International Relations and National Security Studies at Binghamton University

In New York, International Relations programs produce vastly different outcomes depending on the institution—graduates from Fordham and Hamilton earn in the mid-$40,000s, while most SUNY programs cluster around $37,000. Based on comparable programs across New York's public universities, Binghamton students likely land somewhere in that lower range, with estimated first-year earnings of $36,754 against roughly $19,300 in debt.

That 0.53 debt-to-earnings ratio tells a straightforward story: you're borrowing about half of what you'll earn in your first year, which is manageable territory for liberal arts degrees. The estimated debt load sits below both state and national medians for this major, which matters when many graduates pursue additional credentials or public sector positions with modest starting salaries. The challenge isn't the debt—it's what you do with a degree that doesn't point toward a specific career track the way nursing or accounting does.

The real question is whether your student has a clear plan for what comes after graduation. International Relations opens doors to government, nonprofits, intelligence, and international business, but many paths require graduate school, internships, or security clearances that take time to develop. If they're targeting law school or an advanced degree, the relatively low debt gives them flexibility. If they're planning to work immediately after graduation, they should understand they'll likely start at or slightly below these estimated earnings and need a strategy for building relevant experience quickly.