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International Relations and National Security Studies.
Master's Degree•96 Institutions
Completers Only: Federal median earnings data strictly reflects outcomes for students who successfully graduated. Students who do not complete their degree typically earn significantly less and face higher risks of debt default.
Annual Full Cost vs. Median Earnings
Each dot represents one program at an institution. Shows the spread of annual sticker price (or net price if sticker price is unavailable) vs earnings 4 years post-grad.
Field Median ($84,481)
P25-P75 Interval ($70,333 - $96,058)
HS Baseline ($35,872)
Breakeven Line (0% ROI)
Institution | State | Earnings | Avg Net Price | Median Debt | Lifetime Value Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Houston | TX | $116,551 Nat: $95,627 4yr Post-Grad | $13,370 /yr | - | +$360k |
Baltimore | MD | $114,716 Nat: $95,627 4yr Post-Grad | $18,809 /yr | $51,455 | +$334k |
Washington | DC | $118,569 Nat: $95,627 4yr Post-Grad | $40,815 /yr | $74,360 | +$327k |
New York | NY | $107,574 Nat: $95,627 4yr Post-Grad | $21,590 /yr | $80,500 | +$267k |
Medford | MA | $108,836 Nat: $95,627 4yr Post-Grad | $39,998 /yr | $54,446 | +$244k |
Lowell | MA | $103,784 Nat: $95,627 4yr Post-Grad | $17,163 /yr | $19,662 | +$242k |
American Public University System ⚠️ Caution: This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate its ROI. Charles Town | WV | $100,647 Nat: $95,627 4yr Post-Grad | $9,597 /yr | $33,731 | +$228k |
La Jolla | CA | $101,102 Nat: $95,627 4yr Post-Grad | $12,470 /yr | $44,160 | +$227k |
Washington | DC | $97,002 Nat: $95,627 4yr Post-Grad | - /yr | $60,843 | +$214k |
Fairfax | VA | $100,525 Nat: $95,627 4yr Post-Grad | $17,915 /yr | $34,250 | +$212k |
Tucson | AZ | $96,058 Nat: $95,627 4yr Post-Grad | $16,674 /yr | $41,000 | +$175k |
Washington | DC | $100,024 Nat: $95,627 4yr Post-Grad | $36,586 /yr | $56,634 | +$173k |
Monterey | CA | $92,176 Nat: $95,627 4yr Post-Grad | - /yr | $74,123 | +$172k |
San Diego | CA | $94,199 Nat: $95,627 4yr Post-Grad | $15,364 /yr | $29,455 | +$161k |
College Station | TX | $95,282 Nat: $95,627 4yr Post-Grad | $21,315 /yr | $30,500 | +$160k |
Washington | DC | $97,808 Nat: $95,627 4yr Post-Grad | $41,943 /yr | $61,500 | +$144k |
Middlebury | VT | $92,176 Nat: $95,627 4yr Post-Grad | $31,483 /yr | $74,123 | +$114k |
Arizona State University Digital Immersion ⚠️ Caution: This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate its ROI. Scottsdale | AZ | $85,299 Nat: $95,627 4yr Post-Grad | - /yr | $42,940 | +$111k |
New York | NY | $93,034 Nat: $95,627 4yr Post-Grad | $37,050 /yr | $102,482 | +$111k |
Northfield | VT | $89,927 Nat: $95,627 4yr Post-Grad | $22,257 /yr | $37,167 | +$111k |
Syracuse | NY | $92,844 Nat: $95,627 4yr Post-Grad | $38,793 /yr | $41,744 | +$106k |
Bronx | NY | $93,706 Nat: $95,627 4yr Post-Grad | $44,338 /yr | - | +$104k |
Angelo State University ⚠️ Caution: This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate its ROI. San Angelo | TX | $86,451 Nat: $95,627 4yr Post-Grad | $15,091 /yr | - | +$94k |
Saint Louis | MO | $88,756 Nat: $95,627 4yr Post-Grad | $27,047 /yr | $41,000 | +$92k |
South Orange | NJ | $89,431 Nat: $95,627 4yr Post-Grad | $31,446 /yr | $53,152 | +$90k |
Tempe | AZ | $85,299 Nat: $95,627 4yr Post-Grad | $14,967 /yr | $42,940 | +$84k |
Chicago | IL | $83,492 Nat: $95,627 4yr Post-Grad | $14,860 /yr | $37,867 | +$68k |
Austin | TX | $84,481 Nat: $95,627 4yr Post-Grad | $19,857 /yr | $41,000 | +$68k |
Stanford | CA | $78,114 Nat: $95,627 2yr Post-Grad | $13,807 /yr | - | +$51k |
Boston | MA | $81,518 Nat: $95,627 4yr Post-Grad | $24,402 /yr | $86,165 | +$34k |
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott ⚠️ Caution: This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate its ROI. Prescott | AZ | $81,886 Nat: $95,627 4yr Post-Grad | $40,287 /yr | - | +$8k |
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach ⚠️ Caution: This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate its ROI. Daytona Beach | FL | $81,886 Nat: $95,627 4yr Post-Grad | $41,272 /yr | - | +$6k |
New Haven | CT | $74,576 Nat: $95,627 2yr Post-Grad | $23,777 /yr | - | +$225 |
San Bernardino | CA | - Nat: $95,627 | $4,564 /yr | - | -$0 |
Claremont | CA | - Nat: $95,627 | - /yr | - | -$0 |
Stockton | CA | - Nat: $95,627 | $25,447 /yr | - | -$0 |
San Francisco | CA | - Nat: $95,627 | $12,278 /yr | - | -$0 |
Los Angeles | CA | - Nat: $95,627 | $32,740 /yr | - | -$0 |
Bridgeport | CT | - Nat: $95,627 | $27,807 /yr | - | -$0 |
Miami | FL | - Nat: $95,627 | $9,288 /yr | - | -$0 |
Gainesville | FL | - Nat: $95,627 | $6,541 /yr | - | -$0 |
Coral Gables | FL | - Nat: $95,627 | $37,244 /yr | - | -$0 |
Jacksonville | FL | - Nat: $95,627 | $10,154 /yr | - | -$0 |
Fort Lauderdale | FL | - Nat: $95,627 | $30,371 /yr | - | -$0 |
Hawaii Pacific University ⚠️ Caution: This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate its ROI. Honolulu | HI | - Nat: $95,627 | $29,657 /yr | - | -$0 |
Indianapolis | IN | - Nat: $95,627 | $21,602 /yr | - | -$0 |
Bloomington | IN | - Nat: $95,627 | $16,264 /yr | - | -$0 |
Manhattan | KS | - Nat: $95,627 | $19,406 /yr | - | -$0 |
University of Baltimore ⚠️ Caution: This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate its ROI. Baltimore | MD | - Nat: $95,627 | $13,868 /yr | - | -$0 |
Baltimore | MD | - Nat: $95,627 | $14,985 /yr | - | -$0 |
Boston | MA | - Nat: $95,627 | $17,707 /yr | - | -$0 |
Boston | MA | - Nat: $95,627 | $30,915 /yr | - | -$0 |
Boston | MA | - Nat: $95,627 | $29,618 /yr | - | -$0 |
St. Louis | MO | - Nat: $95,627 | $21,786 /yr | - | -$0 |
Bellevue University ⚠️ Caution: This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate its ROI. Bellevue | NE | - Nat: $95,627 | $17,550 /yr | - | -$0 |
New England College ⚠️ Caution: This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate its ROI. Henniker | NH | - Nat: $95,627 | $26,972 /yr | - | -$0 |
New Brunswick | NJ | - Nat: $95,627 | $24,406 /yr | - | -$0 |
Newark | NJ | - Nat: $95,627 | $19,703 /yr | - | -$0 |
New York | NY | - Nat: $95,627 | $3,033 /yr | - | -$0 |
Albany | NY | - Nat: $95,627 | $17,167 /yr | - | -$0 |
Durham | NC | - Nat: $95,627 | $29,612 /yr | - | -$0 |
Greenville | NC | - Nat: $95,627 | $15,739 /yr | - | -$0 |
Akron | OH | - Nat: $95,627 | $13,946 /yr | - | -$0 |
Cleveland | OH | - Nat: $95,627 | $14,764 /yr | - | -$0 |
University of Central Oklahoma ⚠️ Caution: This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate its ROI. Edmond | OK | - Nat: $95,627 | $18,309 /yr | - | -$0 |
Pittsburgh | PA | - Nat: $95,627 | $31,944 /yr | - | -$0 |
Kingston | RI | - Nat: $95,627 | $21,440 /yr | - | -$0 |
Newport | RI | - Nat: $95,627 | $36,967 /yr | - | -$0 |
Murfreesboro | TN | - Nat: $95,627 | $13,359 /yr | - | -$0 |
Waco | TX | - Nat: $95,627 | $41,104 /yr | - | -$0 |
El Paso | TX | - Nat: $95,627 | $9,403 /yr | - | -$0 |
Regent University ⚠️ Caution: This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate its ROI. Virginia Beach | VA | - Nat: $95,627 | $19,923 /yr | - | -$0 |
Liberty University ⚠️ Caution: This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate its ROI. Lynchburg | VA | - Nat: $95,627 | $29,357 /yr | - | -$0 |
Norfolk | VA | - Nat: $95,627 | $14,638 /yr | - | -$0 |
Milwaukee | WI | - Nat: $95,627 | $31,487 /yr | - | -$0 |
Schiller International University ⚠️ Caution: This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate its ROI. Tampa | FL | - Nat: $95,627 | - /yr | - | -$0 |
University of North Georgia ⚠️ Caution: This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate its ROI. Dahlonega | GA | - Nat: $95,627 | $9,823 /yr | - | -$0 |
Boston | MA | - Nat: $95,627 | - /yr | - | -$0 |
Tallahassee | FL | $71,829 Nat: $95,627 4yr Post-Grad | $11,297 /yr | $36,000 | -$27k |
Chicago | IL | $75,622 Nat: $95,627 4yr Post-Grad | $30,902 /yr | $40,198 | -$30k |
Seattle | WA | $71,169 Nat: $95,627 4yr Post-Grad | $14,091 /yr | - | -$38k |
Raleigh | NC | $70,333 Nat: $95,627 4yr Post-Grad | $17,303 /yr | $33,450 | -$52k |
Denver | CO | $74,159 Nat: $95,627 4yr Post-Grad | $36,131 /yr | $94,837 | -$53k |
Troy University ⚠️ Caution: This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate its ROI. Troy | AL | $68,373 Nat: $95,627 4yr Post-Grad | $16,527 /yr | - | -$67k |
Brattleboro | VT | $64,561 Nat: $95,627 4yr Post-Grad | - /yr | - | -$71k |
Lexington | KY | $65,155 Nat: $95,627 4yr Post-Grad | $18,851 /yr | $30,750 | -$100k |
Madison | WI | $61,218 Nat: $95,627 2yr Post-Grad | $17,354 /yr | - | -$111k |
New York | NY | $70,655 Nat: $95,627 4yr Post-Grad | $58,741 /yr | $48,671 | -$125k |
Kennesaw | GA | $55,132 Nat: $95,627 2yr Post-Grad | $15,048 /yr | - | -$165k |
Athens | GA | $54,661 Nat: $95,627 2yr Post-Grad | $13,936 /yr | - | -$167k |
Atlanta | GA | $52,107 Nat: $95,627 2yr Post-Grad | $12,116 /yr | - | -$189k |
San Antonio | TX | $53,358 Nat: $95,627 2yr Post-Grad | $21,145 /yr | - | -$193k |
San Diego | CA | $53,775 Nat: $95,627 2yr Post-Grad | $30,365 /yr | - | -$206k |
Wright State University-Main Campus ⚠️ Caution: This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate its ROI. Dayton | OH | $43,798 Nat: $95,627 2yr Post-Grad | $15,415 /yr | - | -$278k |
New York | NY | $41,565 Nat: $95,627 2yr Post-Grad | $3,776 /yr | - | -$280k |
Athens | OH | $41,937 Nat: $95,627 2yr Post-Grad | $21,637 /yr | - | -$309k |
Analysis Notes:
- Lifetime Value Added: Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median bachelor's degree holder, accounting for this institution's average cost and taxes.
- Avg Net Price: The average price paid by students who receive federal financial aid (grants/loans).Note: For graduate programs, the institution's average undergraduate net price is used as a proxy for annual cost, which may differ from actual graduate tuition and net price.
Important Note: Your ROI with any major will depend on the cost you pay to attend the program, and your starting salary. Both vary significantly across institutions. We encourage you to explore the ROI of a specific program variant by selecting the Program title of the credential level you are interested in. You will then have a more detailed return analysis for programs at specific institutions. We also encourage you to use the ROI calculator, or for more sophisticated analysis, the Guided ROI Interview, with your specific estimates of cost and salary.