International Relations and National Security Studies at Wittenberg University

Similar international relations programs in Ohio suggest first-year earnings around $35,600, which falls slightly below the national median of $37,200 for this field. More concerning is that this estimate places Wittenberg's program behind Ohio's flagship universities—Miami and Ohio State graduates in this major typically earn $38,000-$39,000 initially. That $3,000-$4,000 gap may not sound dramatic, but it compounds over time and matters when you're managing loan payments.

The estimated debt of $21,500 is actually more manageable than what many Ohio programs in this field typically carry. With a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.60, graduates would face monthly payments consuming roughly 6% of their gross income under standard repayment—tight but workable. The challenge isn't crushing debt; it's that international relations careers often require graduate school or unpaid internships to advance, and starting at the lower end of the earnings spectrum leaves little cushion for those investments.

Given Wittenberg's 91% acceptance rate and modest test scores, prospective students should weigh whether the personalized attention of a small liberal arts college justifies potentially lower early earnings compared to Ohio's larger public universities. If your child is passionate about this field and needs graduate school anyway, the undergraduate institution matters less. But if they're hoping to launch directly into the workforce, the peer data suggests Ohio's research universities might offer better placement outcomes.