; master's year-one earnings are $65,663 — a $25,959 advantage from day one. By year four, bachelor's graduates reach $66,585 while master's graduates hit $89,672. That $23,087 four-year gap is substantial, and it comes at a point in the career where the master's graduate is still likely paying down the additional degree cost. There is no obvious bridge path here the way nursing's ADN-to-BSN employer-support route works — IR doesn't have a professional licensure ladder that employers fund. Pursuing the master's part-time while working is possible but uncommon compared to fields with clear employer tuition-reimbursement structures.
One demographic pattern worth noting: the gender split shifts between credential tiers. The bachelor's track runs 60.4% women; the master's is 48% women, closer to parity. Doctoral programs are 43.8% women with just 80 completions — essentially a research route, not a career track worth planning around.
Who completes these degrees
IPEDS completions_by_program, most recent year, first-major only
- 2023 13,185
- 2024 12,175
Where graduates land professionally
BLS 2024–2034 Employment Projections via CIP-to-SOC crosswalk
| SOC | Occupation | Employed '24 | Growth | Openings/yr | Median wage | Entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11-9199 | Managers, all other | 1.3M | +4.5% | 107k | $136,550 | Bachelor's degree |
| 25-1065 | Political science teachers, postsecondary | 22k | +2.0% | 1.6k | $94,680 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| 19-3094 | Political scientists | 6.5k | -3.1% | 0.5k | $139,380 | Master's degree |
The BLS crosswalk assigns international relations graduates to a broad management bucket — Managers, all other (SOC 11-9199) — because the field has no single dominant occupational home. That bucket employs 1,333.7k workers across all industries, projects growth of +4.5% through 2034 (marginally above the 4.0% all-occupations baseline), and carries a median wage of $136,550. That wage figure is real, but it reflects senior managers accumulated across decades and industries — not the typical entry-level IR graduate's employment situation. Bachelor's year-one earnings from Scorecard are $39,704, and that is the ground-level reality.
The two adjacent occupations in this crosswalk are the named IR-specific roles — and neither is encouraging. Political scientists (SOC 19-3094) employ just 6.5k workers nationally, project a -3.1% decline through 2034, and generate only 0.5k annual openings — a shrinking niche that requires a master's degree as typical education. Political science teachers, postsecondary (SOC 25-1065) employ 21.8k, grow at +2.0%, and generate 1.6k annual openings — also a master's-or-doctoral-required track. Both adjacent roles combined represent under 30k jobs nationwide.
The practical takeaway: IR graduates who want the $136,550 ceiling reach it through management careers in government agencies, international business, consulting, and NGOs — not through a defined professional track. The typical credential for Managers, all other, is a bachelor's degree, which technically validates the path. But the trajectory from bachelor's entry to senior management is long, indirect, and typically accelerated by a graduate degree. Students comfortable building toward a management career through varied international-context roles will find the ten-year earnings data — $82,089 median, $117,307 at the 75th percentile — genuinely achievable.
Where demand is growing
State workforce agencies publish their own 10-year projections for managers, all other — growth varies sharply by state, and where you plan to live changes the calculus.
| PR | +17.3% | 2,080 openings/yr |
| Utah | +16.6% | 730 openings/yr |
| Tennessee | +16.5% | 3,220 openings/yr |
| Texas | +15.4% | 8,450 openings/yr |
| Nevada | +14.6% | 2,560 openings/yr |
| Idaho | +14.4% | 320 openings/yr |
| Florida | +12.5% | 4,390 openings/yr |
| South Carolina | +12.2% | 390 openings/yr |
| California | 17,520/yr | +6.3% growth |
| Texas | 8,450/yr | +15.4% growth |
| Georgia | 5,550/yr | +8.7% growth |
| Florida | 4,390/yr | +12.5% growth |
| Maryland | 3,760/yr | +6.8% growth |
Where managers, all other need a license
4 states and territories license managers, all other. The degree alone isn't the finish line — plan for the credential your state requires before you can practice.
Schools producing the most graduates
Volume, not quality — completion counts across all credentials. See our rankings pages for outcome-weighted school scores.
- 868
- 2789
- 704
- 639
- 5302
- 272
- 266
- 8249Naval Postgraduate SchoolCA
- 226
- 10225
Pursue international relations with a master's degree as the planned endpoint, not a pleasant afterthought. The data is unambiguous: bachelor's year-one earnings of $39,704 produce a debt-to-income ratio of 0.547 — above the healthy threshold — while master's year-one earnings of $65,663 produce a 0.331 ratio, inside it. The field itself confirms this: 40.2% of all IR credentials awarded in 2024 were at the graduate level, and the top producers are schools where an IR bachelor's is widely understood to be a stepping stone. Budget for the master's from day one; treat the bachelor's as the foundation, not the credential that opens senior doors.
The recommendation flips for two types of students. First: anyone who needs a clear occupational pipeline. IR has none. The BLS crosswalk routes graduates into a heterogeneous management catchall — Political scientists employ just 6.5k nationally and are shrinking at -3.1%. If clarity on year-one job title and career ladder is required, this major delivers genuine ambiguity instead. Second: anyone financing their education at a top IR school — Georgetown, GW, American, Johns Hopkins, Columbia — without substantial grant aid. The $21,726 institution-level debt average understates what borrowing at those schools actually costs. Students at Florida State or George Mason get a legitimate IR credential at a fraction of the debt exposure and should seriously weigh that trade-off before paying a $60k+ annual private school premium for the DC-cluster prestige.
Informed inquiries
What jobs do international relations graduates actually get?
The honest answer: no single dominant occupation. The BLS crosswalk assigns IR to 'Managers, all other' (SOC 11-9199) — a 1,333.7k-person catchall for managers who don't fit narrower categories. That reflects where IR graduates land after 10–20 years of career progression in government, international business, consulting, or NGOs, not where they start. At year one, the Scorecard field-level median is $39,704 for bachelor's graduates — the kinds of roles that salary reflects are entry-level analyst, program coordinator, and government staff positions. Political scientists (SOC 19-3094) employ only 6.5k nationally with 0.5k annual openings and are shrinking at -3.1%. The real IR career pipeline runs through management over time, with a master's required to accelerate that trajectory.
Is a master's degree required for international relations careers?
Not legally required, but practically close in most policy and government tracks. The data makes the case clearly: bachelor's year-one earnings are $39,704 with a debt-to-income ratio of 0.547 — above the healthy threshold. Master's year-one earnings jump to $65,663 with a DTI of 0.331, inside the healthy range. About 40.2% of all IR credentials awarded in 2024 were at the graduate level, and the top-producing schools — American University, Georgetown, GW — are as known for their master's programs as their undergraduate ones. The State Department's Foreign Service Officer path, most think tank researcher roles, and senior NGO positions list an advanced degree as expected, not exceptional. Students who stop at a bachelor's can find entry-level positions, but career advancement typically stalls without the graduate credential.
Is the debt load reasonable for an international relations degree?
It depends heavily on the credential level. At the bachelor's level, the institution-level median debt is $21,726 — field-level Scorecard debt data is sparse, so this is an average across 449 producing schools. Against year-one earnings of $39,704, the debt-to-income ratio is 0.547, clearly above the healthy threshold of 0.40. That gap deserves serious attention: it means the first year of repayment is financially tight. The master's path is materially better: the same $21,726 debt against $65,663 in year-one earnings produces a ratio of 0.331, inside the threshold. One important caveat: several of the top IR producers are expensive private universities — Johns Hopkins, Georgetown, GW, Columbia, NYU. Actual borrowing at those schools likely exceeds the $21,726 average by a meaningful margin.
How much does an international relations degree actually pay over time?
The trajectory is strong, but the starting point is low. Census PSEO — which tracks graduates 1, 5, and 10 years out — shows the median IR graduate earns $39,494 at year one, $61,155 at year five, and $82,089 at year ten. The 75th percentile at year ten reaches $117,307. The 25th percentile at year ten is $58,924, meaning even the lower end of the field grows substantially. That $82,089 ten-year median is competitive, but the journey from $39,494 at year one is gradual and depends heavily on the career track chosen. Students expecting rapid salary growth from an IR bachelor's alone will be disappointed in years 1–4.
What happens to IR graduates who stop at the bachelor's?
They can find employment, but the data shows the ceiling is lower and the start is financially tighter. Bachelor's graduates earn $39,704 at year one and $66,585 by year four per College Scorecard — respectable growth, but at a 0.547 DTI ratio entering that first year, the financial margin is thin. The BLS crosswalk's primary occupation for this field, 'Managers, all other,' represents senior management roles that bachelor's graduates reach via career progression, not directly. The named IR-specific roles — political scientists — employ just 6.5k people nationally and are projected to shrink -3.1% through 2034. Bachelor's-only IR graduates land in generalist management and policy support tracks, which is not a bad outcome — it's just a decade-long road to the $82,089 PSEO median.
Which schools actually produce the most international relations graduates?
The top five producers in 2024 were Johns Hopkins (868 completions), American University (789), George Washington University (704), Georgetown (639), and Tufts (302). All five are expensive private institutions, predominantly in the DC metro area — by design. DC-area IR programs exist in proximity to the State Department, DOD, USAID, World Bank, and a dense ecosystem of think tanks that drive student placement. The Naval Postgraduate School (249 completions) is a notable outlier — a tuition-free federal institution for military officers. Students attending Florida State (272) or George Mason (226) will pay substantially less while accessing credible programs, but the alumni networks differ significantly from the DC private-school cluster.
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