International Relations and National Security Studies at Pacific University

Based on comparable programs nationwide, a Pacific University International Relations degree carries an estimated $21,500 in debt against first-year earnings around $37,200—a relatively manageable 0.58 debt-to-earnings ratio that sits right at the national median for this field. What's less clear is how Pacific stacks up locally: Oregon's small market for this major (only five schools offer it) shows significantly lower earnings at other institutions, with Portland State graduates earning just over $30,000. Whether Pacific's smaller, more selective environment translates to better outcomes than these state figures remains uncertain without program-specific data.

The debt load appears reasonable compared to other Pacific University programs, and the field itself occupies middle ground nationally—neither a high-earning professional track nor a particularly low-paying humanities degree. For families comfortable with moderate educational debt, the question becomes whether Pacific's liberal arts approach and potentially stronger alumni networks justify choosing it over lower-cost state alternatives, especially given Oregon's depressed regional outcomes in this field.

The bottom line: If your student is set on International Relations at a private institution, the estimated numbers don't scream red flags, but you're making this decision with limited visibility into Pacific's actual graduate outcomes. Push the school hard for placement data—where graduates actually land jobs and what they earn—before committing to private tuition for a field where Oregon's public university graduates are starting well below the national average.