International Relations and National Security Studies: is this master's degree worth it?
National picture across 40 reporting college programs.
Personal baseline needed
$91,052 in median year-4 earnings
A credible return for this credential must start with what the student would otherwise earn. The federal data does not provide that personal baseline.
$91,052Median year-4 earnings
$25,850Average institution net-price context
Not availableMedian federal debt
Observed national outcomes
$91,052Median reported earnings · year 4
$92,403Average reported earnings · year 5
Not availableMedian federal debt
62thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
40Reporting programs
40With year-4 earnings
The same field can produce a different equation.
Keep the federal field fixed and compare observed outcomes at every reportable credential level. These are separate graduate cohorts—not a promise that more schooling causes the difference.
OPEN PROFILE
Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma
- Year-4 earnings
- $110,686
- Federal debt
- $19,500
- Reporting programs
- 1
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $66,308
- Federal debt
- $21,864
- Reporting programs
- 128
Post-baccalaureate Certificate
- Year-4 earnings
- $100,686
- Federal debt
- $22,250
- Reporting programs
- 2
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $91,052
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 40
First Professional Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $87,777
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 1
Graduate/Professional Certificate
- Year-4 earnings
- $78,920
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 2
Where the middle half of programs lands
Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.
Median
25th percentile$81,518National median$91,05275th percentile$97,808
40 programs report year‑4 earnings.See the spread, not just the national number.
1Georgetown University$118,5692Rice University$116,5513Johns Hopkins University$114,7164Tufts University$108,8365Columbia University in the City of New York$107,5746University of Massachusetts-Lowell$103,7847University of California, San Diego$101,1028American Public University System$100,6479George Mason University$100,52510George Washington University$100,024Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking
Related occupations
Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.
Managers, All OtherSOC 11-9199 · 3 crosswalk linksPolitical Science Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1065 · 3 crosswalk linksPolitical ScientistsSOC 19-3094 · 3 crosswalk links
Same degree, different outcomes
Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. Automated ROI is withheld when an exact program price or personal earnings baseline is required.
| # | College | Location | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | ROI status | Cost context |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Georgetown UniversityMaster's Degree | Washington, DC | $118,569 | Not available | Baseline needed | $40,815 |
| 2 | Rice UniversityMaster's Degree | Houston, TX | $116,551 | Not available | Baseline needed | $13,370 |
| 3 | Johns Hopkins UniversityMaster's Degree | Baltimore, MD | $114,716 | Not available | Baseline needed | $18,809 |
| 4 | Tufts UniversityMaster's Degree | Medford, MA | $108,836 | Not available | Baseline needed | $39,998 |
| 5 | Columbia University in the City of New YorkMaster's Degree | New York, NY | $107,574 | Not available | Baseline needed | $21,590 |
| 6 | University of Massachusetts-LowellMaster's Degree | Lowell, MA | $103,784 | Not available | Baseline needed | $17,163 |
| 7 | University of California, San DiegoMaster's Degree | La Jolla, CA | $101,102 | Not available | Baseline needed | $12,470 |
| 8 | American Public University SystemMaster's Degree | Charles Town, WV | $100,647 | Not available | Baseline needed | $9,597 |
| 9 | George Mason UniversityMaster's Degree | Fairfax, VA | $100,525 | Not available | Baseline needed | $17,915 |
| 10 | George Washington UniversityMaster's Degree | Washington, DC | $100,024 | Not available | Baseline needed | $36,586 |
| 11 | American UniversityMaster's Degree | Washington, DC | $97,808 | Not available | Baseline needed | $41,943 |
| 12 | Institute of World PoliticsMaster's Degree | Washington, DC | $97,002 | Not available | Baseline needed | Not available |
| 13 | University of ArizonaMaster's Degree | Tucson, AZ | $96,058 | Not available | Baseline needed | $16,674 |
| 14 | Texas A&M University-College StationMaster's Degree | College Station, TX | $95,282 | Not available | Baseline needed | $21,315 |
| 15 | San Diego State UniversityMaster's Degree | San Diego, CA | $94,199 | Not available | Baseline needed | $15,364 |
| 16 | Fordham UniversityMaster's Degree | Bronx, NY | $93,706 | Not available | Baseline needed | $44,338 |
| 17 | New York UniversityMaster's Degree | New York, NY | $93,034 | Not available | Baseline needed | $37,050 |
| 18 | Syracuse UniversityMaster's Degree | Syracuse, NY | $92,844 | Not available | Baseline needed | $38,793 |
| 19 | Middlebury Institute of International Studies at MontereyMaster's Degree | Monterey, CA | $92,176 | Not available | Baseline needed | Not available |
| 20 | Middlebury CollegeMaster's Degree | Middlebury, VT | $92,176 | Not available | Baseline needed | $31,483 |
| 21 | Norwich UniversityMaster's Degree | Northfield, VT | $89,927 | Not available | Baseline needed | $22,257 |
| 22 | Seton Hall UniversityMaster's Degree | South Orange, NJ | $89,431 | Not available | Baseline needed | $31,446 |
| 23 | Webster UniversityMaster's Degree | Saint Louis, MO | $88,756 | Not available | Baseline needed | $27,047 |
| 24 | Angelo State UniversityMaster's Degree | San Angelo, TX | $86,451 | Not available | Baseline needed | $15,091 |
| 25 | Arizona State University Campus ImmersionMaster's Degree | Tempe, AZ | $85,299 | Not available | Baseline needed | $14,967 |
| 26 | Arizona State University Digital ImmersionMaster's Degree | Scottsdale, AZ | $85,299 | Not available | Baseline needed | Not available |
| 27 | The University of Texas at AustinMaster's Degree | Austin, TX | $84,481 | Not available | Baseline needed | $19,857 |
| 28 | University of ChicagoMaster's Degree | Chicago, IL | $83,492 | Not available | Baseline needed | $14,860 |
| 29 | Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-PrescottMaster's Degree | Prescott, AZ | $81,886 | Not available | Baseline needed | $40,287 |
| 30 | Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona BeachMaster's Degree | Daytona Beach, FL | $81,886 | Not available | Baseline needed | $41,272 |
| 31 | Boston UniversityMaster's Degree | Boston, MA | $81,518 | Not available | Baseline needed | $24,402 |
| 32 | DePaul UniversityMaster's Degree | Chicago, IL | $75,622 | Not available | Baseline needed | $30,902 |
| 33 | University of DenverMaster's Degree | Denver, CO | $74,159 | Not available | Baseline needed | $36,131 |
| 34 | Florida State UniversityMaster's Degree | Tallahassee, FL | $71,829 | Not available | Baseline needed | $11,297 |
| 35 | University of Washington-Seattle CampusMaster's Degree | Seattle, WA | $71,169 | Not available | Baseline needed | $14,091 |
| 36 | The New SchoolMaster's Degree | New York, NY | $70,655 | Not available | Baseline needed | $58,741 |
| 37 | North Carolina State University at RaleighMaster's Degree | Raleigh, NC | $70,333 | Not available | Baseline needed | $17,303 |
| 38 | Troy UniversityMaster's Degree | Troy, AL | $68,373 | Not available | Baseline needed | $16,527 |
| 39 | University of KentuckyMaster's Degree | Lexington, KY | $65,155 | Not available | Baseline needed | $18,851 |
| 40 | SIT Graduate InstituteMaster's Degree | Brattleboro, VT | $64,561 | Not available | Baseline needed | Not available |
This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.