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Social Sciences · International Relations Rank #35 of 106

International Relationsat Tufts University

Graduates earn $54,079/yr in their first year — about 37.0% above the national International Relations average. Base-case 10-year earnings $678K; scenarios range from $607K to $701K depending on AI disruption.

Medford, MA Private nonprofit Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
48 AVERAGE
49
Optimistic
44
Pessimistic
Earnings
$54,079
1-year post-graduation
ROI
2.0x
Earnings : tuition
10-yr Base
$678K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
High
54% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at Tufts University

Tufts' International Relations and National Security Studies program leverages the university's strong academic reputation and proximity to Boston's rich ecosystem of government, think tanks, and global non-profits. This environment fosters robust recruiting pipelines into federal agencies, international organizations, and private sector roles in consulting or risk analysis. Your degree signals a sophisticated understanding of global dynamics, preparing you for roles demanding sharp analytical skills and a strategic mindset. Many graduates leverage this foundation into management positions across diverse fields, valuing your capacity for complex problem-solving. While some data-intensive analytical tasks face increasing AI integration, your unique value lies in developing critical judgment, cross-cultural communication, and ethical decision-making. Focus on cultivating these distinctively human skills and pursuing internships that offer direct policy application to thrive in a evolving landscape.

AI Outlook Integration

Three scenarios, ten years out

Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.

Pessimistic
Mass Automation
$607K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score44/100
Earnings Multiple2.2x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$678K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score48/100
Earnings Multiple2.5x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$701K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score49/100
Earnings Multiple2.6x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Tufts University's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.

Career Paths

Where International Relations graduates typically work

Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.

1
Political scientists
-3.1% 10-yr growth · 500 openings/yr
$139,380/yr
Moderate
2
Managers, all other
+4.5% 10-yr growth · 106,700 openings/yr
$136,550/yr
Moderate
3
Political science teachers, postsecondary
+2.0% 10-yr growth · 1,600 openings/yr
$94,680/yr
Moderate
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. AI exposure from OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs and Felten AIOE research.
Compare & Explore

Peer schools offering International Relations

How Tufts University stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
Bucknell University
PA · Private nonprofit
52
DW Score
$77K
1-yr earn
2.0x
ROI
Top score
Stanford University
CA · Private nonprofit
63
DW Score
$76K
1-yr earn
4.1x
ROI
Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey
CA · Private nonprofit
50
DW Score
$68K
1-yr earn
Middlebury College
VT · Private nonprofit
60
DW Score
$68K
1-yr earn
3.4x
ROI
University of Pennsylvania
PA · Private nonprofit
55
DW Score
$66K
1-yr earn
2.5x
ROI
Also at Tufts University

Other top programs at Tufts University

Other highest-scoring programs offered at Tufts University, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

Consider the trade route

Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in International Relations offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.

Compare International Relations trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →
FAQ

Frequently asked about International Relations at Tufts University

How does Tufts University's International Relations program score?

This program scores 48/100 — on the lower end for International Relations. Prospective students should carefully weigh costs against likely earnings.

How vulnerable is International Relations to AI automation?

AI won't 'replace' International Relations careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 47% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.