Best International/Global Studies Degrees in the US by ROI
Top colleges ranked by estimated 20-year net return on investment across all active states. Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Programs Analyzed
65
Colleges with salary data
Average 20-Yr Net ROI
-$207,627
Across all programs
Average Annual Cost
$39,617
Cost of attendance
| # | College | State | 20-Yr Net ROI | Median Salary | Annual Cost | Avg Debt | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
American Public University System
Grad rate: 54.3% |
WV | +$357,469 | $64,031 | $16,358 | $13,125 | Full ROI → |
| 2 |
Drexel University
Grad rate: 77.6% |
PA | +$123,079 | $65,148 | $75,167 | $29,046 | Full ROI → |
| 3 |
University of California-Los Angeles
Grad rate: 92.6% |
CA | +$67,928 | $53,535 | $36,643 | $12,000 | Full ROI → |
| 4 |
University of Florida
Grad rate: 90.7% |
FL | +$51,544 | $49,731 | $21,719 | $12,000 | Full ROI → |
| 5 |
University of California-San Diego
Grad rate: 87.7% |
CA | +$22,845 | $51,521 | $36,325 | $16,500 | Full ROI → |
| 6 |
Michigan State University
Grad rate: 81.9% |
MI | +$14,558 | $50,656 | $30,528 | $27,000 | Full ROI → |
| 7 |
University of New Mexico-Main Campus
Grad rate: 52.1% |
NM | +$1,193 | $47,503 | $20,973 | $18,500 | Full ROI → |
| 8 |
Spelman College
Grad rate: 75.1% |
GA | -$24,186 | $52,483 | $49,349 | $27,000 | Full ROI → |
| 9 |
University of Dayton
Grad rate: 81.4% |
OH | -$40,248 | $54,483 | $64,310 | $24,199 | Full ROI → |
| 10 |
University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus
Grad rate: 75.7% |
OK | -$40,341 | $47,213 | $28,833 | $21,681 | Full ROI → |
| 11 |
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
Grad rate: 93.2% |
MI | -$49,041 | $47,233 | $33,345 | $15,053 | Full ROI → |
| 12 |
University of Central Florida
Grad rate: 75.4% |
FL | -$55,527 | $45,147 | $22,819 | $20,142 | Full ROI → |
| 13 |
The University of Texas at Austin
Grad rate: 87.7% |
TX | -$73,130 | $45,563 | $29,842 | $18,535 | Full ROI → |
| 14 |
North Carolina State University at Raleigh
Grad rate: 84.6% |
NC | -$77,447 | $44,769 | $25,613 | $22,500 | Full ROI → |
| 15 |
Boston College
Grad rate: 91.0% |
MA | -$83,402 | $55,849 | $83,683 | $19,000 | Full ROI → |
| 16 |
Colby College
Grad rate: 89.2% |
ME | -$93,440 | $53,638 | $81,550 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 17 |
University at Albany
Grad rate: 64.7% |
NY | -$97,321 | $44,646 | $28,490 | $26,875 | Full ROI → |
| 18 |
University of Washington-Bothell Campus
Grad rate: 68.5% |
WA | -$105,673 | $42,745 | $24,462 | $16,834 | Full ROI → |
| 19 |
University of Washington-Tacoma Campus
Grad rate: 58.5% |
WA | -$105,937 | $42,745 | $24,528 | $16,834 | Full ROI → |
| 20 |
University of California-Santa Barbara
Grad rate: 85.5% |
CA | -$119,273 | $44,390 | $36,776 | $14,792 | Full ROI → |
| 21 |
University of California-Irvine
Grad rate: 86.3% |
CA | -$122,231 | $44,142 | $36,121 | $15,250 | Full ROI → |
| 22 |
University of Washington-Seattle Campus
Grad rate: 84.0% |
WA | -$128,953 | $42,745 | $30,282 | $16,834 | Full ROI → |
| 23 |
Hofstra University
Grad rate: 67.4% |
NY | -$131,874 | $50,804 | $68,298 | $25,750 | Full ROI → |
| 24 |
Arizona State University Digital Immersion
Grad rate: 27.4% |
AZ | -$139,554 | $36,505 | N/A | $21,966 | Full ROI → |
| 25 |
Saint Edward's University
Grad rate: 64.6% |
TX | -$161,893 | $48,495 | $64,975 | $23,625 | Full ROI → |
| 26 |
University of Colorado Boulder
Grad rate: 74.9% |
CO | -$173,704 | $41,196 | $33,466 | $17,600 | Full ROI → |
| 27 |
Seattle University
Grad rate: 73.8% |
WA | -$185,727 | $47,824 | $68,633 | $20,500 | Full ROI → |
| 28 |
Appalachian State University
Grad rate: 74.1% |
NC | -$186,273 | $38,769 | $22,654 | $22,991 | Full ROI → |
| 29 |
The University of the South
Grad rate: 81.9% |
TN | -$189,121 | $47,601 | $68,704 | $19,500 | Full ROI → |
| 30 |
Texas A&M University-College Station
Grad rate: 83.7% |
TX | -$201,840 | $39,540 | $32,085 | $18,000 | Full ROI → |
| 31 |
Providence College
Grad rate: 86.7% |
RI | -$205,358 | $48,888 | $76,667 | $27,000 | Full ROI → |
| 32 |
University of Utah
Grad rate: 64.2% |
UT | -$209,730 | $37,602 | $21,799 | $25,611 | Full ROI → |
| 33 |
University of Wyoming
Grad rate: 60.3% |
WY | -$219,440 | $36,675 | $22,371 | $17,375 | Full ROI → |
| 34 |
College of Charleston
Grad rate: 64.8% |
SC | -$223,546 | $38,167 | $30,731 | $17,750 | Full ROI → |
| 35 |
University of Kentucky
Grad rate: 69.3% |
KY | -$225,250 | $38,908 | $32,291 | $25,368 | Full ROI → |
| 36 |
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Grad rate: 68.8% |
NC | -$238,493 | $36,119 | $22,034 | $24,250 | Full ROI → |
| 37 |
University of North Carolina Wilmington
Grad rate: 72.5% |
NC | -$249,904 | $35,953 | $25,913 | $18,750 | Full ROI → |
| 38 |
Arizona State University Campus Immersion
Grad rate: 67.4% |
AZ | -$251,742 | $36,505 | $28,047 | $21,966 | Full ROI → |
| 39 |
University of Iowa
Grad rate: 73.4% |
IA | -$256,188 | $36,271 | $26,883 | $25,242 | Full ROI → |
| 40 |
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Grad rate: 49.6% |
WI | -$256,272 | $35,426 | $22,174 | $26,738 | Full ROI → |
| 41 |
University of North Florida
Grad rate: 68.0% |
FL | -$256,699 | $34,468 | $20,229 | $18,625 | Full ROI → |
| 42 |
Colorado State University-Fort Collins
Grad rate: 66.8% |
CO | -$264,864 | $36,030 | $29,696 | $19,763 | Full ROI → |
| 43 |
University of North Texas
Grad rate: 59.2% |
TX | -$268,074 | $35,110 | $25,470 | $21,033 | Full ROI → |
| 44 |
Western Michigan University
Grad rate: 56.5% |
MI | -$275,330 | $35,787 | $28,655 | $27,000 | Full ROI → |
| 45 |
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Grad rate: 89.3% |
WI | -$275,573 | $35,157 | $27,770 | $20,469 | Full ROI → |
| 46 |
University of Vermont
Grad rate: 77.2% |
VT | -$280,679 | $36,373 | $35,116 | $20,500 | Full ROI → |
| 47 |
University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus
Grad rate: 45.6% |
CO | -$286,410 | $34,015 | $23,369 | $24,618 | Full ROI → |
| 48 |
Brigham Young University-Idaho
Grad rate: 54.5% |
ID | -$301,148 | $30,289 | $13,357 | $10,000 | Full ROI → |
| 49 |
University of Arizona
Grad rate: 66.9% |
AZ | -$317,122 | $33,540 | $28,543 | $25,000 | Full ROI → |
| 50 |
University of Kansas
Grad rate: 68.0% |
KS | -$317,780 | $31,154 | $25,215 | N/A | Full ROI → |
How ROI is calculated
20-Year Net ROI = Gross Earnings (salary × 20) − Total Degree Cost − Debt Payoff (×1.35) − Baseline Opportunity Cost ($42,000 × 20). Data from the U.S. College Scorecard.
Find Best International/Global Studies Degrees by State
Browse International/Global Studies programs ranked by 20-year ROI in every state that offers this degree.