What the IPEDS & College Scorecard Data Shows for International and Comparative Education
International and Comparative Education is tracked across 19 U.S. postsecondary institutions in the College Scorecard field-of-study file, which links CIP code classifications from IPEDS to Treasury earnings records. This profile covers the master's credential level specifically, because the Department of Education reports program-level outcomes separately for associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral awards. The CIP (Classification of Instructional Programs) taxonomy lets analysts roll up specialties into broader families, which is why earnings medians across schools can be compared on a common basis.
Across all reporting institutions, the mean of school-level medians is $60,220, calculated from 9 schools with published earnings data. The earnings distribution stretches from $41,007 at the low end to $79,464 at the top, with a 25th-75th percentile band between $47,260 and $70,015 around a median of $57,017. The top-reporting institution in this program is American University at $79,464. These numbers reflect earnings measured roughly a year after completion, using Social Security Administration tax records linked to federal financial aid applicants.
Variation across schools matters more than a single national figure. Completers counts reported per school indicate how many graduates’ earnings feed the median, which means small programs produce more volatile numbers. Median debt at the program level, when paired with earnings, yields a debt-to-earnings ratio that is the College Scorecard’s standard affordability signal — ratios under 1.0 indicate earnings exceed cumulative debt. Use the school-by-school table to spot institutions where International and Comparative Education graduates out-earn peers at comparable cost, and to surface gainful-employment patterns that only become visible at the CIP-code level.
Teachers College at Columbia University accounts for 54.3% of all International and Comparative Education master's credential graduates
That concentration — well above the 5% national median for largest-entity share — means International and Comparative Education-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. That school produced 69 graduates in the most recent cohort, anchoring a meaningful slice of national supply for this field. When one entity dominates a region's footprint, its programmatic and budget decisions effectively set policy for a majority of the affected population.
International and Comparative Education debt-to-earnings ratio is 0.64 — near the typical range (US average ~1) — aligned with the typical 1:1 ratio that defines federal gainful-employment thresholds
debt-to-earnings ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: this ratio uses federal loan principal, not all education debt — private loans, parent PLUS loans not in the borrower’s name, and institutional debt are excluded Variation between sub-units within International and Comparative Education is typically wider than the International and Comparative Education-aggregate figure suggests.
International and Comparative Education operates only 19 institutions offer this program — among the most consolidated governance structures in the country
Most International and Comparative Education institutions offer this program are specialty-program scarcity that concentrates national supply in a small set of institutions — graduates often command stronger employer attention because the talent pool is structurally narrower. Consolidation produces narrower variance because resources pool across larger populations, but it can also mask intra-institutions offer this program inequities — sub-institutions offer this program differences within a single institutions offer this program are not visible at this aggregation level. Consolidated systems typically rely more heavily on top-down funding formulas than on local revenue variability.
How much do International and Comparative Education graduates earn? ▼
International and Comparative Education graduates earn $60,220 on average across 19 schools. Earnings range from $41,007 to $79,464 depending on the institution.
Which school pays the most for International and Comparative Education? ▼
American University has the highest reported median earnings for International and Comparative Education graduates at $79,464, based on College Scorecard data.
What credential do you get in International and Comparative Education? ▼
International and Comparative Education programs typically award a Master's credential. Earnings vary by school and credential level.
Top Schools for International and Comparative Education
Closest schools offering this program — compare earnings side by side
Earnings data comes from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard Field of Study file. Median earnings represent graduates who received federal financial aid, drawn from U.S. Treasury tax records linked to federal student aid applicants. Completers count and debt figures reflect program-level data reported through IPEDS. Data is updated annually.