International Relations and National Security Studies at Loyola University Chicago

Loyola's International Relations graduates start well below their Illinois peers—earning about $32,700 in their first year compared to the state median of $37,900—but the picture shifts dramatically by year four. That 45% earnings jump to $47,300 outpaces most competing programs and pushes graduates past both state and national averages by mid-career. While you're paying a price for that early lag, the trajectory suggests the program is building substantive skills that employers eventually value.

The debt burden of $21,500 looks manageable, especially given those year-four earnings. You're looking at roughly 5 months of gross pay to cover loans—a reasonable ratio. Still, that first year matters: $32,700 in Chicago means tight budgets and possibly living at home or with roommates while your child's Northwestern counterparts start at nearly double that salary. The 29th percentile national ranking reflects this weak launch more than the program's ultimate outcomes.

For families who can weather the early-career earning period—or who have students willing to delay student loan payments through income-driven repayment plans—this becomes a viable path into international affairs work. The moderate sample size (30-100 graduates) provides reasonable confidence in these numbers. Just understand you're buying into delayed payoff rather than immediate returns, which makes this better suited to students with financial cushion or clear conviction about the field.