Bachelor's · Los Angeles, California

Is International Relations and National Security Studies at University of Southern California worth it?

High confidence High confidence: 100+ graduates behind the earnings figures.

The verdict · all families, in-state, half paid with loans

Pays back in time: graduates typically recover the cost in about 4.7 years.

Earnings 1 year after graduating: $62,795; Treasury AY2020-21, AY2021-22 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
Earnings 4 years after graduating: $91,156; Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
Typical federal debt at graduation: $17,600; NSLDS pooled AY2022-23, AY2023-24 cohort
Net cost to graduate, all families: $140k (likely $140k – $181k); AcadYr 2024-25, reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26
Earnings bump, year 4: $51k a year vs high-school graduates aged 25–34 in CA; 2023 ACS 5-year pooled, adjusted to 2024 dollars
Payback: 4.7 years (likely 4.1–5.6); Bump vs net cost plus loan interest
10-year net return: $135k (likely $46k – $212k); Today's dollars
20-year net return: $738k (likely $566k – $935k); Today's dollars
Odds of finishing (school-wide): 90%; Fall 2019 or AcadYr 2019-20 cohort (differs by institutional calendar), reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26
Borrowers making progress / in default, 2 years in: not reported / ≤ 10%; NSLDS AY2016-17, AY2017-18 pooled cohorts measured in 2018-19, 2019-20

Change income, residency or loans Compare International Relations and National Security Studies at other schools

⚖️ Getting ready in high school

Students heading toward law, government & society majors like this one often take these classes. Every school offers a different mix, so check with your counselor.

AP classes

AP U.S. Government and Politics
AP U.S. History
AP English Language and Composition
AP Comparative Government and Politics

IB Higher Level

History HL
Global Politics HL

Build my roadmap 🗺️ Middle school to career, plus high schools near you that offer these classes.

Other majors at University of Southern California

Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other (Doctoral)$226,049
Law (First professional)$203,028
Finance and Financial Management Services (Graduate certificate)$199,110
Computer Science (Bachelor's)$192,897
Computer Science (Master's)$188,871
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods (Graduate certificate)$187,852
Real Estate Development (Master's)$185,174
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's)$181,250
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering (Master's)$180,468
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (Doctoral)$179,146
Computer Software and Media Applications (Master's)$179,055
Systems Engineering (Master's)$178,619

International Relations and National Security Studies at other schools in California

Claremont McKenna College$96,520
Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey$92,728
Stanford University$91,075
Cal Poly Maritime Academy$76,478
Occidental College$70,394
University of California-Davis$67,056
San Francisco State University$65,775
University of San Diego$61,509
San Diego State University$59,733
University of San Francisco$59,387