International/Global Studies at Southeast Missouri State University

Starting at $25,984 puts Southeast Missouri State's International Studies graduates nearly $7,000 below the national median and about $2,000 under Missouri's median—landing in just the 11th percentile nationally. While the state ranking looks more respectable at the 40th percentile, that's largely because Missouri has relatively weak outcomes in this field overall. The $25,000 debt load nearly equals first-year earnings, creating a challenging financial start even though the absolute debt amount is fairly typical for the program.

The small sample size here matters significantly—with fewer than 30 graduates in the dataset, a few outliers could be skewing these numbers in either direction. That said, the gap to top Missouri programs is stark: Washington University graduates earn $13,000 more right out of the gate. For a family paying out-of-state tuition or taking on significant debt to attend, these numbers should prompt serious questions about ROI.

If your student is Missouri-resident paying in-state rates and truly committed to international studies, this becomes a calculation about total cost versus slightly better alternatives like Missouri State. But the broader pattern—low earnings in a field that already pays modestly—suggests considering whether a more marketable major might better support international career goals long-term.