International/Global Studies at Siena Heights University

Similar International/Global Studies programs in Michigan suggest first-year earnings around $38,400, which matches the state median exactly and sits near the national 75th percentile. That's a stronger starting point than most programs in this field produce nationally, where the typical graduate earns about $32,800. However, the estimated $24,162 in debt—based on what bachelor's students across similar institutions typically borrow—creates a 0.63 debt-to-earnings ratio that demands careful budgeting in those early career years.

The challenge with International/Global Studies is that career paths vary dramatically. Some graduates move into nonprofit work with modest pay, while others leverage language skills or regional expertise into corporate roles with better compensation. The estimated earnings here align with what programs at Michigan State produce, though they trail the $44,000 that University of Michigan graduates command. For a school with Siena Heights' admission profile, these comparable outcomes aren't alarming, but they're not generous either given the debt load.

The practical reality: you're looking at roughly $280 in monthly loan payments on a salary that might net around $2,800 monthly after taxes. That's manageable but leaves little room for expensive metropolitan areas where international organizations often cluster. If your student has a clear internship or career path lined up—particularly one that leverages specific language skills or regional knowledge—the numbers work. Without that direction, you're betting on outcomes that peer programs suggest are possible but not guaranteed for this particular cohort.