International Relations and National Security Studies at Cornell College

Cornell's International Relations program faces a challenge common to smaller liberal arts colleges: limited graduate numbers mean we're working with national benchmarks rather than school-specific outcomes. Based on peer programs nationwide, first-year earnings around $37,000 combined with estimated debt of $21,500 creates a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.58—meaning graduates would owe roughly seven months of their first year's salary. That's workable, though hardly lucrative territory for early career professionals.

The real concern here isn't the numbers themselves but what they reveal about the field. International Relations bachelor's degrees typically serve as stepping stones to graduate school or entry-level government and nonprofit positions, which explains why even the top-performing programs nationally only reach $45,400 in first-year earnings. The University of Iowa—the only Iowa program with reported data—shows similar outcomes at $36,376, suggesting this pattern holds locally.

For families considering Cornell's $21,500 debt load, the key question is whether this degree opens doors worth that investment. If your child plans to leverage Cornell's small-school networking and one-on-one faculty relationships to land competitive internships or graduate school placements, the debt is reasonable. If they're uncertain about graduate school or hoping to start earning immediately after graduation, similar programs exist at Iowa's public universities with potentially lower overall costs—and outcomes that appear comparable.