Bachelor's · Center Valley, Pennsylvania
Is International Relations and National Security Studies at Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Lehigh Valley 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 3.1 years.
- Earnings 1 year after graduating
- $50,826
- Treasury AY2020-21, AY2021-22 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
- Earnings 4 years after graduating
- $76,264
- Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
- Typical federal debt at graduation
- $21,500
- NSLDS pooled AY2022-23, AY2023-24 cohort
- Net cost to graduate, all families
- $51k (likely $51k – $69k)
- AcadYr 2024-25, reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26
- Earnings bump, year 4
- $37k a year vs high-school graduates aged 25–34 in PA
- 2023 ACS 5-year pooled, adjusted to 2024 dollars
- Payback
- 3.1 years (likely 2.6–3.7)
- Bump vs net cost plus loan interest
- 10-year net return
- $115k (likely $42k – $184k)
- Today's dollars
- 20-year net return
- $564k (likely $400k – $730k)
- Today's dollars
- Odds of finishing (school-wide)
- 18%
- 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 Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Lehigh Valley
- Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's)$120,729
- Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management (Undergraduate certificate)$102,874
- Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's)$96,714
- Information Science/Studies (Bachelor's)$91,671
- Management Information Systems and Services (Undergraduate certificate)$81,794
- Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other (Bachelor's)$81,617
- Civil Engineering (Bachelor's)$81,403
- Health and Medical Administrative Services (Bachelor's)$75,396
- Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods (Bachelor's)$73,308
- Business/Commerce, General (Bachelor's)$65,292
- Hospitality Administration/Management (Bachelor's)$63,798
- Business/Commerce, General (Associate's)$61,596
International Relations and National Security Studies at other schools in Pennsylvania
- Bucknell University$90,393
- University of Pennsylvania$87,439
- Lehigh University$79,569
- Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks$71,001
- Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus$71,001
- Pennsylvania State University-World Campus$71,001
- Duquesne University$65,169
- Dickinson College$62,570
- Lafayette College$46,226
- Susquehanna University$44,784