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International Relations & Security

Instructional content for this group of programs is defined in codes 45.0901 - 45.0999.

Types of Degrees International Relations & Security Majors Are Earning

Those studying International Relations & Security have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	1
Associate’s Degree	18
Bachelor’s Degree	7,454
Master’s Degree	5,460
Doctor’s Degree	101

What International Relations & Security Majors Need to Know

Studies in International Relations & Security build a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that International Relations & Security graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing International Relations & Security emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• English Language — Importance 4.4 / 5; level 5.2 / 7.
• Law and Government — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 5.2 / 7.
• Administration and Management — Importance 3.0 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.0 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills emphasized by a International Relations & Security program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Speaking — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.

Abilities

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to International Relations & Security careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Inductive Reasoning — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, International Relations & Security graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Getting Information	4.6 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.4 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.4 / 7
Working with Computers	4.2 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.2 / 7
Training and Teaching Others	4.2 / 7
Processing Information	4.1 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.1 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.0 / 7
Thinking Creatively	4.0 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by International Relations & Security professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Word processing software	Word processing software	—
Email software	Electronic mail software	—
R	Object or component oriented development software	—
WinBUGS	Analytical or scientific software	—
Formula translation/translator FORTRAN	Development environment software	—
DOC Cop	Information retrieval or search software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for International Relations & Security graduates include:

• College Professor
• Associate Professor
• Political Science Adjunct Professor
• International Relations Professor
• Adjunct Instructor
• Faculty Member
• Public Policy Professor
• Government Teacher
• Adjunct Political Science Instructor
• Government Professor
• Government Instructor
• Assistant Professor
• Adjunct Political Science Professor
• Public Administration Teacher
• Geopolitics Teacher

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to International Relations & Security graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Doctoral degree	58.9%
Bachelor’s degree	23.8%
Master’s degree	5.6%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	3.9%
High school diploma or equivalent	2.9%
Postsecondary certificate	1.9%
Some college courses	1.5%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	1.2%
Post-doctoral training	0.3%
Post-master’s certificate	0.2%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in International Relations & Security?

Gender Distribution

This field has a relatively balanced gender distribution: 55.2% women and 44.8% men among International Relations & Security graduates.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	7,189	55.2%
Men	5,846	44.8%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of International Relations & Security graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	6,338	48.6%
Asian	959	7.4%
Hispanic or Latino	1,974	15.1%
Black or African American	835	6.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native	13	0.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	12	0.1%
Two or More Races	598	4.6%
Race Unknown	335	2.6%
International Students	1,971	15.1%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do International Relations & Security Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of International Relations & Security graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$52,048
4 years	$67,113
5 years	$78,479

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $78,479 — roughly 51% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online International Relations & Security Programs

Distance learning is tracked by IPEDS for International Relations & Security. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Associate’s	1	0
Bachelor’s	14	10
Master’s	29	18
Doctoral (Research)	3	1

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in International Relations & Security Worth It?

Looking purely at the federal earnings tracker, International Relations & Security graduates earn a median of $67,113 four years after completion — roughly 77% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	Annual Degrees Awarded
Social Sciences	185,019
Economics	45,628
Political Science and Government	44,942
Sociology	31,380
Social Sciences, General	17,510
Anthropology	10,768
Criminology	10,365
Geography and Cartography	7,105
Social Sciences, Other	1,942
Urban Studies/Affairs	1,343
Sociology and Anthropology	496
Archeology	393

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.