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International Business Degree

103 schools compared · Average earnings $50,501/yr

Students study global trade, international marketing, cross-cultural management, foreign exchange, and the legal and economic frameworks governing business across borders. Graduates typically pursue careers in multinational corporations, import/export companies, international consulting firms, trade organizations, and foreign-based businesses. Global business expertise is increasingly valuable as companies expand their international operations.

What International Business Graduates Do

Your international business degree prepares you for a world of complex, cross-border operations. Early in your career, you'll likely work as a business operations specialist, focused on tangible problems like optimizing a global supply chain, ensuring product shipments clear customs in multiple countries, or analyzing market data to find the next growth opportunity abroad. With experience, you can advance to a general or operations manager role. Here, your focus shifts from specific tasks to people and strategy: you'll manage budgets for an entire division, hire staff in a foreign office, and ensure your team meets its goals across different cultures and time zones.

The most ambitious graduates aim for the C-suite, setting the global strategy for an entire corporation. While management and specialist roles are growing steadily, artificial intelligence will change your day-to-day work. AI will automate significant routine tasks like initial market analysis, compliance reporting, and logistics tracking. Your core value will lie in what a machine can't replicate: navigating cultural nuances, negotiating high-stakes international deals, and making judgment calls on complex geopolitical risks. Adaptability will be essential.

Schools Offering

103

Avg Grad Earnings

$50,501/yr

Avg DegreeOutlook Score

62/100

AI Automation Risk

Very High

55% task exposure

Common Career Paths

Where International Business graduates typically work, ranked by salary. Salary ranges show 25th–75th percentile spread. This field has roughly 447,200 combined openings per year.

Career Path	Salary Range	Openings/yr	Growth	AI Risk
Chief executives	$206,420	22,200	+4.3%	56%
General and operations managers	$102,950 $67K$164K	308,700	+4.4%	48%
Business teachers, postsecondary	$97,270 $63K$140K	8,100	+5.7%	49%
Business operations specialists, all other	$81,270 $61K$110K	108,200	+3.0%	52%

Chief executives

$206,420

22,200 openings/yr +4.3% growth 56% AI risk

General and operations managers

$102,950

$67K $164K

308,700 openings/yr +4.4% growth 48% AI risk

Business teachers, postsecondary

$97,270

$63K $140K

8,100 openings/yr +5.7% growth 49% AI risk

Business operations specialists, all other

$81,270

$61K $110K

108,200 openings/yr +3.0% growth 52% AI risk

Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. Salary range shows 25th–median–75th percentile (national).

Best Schools for International Business

Top 20 of 103 schools ranked by DegreeOutlook Score. Click any row for full AI scenario analysis and earnings projections.

#	School	DW Score	Earnings	ROI
1	University of Georgia Athens, GA	82 76–82	$67,371/yr	23.8x
2	University of South Carolina-Columbia Columbia, SC	81 76–82	$70,992/yr	19.9x
3	University of Wisconsin-Madison Madison, WI	81 75–82	$66,591/yr	22.0x
4	University of Maryland-College Park College Park, MD	77 72–78	$61,199/yr	17.8x
5	Ohio State University-Main Campus Columbus, OH	77 71–77	$57,678/yr	16.7x
6	CUNY Bernard M Baruch College New York, NY	77 70–77	$52,290/yr	26.1x
7	Massachusetts Maritime Academy Buzzards Bay, MA	76 70–77	$54,741/yr	18.7x
8	University of Arkansas Fayetteville, AR	75 69–76	$59,793/yr	17.6x
9	San Francisco State University San Francisco, CA	75 69–76	$58,560/yr	21.8x
10	Wayne State University Detroit, MI	74 68–74	$59,350/yr	13.2x
11	Grand Valley State University Allendale, MI	74 68–75	$58,746/yr	13.4x
12	University of North Carolina at Charlotte Charlotte, NC	74 68–75	$53,036/yr	22.1x
13	Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Baton Rouge, LA	74 68–74	$49,890/yr	16.7x
14	Appalachian State University Boone, NC	73 67–73	$43,989/yr	25.4x
15	University of North Florida Jacksonville, FL	72 66–73	$49,379/yr	23.7x
16	Washington State University Pullman, WA	72 66–73	$48,292/yr	15.1x
17	Kennesaw State University Kennesaw, GA	72 66–73	$45,908/yr	28.4x
18	Maine Maritime Academy Castine, ME	71 65–71	$66,982/yr	10.8x
19	Florida Atlantic University Boca Raton, FL	71 65–72	$47,047/yr	30.4x
20	Florida International University Miami, FL	71 65–71	$45,661/yr	23.6x
21	Georgetown University Washington, DC	70 66–71	$81,800/yr	3.4x
22	Northeastern University Boston, MA	70 65–71	$80,848/yr	3.4x
23	Ashford University San Diego, CA	70 65–71	$71,369/yr	11.2x
24	George Washington University Washington, DC	70 65–71	$70,856/yr	4.0x
25	Illinois State University Normal, IL	70 64–71	$52,491/yr	11.3x
26	The University of Texas at Dallas Richardson, TX	69 64–70	$44,228/yr	13.8x
27	Ohio University-Eastern Campus Saint Clairsville, OH	68 62–68	$57,396/yr	22.2x
28	Ohio University-Chillicothe Campus Chillicothe, OH	68 62–68	$57,396/yr	22.2x
29	Ohio University-Southern Campus Ironton, OH	68 62–68	$57,396/yr	22.2x
30	Ohio University-Lancaster Campus Lancaster, OH	68 62–68	$57,396/yr	22.2x
31	Ohio University-Zanesville Campus Zanesville, OH	68 62–68	$57,396/yr	22.2x
32	Villanova University Villanova, PA	67 63–68	$74,529/yr	3.0x
33	Utah State University Logan, UT	67 62–68	$65,745/yr	16.8x
34	Bryant University Smithfield, RI	67 61–68	$65,237/yr	3.7x
35	North Seattle College Seattle, WA	67 61–68	$54,681/yr	26.0x
36	California State University-Fullerton Fullerton, CA	67 61–68	$45,419/yr	19.2x
37	University of South Florida Tampa, FL	67 61–67	$44,096/yr	20.7x
38	University of Houston-Downtown Houston, TX	67 62–68	$41,911/yr	19.6x
39	Dickinson College Carlisle, PA	66 60–67	$60,553/yr	3.1x
40	The University of Texas at Arlington Arlington, TX	66 60–67	$48,625/yr	12.2x
41	University of Nebraska-Lincoln Lincoln, NE	66 60–67	$47,534/yr	13.9x
42	University of Nevada-Reno Reno, NV	66 60–66	$43,096/yr	16.1x
43	California State University-San Marcos San Marcos, CA	65 59–66	$55,455/yr	16.9x
44	Rider University Lawrenceville, NJ	65 59–65	$53,124/yr	4.7x
45	California State University-Fresno Fresno, CA	65 59–65	$40,568/yr	19.7x
46	Wichita State University Wichita, KS	65 61–66	$38,801/yr	17.8x
47	Marquette University Milwaukee, WI	64 58–65	$59,255/yr	3.5x
48	University of San Francisco San Francisco, CA	64 58–64	$57,780/yr	3.0x
49	Southern New Hampshire University Manchester, NH	64 58–65	$56,320/yr	8.3x
50	Saint Joseph's University Philadelphia, PA	64 58–65	$55,473/yr	3.5x
51	Boise State University Boise, ID	64 59–65	$42,039/yr	15.9x
52	College of Charleston Charleston, SC	64 59–64	$37,624/yr	14.2x
53	University of Dayton Dayton, OH	63 56–63	$49,753/yr	3.8x
54	The University of Tampa Tampa, FL	63 56–63	$48,149/yr	5.2x
55	Western Washington University Bellingham, WA	63 59–64	$38,412/yr	16.5x
56	San Diego State University San Diego, CA	63 59–64	$38,138/yr	18.0x
57	Drexel University Philadelphia, PA	62 56–63	$54,235/yr	2.9x
58	University of San Diego San Diego, CA	62 56–62	$48,463/yr	3.2x
59	University of Minnesota-Twin Cities Minneapolis, MN	61 55–62	$64,978/yr	8.9x
60	University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Whitewater, WI	61 55–61	$47,225/yr	13.3x
61	Temple University Philadelphia, PA	61 55–62	$46,013/yr	6.9x
62	University of Memphis Memphis, TN	61 55–61	$40,857/yr	12.8x
63	Ohio University-Main Campus Athens, OH	60 54–61	$57,396/yr	9.4x
64	University of Wisconsin-La Crosse La Crosse, WI	60 54–61	$49,463/yr	11.8x
65	University of Delaware Newark, DE	59 53–60	$57,941/yr	8.0x
66	Texas A&M University-San Antonio San Antonio, TX	59 53–59	$46,714/yr	11.2x
67	Bowling Green State University-Main Campus Bowling Green, OH	58 52–59	$53,188/yr	8.4x
68	Saint Edward's University Austin, TX	58 52–59	$51,843/yr	2.7x
69	University of Cincinnati-Main Campus Cincinnati, OH	58 52–59	$51,599/yr	8.5x
70	University of Hawaii at Manoa Honolulu, HI	58 52–58	$50,923/yr	8.8x
71	University of Denver Denver, CO	58 52–59	$48,940/yr	2.5x
72	Farmingdale State College Farmingdale, NY	58 53–59	$44,903/yr	12.1x
73	Howard University Washington, DC	57 51–57	$61,040/yr	3.6x
74	University at Buffalo Buffalo, NY	56 52–57	$35,141/yr	12.8x
75	Sam Houston State University Huntsville, TX	56 53–57	$35,116/yr	14.3x
76	Duquesne University Pittsburgh, PA	55 49–55	$60,748/yr	2.2x
77	University of Toledo Toledo, OH	55 49–56	$45,754/yr	8.2x
78	Arizona State University Campus Immersion Tempe, AZ	55 49–56	$45,094/yr	8.4x
79	Johnson & Wales University-Online Providence, RI	55 50–56	$40,077/yr	9.3x
80	Fordham University Bronx, NY	54 49–55	$65,131/yr	1.6x
81	Kean University Union, NJ	54 48–55	$45,396/yr	7.5x
82	Bradley University Peoria, IL	53 47–53	$52,357/yr	2.3x
83	Pace University New York, NY	52 47–53	$61,228/yr	1.9x
84	Tulane University of Louisiana New Orleans, LA	52 46–52	$55,509/yr	1.1x
85	Loyola University Chicago Chicago, IL	52 46–53	$55,496/yr	1.7x
86	Arizona State University Digital Immersion Scottsdale, AZ	52 47–53	$45,094/yr	—
87	Oklahoma State University-Main Campus Stillwater, OK	52 47–53	$40,442/yr	8.9x
88	Denison University Granville, OH	51 45–52	$53,516/yr	1.1x
89	Saint Louis University Saint Louis, MO	51 45–52	$52,670/yr	1.5x
90	Roger Williams University Bristol, RI	51 45–52	$49,209/yr	1.9x
91	Berkeley College-New York New York, NY	49 44–50	$37,437/yr	4.3x
92	University of Nevada-Las Vegas Las Vegas, NV	48 46–48	$27,376/yr	13.6x
93	Arcadia University Glenside, PA	47 42–48	$40,659/yr	2.3x
94	Baylor University Waco, TX	46 41–47	$40,782/yr	2.0x
95	Valdosta State University Valdosta, GA	46 43–47	$30,567/yr	11.7x
96	Johnson & Wales University-Providence Providence, RI	45 39–45	$40,077/yr	2.4x
97	Rollins College Winter Park, FL	45 41–45	$36,201/yr	2.1x
98	California State University-San Bernardino San Bernardino, CA	44 41–45	$31,064/yr	9.1x
99	Augustana College Rock Island, IL	42 38–43	$37,350/yr	0.9x
100	Eastern Michigan University Ypsilanti, MI	41 38–41	$31,476/yr	4.1x
101	The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Edinburg, TX	40 38–41	$29,271/yr	6.4x
102	The University of Texas at El Paso El Paso, TX	32 31–33	$15,202/yr	2.9x
103	Berkeley College-Woodland Park Woodland Park, NJ	30 29–31	$22,059/yr	0.9x

Highest Earning International Business Programs

Schools where International Business graduates earn the most in their first year after graduation.

School	1-Year Earnings	DW Score
Georgetown University	$81,800/yr	70
Northeastern University	$80,848/yr	70
Villanova University	$74,529/yr	67
Ashford University	$71,369/yr	70
University of South Carolina-Columbia	$70,992/yr	81
George Washington University	$70,856/yr	70
University of Georgia	$67,371/yr	82
Maine Maritime Academy	$66,982/yr	71
University of Wisconsin-Madison	$66,591/yr	81
Utah State University	$65,745/yr	67

Best ROI for International Business

Schools with the highest earnings-to-tuition ratio for International Business.

School	ROI Multiple	Earnings	DW Score
Florida Atlantic University	30.4x	$47,047/yr	71
Kennesaw State University	28.4x	$45,908/yr	72
CUNY Bernard M Baruch College	26.1x	$52,290/yr	77
North Seattle College	26.0x	$54,681/yr	67
Appalachian State University	25.4x	$43,989/yr	73
University of Georgia	23.8x	$67,371/yr	82
University of North Florida	23.7x	$49,379/yr	72
Florida International University	23.6x	$45,661/yr	71
Ohio University-Eastern Campus	22.2x	$57,396/yr	68
Ohio University-Chillicothe Campus	22.2x	$57,396/yr	68

Want to compare two International Business programs side by side? Use the comparison tool →

Related Majors

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Consider the Trade Route

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

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do International Business graduates earn?

Across 103 schools, International Business graduates earn an average of $50,501 per year in their first year after graduation. Earnings range from $15,202 to $81,800 depending on the school.

What is the AI automation risk for International Business?

International Business is rated "Very High" for AI automation risk, with an average of 55% of job tasks exposed to large language models and AI tools. This means most career tasks in this field could be augmented or replaced by AI over the next decade.

Which school has the best International Business program?

Based on our DegreeOutlook Score (combining earnings, AI resilience, job market size, and ROI), University of Georgia ranks #1 for International Business with a score of 82/100 and graduate earnings of $67,371/yr.

What's the outlook for a International Business degree?

On average, International Business graduates earn 11.3x their in-state tuition over 10 years. This is a strong return on investment.

Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →