International Relations and National Security Studies at Hobart William Smith Colleges

Hobart William Smith's International Relations program places graduates slightly above the middle of the pack nationally and within New York, with first-year earnings of $40,648 compared to the state median of $36,754. More impressive is the debt picture: at $26,000, graduates carry substantially less debt than the typical IR program nationally ($21,634 median, but this program ranks in the 5th percentile—meaning 95% of similar programs leave students with more debt). That 0.64 debt-to-earnings ratio is manageable, representing about eight months of gross income.

The challenge is understanding how representative these numbers are. With fewer than 30 graduates in the sample, one or two outliers could skew the data significantly. The program also sits well below top NY competitors like Fordham ($46,653) and Hamilton ($45,332), though it outpaces some prestigious alternatives like Vassar. For a 57% admission rate school, the outcomes are respectable but not exceptional.

If your child is passionate about international relations and considering Hobart William Smith, the reasonable debt load is the strongest selling point. Just recognize you're betting on a small dataset, and the career trajectory for IR majors often depends heavily on securing competitive internships and graduate credentials—factors these numbers don't capture.