International Relations and National Security Studies at University of Scranton

When Pennsylvania's international relations programs show such dramatic variation—from Bucknell's $77,000 grads to Lehigh's $36,000—and Scranton's own graduates are too few to generate reportable data, it's worth examining what comparable PA programs suggest. The state median of $49,000 with roughly $20,000 in debt points to a workable 0.41 debt-to-earnings ratio, putting first-year salary about 32% above the national benchmark for this major.

That said, the wide spread among Pennsylvania schools reveals something important: institutional prestige and alumni networks matter enormously in this field. Notice that Scranton's 84% admission rate and mid-range SAT scores position it firmly in the middle tier, while the programs with six-figure outcomes are highly selective. The small graduate count itself might signal limited program depth or few students willing to bet on this path at Scranton specifically—a consideration worth exploring during campus visits.

The estimated numbers suggest manageable debt for a humanities-adjacent degree, but your child would be entering a field where job prospects heavily depend on networking, internships, and often unpaid D.C. experiences that these figures don't capture. If Scranton offers strong placement support and Washington connections, those $49,000 estimates become more plausible. Without that infrastructure, even moderate debt could feel burdensome in competitive entry-level roles where geographic mobility and credential pedigree often determine early opportunities.