International Relations Programs in the Northeast (2026)
Updated
This page ranks the 38 International Relations and National Security programs in the Northeast by the median earnings of International Relations and National Security graduates four years after completing. Fairfield University ranks 1st on this list, reporting median earnings of $94,347 for its graduates four years after completing.
Across the listed programs, the figure ranges from $94,347 to $26,739, with a median of $66,548. For 10 of the 38 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.
The list includes 8 public and 30 private nonprofit institutions. CUNY City College posts the lowest average net price on the page, at $3,776. CUNY City College ranks 48th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fairfield University · Fairfield, CT | $94,347 | $48,095 | $33,302 | 33.3% |
| Fairfield University reports $94,347 in median earnings for its International Relations and National Security graduates four years after completing, with 17 graduates in the earnings cohort. | |||||
| 2 | Middlebury College · Middlebury, VT | $92,728 | $31,483 | $12,723 | 10.8% |
| Middlebury College admits 11% of applicants and posts a median of $92,728 for its International Relations and National Security graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 3 | Bucknell University · Lewisburg, PA | $90,393 | $40,766 | $20,980 | 28.9% |
| Graduates across all fields who borrowed left Bucknell University with a median of $27,000 in federal loans, while its International Relations and National Security completers earned a median of $90,393 four years after completing. | |||||
| 4 | University of Pennsylvania · Philadelphia, PA | $87,439 | $28,699 | -$3,012* | 5.4% |
| University of Pennsylvania ranks 52nd on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports $87,439 in median earnings for its International Relations and National Security graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 5 | Brown University · Providence, RI | $86,780 | $25,184 | -$420* | 5.4% |
| Brown University carries an average net price of $25,184 and a median of $86,780 for its International Relations and National Security graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 6 | Lehigh University · Bethlehem, PA | $79,569 | $36,931 | $16,917 | 25.9% |
| Lehigh University reports median federal debt of $21,250 among International Relations and National Security completers who borrowed, alongside median earnings of $79,569 four years after completing. | |||||
| 7 | Tufts University · Medford, MA | $77,998 | $39,998 | $11,284 | 11.5% |
| With 133 graduates in the earnings cohort, Tufts University posts $77,998 in median earnings for its International Relations and National Security graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 8 | Hobart William Smith Colleges · Geneva, NY | $77,977 | $31,563 | $14,650 | 64.0% |
| Hobart William Smith Colleges admits 64% of applicants and reports median federal debt of $26,000 among International Relations and National Security completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 9 | Fordham University · Bronx, NY | $77,234 | $44,338 | $32,474 | 59.3% |
| Fordham University reports $77,234 in median earnings for its International Relations and National Security graduates four years after completing, with an average net price of $44,338. | |||||
| 10 | Colgate University · Hamilton, NY | $77,199 | $28,786 | $6,086 | 13.9% |
| Colgate University ranks 403rd on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, and its International Relations and National Security graduates earned a median of $77,199 four years after completing. | |||||
| 11 | Northeastern University · Boston, MA | $74,816 | $30,915 | $2,264 | 5.2% |
| Northeastern University reports median federal debt of $21,000 among International Relations and National Security completers who borrowed and median earnings of $74,816 four years after completing. | |||||
| 12 | Connecticut College · New London, CT | $71,960 | $36,175 | $13,341 | 37.0% |
| Connecticut College carries an average net price of $36,175 and reports $71,960 in median earnings for its International Relations and National Security graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 13 | Seton Hall University · South Orange, NJ | $71,949 | $31,446 | $19,623 | 73.3% |
| Seton Hall University reports $71,949 in median earnings for its International Relations and National Security graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $31,446. | |||||
| 14 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus · University Park, PA | $71,001 | $32,875 | $19,845 | 60.6% |
| Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus, a public university in University Park, ranks 14th on this list and shows a median federal debt of $24,375 among International Relations and National Security completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 15 | Syracuse University · Syracuse, NY | $68,049 | $38,793 | $15,817 | 45.9% |
| Syracuse University admits 46% of applicants and posts median earnings of $68,049 for its International Relations and National Security graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 16 | Norwich University · Northfield, VT | $68,004 | $22,257 | $15,610 | 74.4% |
| Norwich University ranks 16th on this list with an average net price of $22,257, and shows a median federal debt of $18,000 among International Relations and National Security completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 17 | University of Rochester · Rochester, NY | $67,531 | $29,278 | $9,678 | 40.1% |
| University of Rochester reports $67,531 in median earnings for its International Relations and National Security graduates four years after completing, and an average net price of $9,678 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 18 | The College of New Jersey · Ewing, NJ | $67,001 | $27,646 | $7,908 | 62.3% |
| The College of New Jersey ranks 18th on this list and shows a median federal debt of $23,250 among International Relations and National Security completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 19 | Boston University · Boston, MA | $66,661 | $24,402 | $9,500 | 11.1% |
| Boston University admits 11% of applicants and reports median earnings of $66,661 for its International Relations and National Security graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 20 | SUNY College at Geneseo · Geneseo, NY | $66,435 | $18,211 | $10,018 | 66.5% |
| SUNY College at Geneseo ranks 20th on this list with an average net price of $18,211, and shows a median federal debt of $17,500 among International Relations and National Security completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 21 | Duquesne University · Pittsburgh, PA | $65,169 | $37,730 | $29,986 | 83.6% |
| Duquesne University reports $65,169 in median earnings for its International Relations and National Security graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $29,986 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 22 | Hamilton College · Clinton, NY | $64,585 | $28,985 | $8,028 | 13.6% |
| Hamilton College admits 14% of applicants and shows a median federal debt of $19,000 among International Relations and National Security completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 23 | Vassar College · Poughkeepsie, NY | $63,591 | $39,343 | $15,953 | 18.6% |
| Vassar College ranks 23rd on this list with median earnings of $63,591 for its International Relations and National Security graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 24 | Dickinson College · Carlisle, PA | $62,570 | $37,607 | $40,755 | 42.1% |
| Dickinson College reports an average net price of $40,755 for families earning under $30,000, and shows a median federal debt of $19,000 among International Relations and National Security completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 25 | University of Maine · Orono, ME | $62,555 | $17,510 | $12,642 | 96.6% |
| University of Maine admits 97% of applicants and reports median earnings of $62,555 for its International Relations and National Security graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 26 | University of New Hampshire-Main Campus · Durham, NH | $60,577 | $23,805 | $16,523 | 88.2% |
| Median earnings of $60,577 for International Relations and National Security graduates four years after completing coincide with an average net price of $23,805 at University of New Hampshire-Main Campus. | |||||
| 27 | CUNY City College · New York, NY | $59,039 | $3,776 | $1,251 | 60.0% |
| CUNY City College posts median earnings of $59,039 for its International Relations and National Security graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $1,251 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 28 | Yale University · New Haven, CT | $52,107 | $23,777 | $17,633 | 3.9% |
| Yale University admits 4% of applicants and reports median earnings of $52,107 for its International Relations and National Security graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 29 | Lafayette College · Easton, PA | $48,198 | $34,433 | $12,716 | 31.5% |
| An average net price of $34,433 at Lafayette College sits alongside median earnings of $48,198 for its International Relations and National Security graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 30 | Mount Holyoke College · South Hadley, MA | $45,696 | $26,441 | $10,882 | 36.0% |
| Mount Holyoke College reports median earnings of $45,696 for its International Relations and National Security graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $10,882 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 31 | Susquehanna University · Selinsgrove, PA | $44,784 | $28,819 | $19,757 | 81.4% |
| Susquehanna University reports median earnings of $44,784 for its International Relations and National Security graduates four years after completing, and graduates across all fields who borrowed left with a median of $27,000 in federal loans. | |||||
| 32 | Skidmore College · Saratoga Springs, NY | $41,193 | $32,297 | $9,932 | 21.1% |
| Skidmore College admits 21% of applicants and reports median earnings of $41,193 for its International Relations and National Security graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 33 | Wheaton College (Massachusetts) · Norton, MA | $38,289 | $29,822 | $20,076 | 67.7% |
| Median earnings of $38,289 for International Relations and National Security graduates four years after completing coincide with an average net price of $29,822 at Wheaton College (Massachusetts). | |||||
| 34 | Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia · Philadelphia, PA | $37,208 | $29,689 | $22,570 | 88.8% |
| Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia reports median earnings of $37,208 for its International Relations and National Security graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $22,570 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 35 | State University of New York at Cortland · Cortland, NY | $32,925 | $22,345 | $12,550 | 59.8% |
| State University of New York at Cortland admits 60% of applicants and reports median earnings of $32,925 for its International Relations and National Security graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 36 | Suffolk University · Boston, MA | $30,771 | $29,618 | $24,745 | 82.3% |
| An average net price of $29,618 at Suffolk University sits alongside median earnings of $30,771 for its International Relations and National Security graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 37 | Allegheny College · Meadville, PA | $30,409 | $22,940 | $18,495 | 54.6% |
| Allegheny College ranks 37th on this list, with median earnings of $30,409 for its International Relations and National Security graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 38 | State University of New York at New Paltz · New Paltz, NY | $26,739 | $18,809 | $10,541 | 61.6% |
| State University of New York at New Paltz, a public university in New Paltz, reports an average net price of $10,541 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
* Net price can be negative: when grants and scholarships exceed the listed cost of attendance, students can receive the difference as a refund for other expenses.
How this list is ordered
Programs are ordered by the median earnings of their International Relations and National Security graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only programs with a reported earnings cohort in the Northeast appear. The figures are medians for federally aided completers of the program who were working and not enrolled. For 10 of the 38 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one. The metric does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The gap between Fairfield University and Middlebury College is $1,619, while the spread from the top of the list to the bottom reaches $67,608.
Related rankings
- Best Colleges in the Northeast
- Social Sciences Colleges in the Northeast for Social Mobility