Master of Arts in International Relations Employment Trends

Graduate Professional Salary Trends

According to the salary information provided by employers, starting salary paid to new graduates working in nonprofit organizations, state and local governments, federal government agencies, international NGOs or private consulting firms ranges anywhere from $40,000 to $85,000 in ascending order, respectively.

Since our graduate professional programs specifically look for applicants with a public service orientation, most of our students expect to graduate and begin their careers in one of the above professions. That said, our M.P.A. and M.A. (IR) programs include strong analytical, managerial and financial preparation, readying our graduates to move across sectors over the course of their careers. Many have gone on to serve the public good in financially lucrative private businesses including health care, financial services, disaster management, infrastructure/development, defense technologies, transportation and other fields.

Ultimately, students should pick a degree and a program based on the type of work they want to do and how well that program prepares them to be successful in both the short term and the long term. With typical placement rates between 95% - 100%, the Maxwell School’s professional graduate programs are a great fit for those who aspire to work in fields with a public service orientation.