International Relations and National Security Studies at University of Pittsburgh-Bradford

In Pennsylvania, International Relations programs span an enormous range—from elite schools placing graduates into $77,000 first-year positions down to programs where earnings hover in the mid-$30,000s. Peer programs in the state typically produce first-year earnings around $49,000, which is where this Bradford program would land based on similar credentials. Against borrowed costs estimated at $22,000, that creates a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.45—well below the worry threshold of 1.0.

The challenge here is context. This estimated $49,000 figure represents the Pennsylvania median across all International Relations bachelor's programs, but Bradford serves a very different student population than the Bucknells and Penn's driving that state average upward. With a 91% admission rate and nearly half of students receiving Pell grants, Bradford attracts students who may not have access to the elite networks that turbocharge IR careers. Without actual outcomes data for this specific program, there's real uncertainty about whether Bradford graduates match the state median or fall closer to the national figure of $37,000—a difference that would dramatically change the value equation.

The bottom line: if this program delivers on the state benchmark, the debt load is reasonable and the career prospects workable. But IR is a field where institutional prestige and network access matter enormously, and Bradford's regional, access-focused mission may not translate to the same outcomes as larger, better-connected programs in the state.