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Social Sciences · International Relations Rank #80 of 106

International Relationsat University of Denver

Graduates earn $40,923/yr in their first year — about 4.0% above the national International Relations average. Base-case 10-year earnings $575K; scenarios range from $527K to $585K depending on AI disruption.

Denver, CO Private nonprofit Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
34 AT RISK
35
Optimistic
32
Pessimistic
Earnings
$40,923
1-year post-graduation
ROI
1.6x
Earnings : tuition
10-yr Base
$575K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
High
54% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at University of Denver

Graduates earn $40,923/yr, roughly in line with the $39,530 national median for International Relations. The value proposition here depends on cost, not earnings.

At 2.4x tuition cost, the financial math is tight. Decade earnings don't dramatically exceed what you paid, making school choice and aid packages critical.

The 10% difference between AI scenarios reflects partial automation exposure. Some International Relations career paths face displacement, but others in the field are more insulated.

With first-year pay of $40,923 far exceeding the $19,500 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.

A #80 ranking among 106 International Relations programs places University of Denver in the lower half. Price, proximity, and personal fit become the stronger arguments.

A 49% earnings increase from $40,923 to $60,795 over five years is solid — not a moonshot, but evidence of normal career advancement.

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
$527K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score32/100
Earnings Multiple2.2x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$575K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score34/100
Earnings Multiple2.4x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$585K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score35/100
Earnings Multiple2.5x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to University of Denver'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 University of Denver 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 University of Denver

Other top programs at University of Denver

Other highest-scoring programs offered at University of Denver, 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 University of Denver

What does a 34/100 DegreeOutlook Score mean for International Relations at University of Denver?

At 34/100, the financial outlook is modest. Higher-scoring International Relations programs exist, though non-financial factors may justify this choice.

Should I worry about AI if I study International Relations at University of Denver?

The 47% AI task exposure score is above average. Our model shows this affecting job availability more than salaries — graduates may face stiffer competition for fewer positions.