International Relations and National Security Studies at Ferrum College

The figures here—drawing from nine comparable Virginia programs—suggest this international relations degree tracks right at the state median of $44,638 in first-year earnings, putting it in line with programs at George Mason and Virginia Tech. The estimated $21,500 in debt translates to a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.48, meaning roughly half a year's salary in loans. That's manageable territory, though the numbers lack the certainty you'd want when evaluating a $21,500 investment.

What complicates the picture is Ferrum's open admission and below-average test scores (990 SAT), combined with serving a student body where nearly half receive Pell grants. International relations degrees often lead to competitive fields where networking, internships, and graduate school matter enormously. The career paths that justify this major—foreign service, intelligence, think tanks, international NGOs—typically favor graduates from more selective programs or those with strong D.C. connections. Without knowing how Ferrum's specific graduates fare in these markets, you're betting on your child's ability to distinguish themselves beyond the credential.

The debt load isn't alarming, but international relations is a field where the bachelor's degree often serves as a stepping stone rather than an endpoint. If graduate school is likely, that $21,500 becomes the first installment of a larger educational investment, not the final bill.