International Relations and National Security Studies at Central Michigan University

Central Michigan's International Relations program lands right at Michigan's median for earnings, outperforming half the state's programs despite charging debt levels well below the state average ($27,000 vs. $24,766 median). The 40% earnings jump from $35,802 to nearly $50,000 over four years suggests graduates find their footing after an admittedly modest start—though that first-year figure trails the national median by a few thousand dollars.

The debt picture is genuinely strong here: at just $27,000, it's one of the lowest loads you'll find for this program nationally (5th percentile for debt), and the 0.75 debt-to-earnings ratio means graduates owe less than what they'll earn in their first year. That's a manageable starting point for a field that rarely commands six-figure salaries. Michigan State's graduates earn about $3,000 more initially, but you'd need to weigh whether that gap justifies any additional cost difference between the schools.

The caveat matters: with fewer than 30 graduates in this dataset, one or two career paths can skew these numbers significantly. That said, the low debt combined with solid earnings growth suggests this program provides reasonable value for students who understand they're entering a field where impact often matters more than income. If your child is committed to this career path, the financial fundamentals here won't derail their twenties.