Careers and opportunities for international affairs graduate students
Graduate degrees in international affairs encompass complex and far-reaching topics like law, business, policy, security, and economics. Master’s programs in this field don’t prepare students for just one job; through specialization and hands-on learning, they prepare students for a dynamic and versatile career spanning a myriad of fascinating roles.
Lead With Your Purpose
At The Fletcher School, most graduate students choose one or two fields of study to focus their studies, amplifying the interdisciplinary nature of an international affairs degree.
Students blend their interests in fields such as technology policy and environmental sustainability to better address issues like resource management for artificial intelligence (AI) data centers. Or they pursue their passions for human security and conflict resolution, getting ready to navigate interwoven challenges like the gender and power dynamics underpinning diplomatic negotiations.
Fields of study cultivate both hard and soft skills, preparing students to enter the workforce with a nuanced understanding of how their interests can match roles across the public and private sectors. With a shifting job market, building resilience and adaptability into graduate studies is critical.
Risk and Finance—How the Job Market is Evolving
“In the face of the current global landscape, we’re noticing more risk-related roles emerging,” said Meg Litvinenko, Director of Fletcher’s Office of Professional Development (OPD). “This is the bread-and-butter space for Fletcher students, given the intersectionality of what we do.”
“Every employer I talk to, from Goldman Sachs to the Rockefeller Foundation—and these are vastly different enterprises—needs professionals who understand risk in its different forms.”
An international affairs degree provides graduates with invaluable flexibility to adapt to a changing market. Studying business in the global context equips C‑suite executives to predict and respond to geopolitical shifts. Technology companies depend upon experts with fluency in policy and legal contingencies.
One key of Fletcher’s interdisciplinary approach to curriculum includes corporate finance for its international affairs students, which complements a grounding in risk assessment.
AI is opening new career paths for expertise, regulation, and analysis in the technology sector. There are opportunities for graduates in public policy, technology, compliance risk analysis, and sustainability, among others.
“We’re seeing strong growth in compliance and risk analysis roles across sectors, including emerging technology,” Litvinenko said. “Companies like Waymo and Meta are bringing more policy work in-house, creating exciting opportunities for professionals with interdisciplinary training. Fletcher graduates are especially well-positioned for these roles because their education spans multiple disciplines, equipping them to navigate complex and varied landscapes and bring unique perspectives to employers. Notably, some alumni pivot from development-focused roles into positions emphasizing relationship and project management; others move from consulting into internal analyst roles as organizations bring these functions in-house; and graduates with backgrounds in defense and security are taking on research and policy positions in think tanks. They also develop hard-to-find, highly valued soft skills. It’s exciting to see how our students can leverage Fletcher-honed skillsets to succeed across sectors in today’s evolving market, while still making an impact on the greater community.”
How to Build Skills for This Market
From tracking down money launderers and white-collar crimes to vetting donors and beyond, institutions are looking for figures who can lead with acuity, digital literacy, and a clear vision.
Job candidates with advanced degrees in international affairs are well-positioned to adapt to the recent fluctuations in the public and private sectors. From a unique ability to anticipate evolving risks to financial forecasting and negotiation across AI, technology, and policy spaces, graduates play to their strengths.
A recent GMAC survey also notes that employers in the business space, in particular, place “a greater premium on ‘human’ skills like teamwork, initiative, or coachability compared to prospective students.” (GMAC 2025)
While many prospective students anticipate the hard skills and networks they’ll need to cultivate to secure their next role, they underestimate the value of the “softer” skills critical to succeeding in any career.
Selecting a graduate program that can help students learn GIS and financial forecasting alongside research skills, project management, problem-solving, cross-cultural competencies, and grit will help them stand out in any field.
What Jobs do Fletcher Graduates Secure?
Fletcher alumni pursue roles at every level in public service at the state, federal, and international spaces, in consulting and at corporations, with non-profit and non-governmental organizations, and at multilateral agencies.
Each year, on average, roughly one-third of graduates go into the public sector, private sector, and civil society (non-profit and multilaterals), respectively. The following data reflects outcomes for employment-seeking, responding graduates within six months of graduation, unless otherwise noted.
Public service:
In the United States and abroad, Fletcher graduates find roles across ministries, embassies, and political appointments. From esteemed alumni like Ambassador Mike Hammer and Ambassador Michelle Kwan to more recent graduates working as consulate personnel and legislative Chiefs of Staff, a master’s in international affairs prepares students for roles at every level of government and diplomacy.
Recent public sector Fletcher employers include:
- Government of India
- Hellenic National Defense
- Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)
- National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
- New York State Senate
- Republic of Korea Air Force
- State of Rhode Island
- U.S. Army
- U.S. Department of State
- U.S. Department of the Treasury
- United States Marine Corps
Among graduates securing full-time public sector roles in 2025, the estimated average starting salary was approximately $95,000. Salary figures reflect a combination of reported and publicly available information for full-time employed graduates and do not include internships or fellowships.
Private sector:
With the recent shift in domestic policy, Fletcher is seeing more roles and opportunities in the private sector. More specifically, Litvinenko notes, “Our private sector reported outcomes are up to 41% from 32% as compared to the previous reporting cycle, and we’ve seen growth in the nonprofit space as well.”
Graduates secure and continue through roles across the spectrum as consultants, researchers, risk management professionals, and in leadership, like Kiran Borra, a Vice-President at Goldman Sachs.
Recent private sector Fletcher employers include:
- Albright Stonebridge Group
- Antara Advisory
- Bank of America
- Control Risks
- Fragomen
- Filterlabs.AI
- GM Defense
- International Development Group
- Maersk
- Sunwealth
- The Blackstone Group
- Weatherford Group, Inc.
Among graduates securing full-time private sector roles in 2025, the estimated average starting salary was approximately $101,000. Salary figures reflect a combination of reported and publicly available information for full-time employed graduates and do not include internships or fellowships.
Non-profit and non-governmental organizations
From climate policy consulting to entrepreneurial support to research and analysis, many Fletcher graduates find meaningful roles in service-oriented positions in the non-profit and non-governmental sector, like Reeta Roy, President and CEO of the Mastercard Foundation.
Recent Fletcher graduates working in the non-profit and non-governmental sector have secured roles at organizations including:
- CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project)
- Center for Global Development
- Center for Strategic and International Studies
- Climate Policy Initiative
- Draper
- Institute for Indo-Pacific Security
- The King’s Trust
- Kresge Foundation
- Medecins Sans Frontières
- Migration & Asylum Project
- The Atlantic Council
- Women’s World Banking
- World Resources Institute
Among graduates securing full-time roles within the NGO/NPO space in 2025, the estimated average starting salary was approximately $81,000. Salary figures reflect a combination of reported and publicly available information for full-time employed graduates and do not include internships or fellowships.
Multilateral and International Organizations
Multilateral and international organizations like the United Nations and NATO are key actors in the international affairs space. Fletcher graduates consistently find valuable work at these institutions at various points in their careers. In fact, Benedetta Berti, a Fletcher alum, currently serves as the Secretary General of NATO Parliamentary Assembly.
Recent Fletcher graduates have secured roles at multilateral and international organizations including:
- European Union
- NATO
- United Nations
Among graduates securing full-time multilateral and international organization roles in 2025, the estimated average starting salary was approximately $74,000. Salary figures reflect a combination of reported and publicly available information for full-time employed graduates and do not include internships or fellowships.
How do Current Students Prepare for Their Next Job?
Career readiness starts even before arrival on campus, and on day one of orientation at Fletcher, students continue the work to cultivate their diverse talents and interests and, with the support of the Office of Professional Development, faculty, staff, and alumni, map those interests to the job market.
As the world of international affairs continues to evolve, Fletcher students have resources beyond the classroom to help them respond to the dynamics of the employment landscape.
From foreign policy to NGOs, to diplomacy, trade, human rights, global governance, migration, and more, here are some of the available resources from orientation through graduation and beyond:
- Dynamic career modules: To help ensure students are market-ready for key recruitment periods, most in-person Fletcher students complete the Professional Development Program, a structured series of online modules and career strategy exercises available before classes start, combined with in-person workshops taking place at the beginning of their degree program. By starting before students even step foot on campus, PDP helps to position them for success. PDP instructors guide students in setting career goals, planning recruitment timelines across multiple sectors, navigating changes in the broader job market, and building the confidence to present themselves effectively and showcase the unique skills and perspectives they bring — instilling confidence in employers as well.
- Immediate internship support: From the moment they matriculate, students gain access to Fletcher CORE, where they can explore the internships and other employment opportunities available on the internal job board, professional development and employer events, and networking opportunities with Fletcher alumni. These readily available resources allow students to begin their internship search as soon as possible. Students can also receive individualized coaching support to refine their strategy, identify opportunities, and align their search with key fall and spring recruitment timelines
- Career cartography: In their first week, students begin mapping their Fletcher journey in partnership with the Office of Professional Development. Through an iterative process of career exploration, professional development, extracurricular engagement, and experiential learning, they consider different scenarios for their time at Fletcher and life after graduation. This strategic approach helps students maximize their experience — identifying the right opportunities for networking, alumni engagement, research, and skill-building, while remaining agile enough to pivot as their goals evolve.
- Lifelong access: Circumstances and passions evolve. As Fletcher students transition into alumni, they have ongoing access to the Office of Professional Development, including up to three coaching appointments per job search, as well as access to Fletcher’s job board, alumni network, and career events — supporting them from orientation through their professional careers.
Though the rules of the game on the global stage can turn in an instant, Fletcher graduates are entering the job market with increased capacity to adapt and pivot, if needed.
Beyond the program and the offerings of the Office of Professional Development, Fletcher’s focus on interdisciplinary frameworks allows students to enter any sector with finely honed skills that can help solve world problems at every level, in every field.
Read more about Fletcher’s Office of Professional Development.