International Relations and National Security Studies at Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia

What stands out about this program is how students with reported four-year earnings of nearly $59,000 appear to be doing substantially better than the state average—but it's worth noting that first-year figures are estimated from similar Pennsylvania programs, not specific outcomes from Saint Joseph's. If that trajectory holds true, graduates are performing well above both the national median of $37,198 and Pennsylvania's $49,032 benchmark, though they're still trailing elite competitors like Bucknell and Penn.

The debt picture looks manageable based on comparable programs in the state: an estimated $20,125 translates to a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.41, meaning debt sits well below what graduates likely earn in their first year. This compares favorably to the national median debt of $21,634 for this field. International relations degrees can be tricky investments since they often require graduate school or specific connections to access higher-paying government and nonprofit roles, but these numbers suggest Saint Joseph's graduates find reasonable starting positions.

The challenge is that we're working with limited actual data points here—the small sample size that triggered these estimates might reflect either a boutique program with few graduates or one where students scatter across diverse career paths. Either way, the reported four-year earnings suggest positive momentum, and the estimated debt burden won't handcuff recent graduates while they build their careers in a field known for requiring patience and additional credentials.