International Relations and National Security Studies at Hampton University

Hampton's International Relations program sits right at Virginia's median for this field, with peer programs across the state suggesting first-year earnings around $44,638—a figure that matches what graduates earn at Virginia Tech and George Mason. With estimated debt of $21,500, this translates to a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.48, meaning students would owe roughly half their first year's salary. That's a manageable starting point compared to many bachelor's programs, and substantially better than the typical liberal arts degree that leaves graduates with more debt relative to their earnings.

The real question is trajectory. International relations degrees often lead to government, nonprofit, or policy work where early salaries can be modest but grow meaningfully with experience and security clearances. Similar Virginia programs produce outcomes ranging from the mid-$40,000s up to $47,000 at schools like William & Mary, suggesting Hampton's estimated placement is competitive within the state. Nationally, these estimates also exceed the $37,198 median, positioning graduates above typical outcomes for this major.

For families weighing this investment, the estimated debt load appears reasonable—you're looking at monthly payments around $240 on a standard plan, which should be manageable on these projected salaries. The bigger consideration is whether your student has clear career goals in foreign service, defense, or policy analysis, where Hampton's HBCU network and proximity to federal agencies could provide advantages that raw salary data won't capture.