2026 Best Value International/Global Studies Schools in Virginia
[International/Global Studies](/majors/multi-interdisciplinary-studies/international-studies/international-global-studies/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 10 schools to find the best return on investment for international/global studies students.
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2026 Best Value International/Global Studies Schools in Virginia
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in international/global studies, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value International/Global Studies Schools
Our analysis ranked George Mason University the best value for a degree in international/global studies in Virginia. Set in the suburb of Fairfax, George Mason University is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $14,220, while out-of-state students pay about $38,688. Students borrow a median of $23,529 to complete the international/global studies program here. Soon after graduation, international/global studies degree recipients from George Mason University generally make around $63,131. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. George Mason University admits about 88% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in international/global studies will find it at Liberty University, which ranked #2. Set in the city of Lynchburg, Liberty University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $16,173 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for international/global studies graduates is $22,914. International/global Studies graduates of Liberty University earn a median of $30,349 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $22,914 median debt. Liberty University admits about 99% of applicants.
University Of Richmond is a great value for students pursuing a degree in international/global studies, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the city of University of Richmond, University Of Richmond is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $65,230. Typical student debt for international/global studies graduates is $21,634. Early-career international/global studies graduates make about $53,815. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 22% of applicants are accepted.
More International/Global Studies Rankings
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 10 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
