U.S. median for this major: $66,308.
College Scorecard field of study; 141 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 38% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $21,977.
College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $86,285. College Scorecard.
BU International Relations: pay against the field, and payback
Same major, other colleges
Median earnings 4 years after graduating; state and U.S. figures are the median of each covered college's graduates in this major. College Scorecard; calculated by EducationGuide.
International Relations nationally: jobs, pay at ages 25-34, every state →
Cost to finish and years to pay back, by income
Uses BU's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $9,500 | $38,855 | 1.5 years |
| $30–48k | $9,342 | $38,209 | 1.4 years |
| $48–75k | $11,778 | $48,172 | 1.8 years |
| $75–110k | $22,517 | $92,095 | 3.4 years |
| $110k+ | $47,504 | $194,291 | 7.3 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.1 years, the average time graduates took (83% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of International Relations graduates 4 years after graduating ($66,661) minus $39,880 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $26,781 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard; IPEDS Graduation Rates; U.S. Census Bureau ACS. Calculated by EducationGuide.
International Relations at Massachusetts colleges
Every Massachusetts college we cover that reports International Relations graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.
| Rank | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tufts University | $77,998 | $16,375 | $39,998 | 94% |
| 2 | Northeastern University | $74,816 | $21,125 | $30,915 | 91% |
| 3 | Boston University | $66,661 | $25,000 | $24,402 | 89% |
13 more Massachusetts colleges offer International Relations but have too few graduates to report earnings.
What families pay at BU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About BU
- Acceptance rate: 11% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 89% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $83,238
- Full cost breakdown · all 79 majors · overview
Related majors at BU
- Political Science$66,373
- Sociology$63,791
- Economics$96,723
- Anthropology$53,722
- Geography—
- Social Sciences, Other—
BU International Relations questions
How much do BU International Relations graduates earn?
International Relations graduates of Boston University earn a median $66,661 four years after graduating and $45,870 one year after. The U.S. median for International Relations graduates across 116 colleges is $66,308.
How much debt do BU International Relations graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for International Relations graduates of Boston University is $25,000, about 38% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $21,977.
Is BU a good school for International Relations in Massachusetts?
On pay, International Relations graduates of Boston University earn $66,661 four years out, $8,155 below the median for the same major across 3 Massachusetts colleges ($74,816) and $353 above the U.S. median ($66,308). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does BU rank for International Relations in Massachusetts?
Of 3 Massachusetts colleges reporting International Relations graduate earnings, Boston University ranks 3rd. The highest is Tufts University at $77,998.
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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (field of study: median earnings and federal loan debt of graduates who received federal aid); BLS. How we score
Data: JSON · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Boston University International Relations: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/boston-university/majors/international-relations (College Scorecard and BLS data).