International Relations Salary and Career Outlook

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) does not publish a salary for international relations, because it is a field of study and not an occupation. This page shows U.S. wages for four occupations whose work overlaps with international relations: in May 2025 the national median annual wage was $142,080 for political scientists, $124,720 for economists, $80,390 for social and community service managers and $62,200 for news analysts, reporters, and journalists, according to BLS wage data.

The occupation sets the pay, not the degree. Each figure covers employees at every experience level, so none of them is a starting salary. BLS estimates cover wage and salary employees and exclude self-employed workers, such as freelancers, according to its technical notes. All figures on this page are for the United States.

The wages describe these BLS occupations: Political Scientists (SOC 19-3094), Economists (19-3011), Social and Community Service Managers (11-9151) and News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists (27-3023), as defined in the Standard Occupational Classification. BLS publishes no separate wage series for a master’s degree in international relations.

Coursework in an international relations program varies by school, so check a program’s curriculum before you apply. BLS reports wages by occupation, not by degree, so its data cannot show how much a master’s degree changes pay.

International Relations Degree Careers Overview

An international relations degree is not a trade degree, and the BLS Standard Occupational Classification has no separate occupation called “international relations specialist.” The classification groups jobs into occupations rather than listing every employer job title. The roles below are occupations whose work overlaps with the field, and each is defined by the work it involves rather than by the major a person studied.

Diplomacy is the career many people associate with the degree, but it is not the only one. The sections below show which employer groups have political scientist jobs, where in the country they work and what each occupation pays, so you can compare the options.

5 Jobs in International Relations

BLS has no occupation classified as an international relations job, so the five roles below are the ones this page covers. For a wider list of roles, see our guide to what you can do with an international relations degree.

1. Foreign Service Worker Jobs

Foreign Service employees work for the U.S. State Department. Officers are selected through an application and assessment process that includes the Foreign Service Officer Test, according to the Department’s officer selection page. BLS does not report wages for Foreign Service positions, and federal pay schedules are not BLS wage data, so no wage is given here. The Department’s entry requirements are covered in the Foreign Service section below.

2. Political Scientist Jobs

Political scientists (SOC 19-3094) “study the origin, development, and operation of political systems,” according to the BLS Standard Occupational Classification. The national median annual wage was $142,080 in May 2025, and BLS estimated 5,540 jobs. The occupation is small, and many of the state and metropolitan estimates below are for a few dozen to a few hundred jobs.

3. Economist Jobs

Economists (SOC 19-3011) “conduct research, prepare reports, or formulate plans to address economic problems,” according to the BLS Standard Occupational Classification. The national median annual wage was $124,720 in May 2025, and BLS estimated 17,790 jobs. An economist who works on international issues is one way the field can connect to international relations, but BLS does not publish a separate wage for that specialty.

4. News Reporters or Analyst Jobs

News analysts, reporters, and journalists (SOC 27-3023) had a national median annual wage of $62,200 in May 2025, and BLS estimated 39,250 jobs. BLS does not separate reporters who cover foreign affairs from other reporters, so the figure covers every beat.

5. Social and Community Service Manager Jobs

Social and community service managers (SOC 11-9151) “plan, direct, or coordinate the activities of a social service program or community outreach organization,” according to the BLS Standard Occupational Classification. The national median annual wage was $80,390 in May 2025, and BLS estimated 209,330 jobs. For a related route into government work, see how to become a public administrator.

Where Political Scientists Work

The table shows selected employer and industry groups with political scientist jobs in May 2025, ordered by employment among the groups shown, using BLS OEWS industry estimates. These are current employment counts, not forecasts, and BLS publishes other industry groups that are not shown. Of the 5,540 political scientist jobs BLS counted nationally, 3,860 were in the federal executive branch.

Broad industry levels and ownership categories overlap, so the rows should not be added together. State-run colleges, for example, can appear in both the state government row and the colleges row.

What Is the Median International Relations Salary?

There is no median international relations salary, because BLS reports wages by occupation. The median annual wage is the amount at which half of the workers in an occupation earned more and half earned less. The table puts the four occupations side by side, using BLS OEWS data for May 2025.

Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Job counts are BLS estimates of wage and salary employment rounded to the nearest 10, and they exclude self-employed workers. The 10th percentile wage is the amount below which 10 percent of employees earned less, and it is not an entry-level salary. Each figure covers employees at all experience levels.

Median annual wages also vary by industry. For economists, BLS OEWS reported these median annual wages for May 2025 in selected industries with economist jobs, listed by number of jobs among the industries shown:

• Professional, scientific, and technical services: $139,880
• Federal executive branch: $144,680
• State government, excluding schools and hospitals: $78,080
• Finance and insurance: $173,990
• Local government, excluding schools and hospitals: $100,370

For social and community service managers, BLS OEWS reported these median annual wages for May 2025 in selected industries, listed by number of jobs among the industries shown:

• Social assistance: $76,120
• Nursing and residential care facilities: $73,950
• Local government, including schools and hospitals: $103,210
• Religious, grantmaking, civic, professional, and similar organizations: $79,990
• State government, including schools and hospitals: $94,910

Industry groups can overlap, so these lists are not additive. For pay in a neighboring government field, see our guide to MPA salary and careers.

5 Best-Paying Places for an International Relations Career Path

Among metropolitan areas where BLS publishes both an employment estimate and a median wage for political scientists, these five had the highest median annual wages in May 2025, according to BLS OEWS metropolitan area estimates:

In every other metropolitan area where BLS publishes an employment estimate, the estimate is 190 political scientist jobs or fewer.

Top States for International Relations Jobs

Several ways to define a “top” state exist: pay, the number of jobs, or something harder to measure. Among states and the District of Columbia where BLS publishes the needed figures for political scientists, the tables below show the five highest median annual wages and the five largest job counts in May 2025, according to BLS OEWS state estimates. The District of Columbia is included because it holds most of the political scientist jobs in the data. In every other place where BLS publishes an employment estimate, the estimate is 180 jobs or fewer.

States with the highest pay for international relations jobs

BLS data for political scientists, May 2025:

States with the highest employment levels for international relations careers

BLS data for political scientists, May 2025:

The location quotient compares a state’s share of political scientist jobs with the national share, so a value of 1.00 matches the U.S. average.

Does the Foreign Service Require an International Relations Degree?

No. In its Foreign Service FAQ, the State Department says “there is no set educational level or specific major of field of study required” for Foreign Service officers (generalists), while “some Foreign Service Specialist positions do have degree requirements.” The Department also says foreign language skills are not required for Generalists or Specialists, although demonstrating language proficiency can raise an assessment score.

An international relations degree is one way to prepare for diplomatic work, not a requirement for it, so check the requirements of the specific role you want. Foreign Service pay follows federal schedules rather than the occupations in BLS wage data, so it is not shown on this page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is international relations a high-paying field?

It depends on the occupation, because BLS reports wages by occupation and not by field of study. In May 2025, median annual wages ranged from $62,200 for news analysts, reporters, and journalists to $142,080 for political scientists, according to BLS.

Is there a job called “international relations specialist”?

BLS has no separate occupation named international relations specialist in its Standard Occupational Classification, so it publishes no wage series for that title. The classification groups jobs into occupations rather than listing every employer job title. The closest published figures are for occupations such as political scientists, who had a median annual wage of $142,080 in May 2025, according to BLS.

What jobs can you get with an international relations degree?

This page covers five roles whose work overlaps with the field: Foreign Service officer, political scientist, economist, news analyst or reporter, and social and community service manager. BLS wages for four of them are in the table above.

What is the highest-paying job in international relations?

Among the four occupations BLS measures here, political scientists had the highest median annual wage in May 2025, at $142,080, while economists had the highest 90th percentile wage, at $238,060, according to BLS OEWS. BLS does not rank every job in the field.

Does a master’s in international relations increase pay?

BLS wage data does not separate workers by degree, so it cannot show how much a master’s degree changes pay. The wages on this page describe wage and salary employees in each occupation, excluding the self-employed, according to BLS, which publishes them by occupation and not by education level.

Is a Career in International Relations Right for You?

Start with the occupation you want, because the occupation is what sets pay. In May 2025 the national median annual wage ranged from $62,200 to $142,080 across the four occupations above, according to BLS, and journalism and social and community service management have far more jobs than political science: 39,250 and 209,330, against 5,540.

Think about where you would work. Political scientist jobs are concentrated: BLS estimated that 3,070 of the 5,540 are in the District of Columbia, and 3,700 are in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria metropolitan area. The State Department sets no required major for Foreign Service officers, so check each employer’s requirements directly.

If you are weighing programs, you can compare international relations programs or read how the degree compares with a public administration master’s.