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2023 Schools Highly Focused on International Studies Major

390 Ranked Colleges
7,368 Degrees Awarded
$33,200 Avg Cost*
Schools Highly Focused on International Studies Major

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Schools Highly Focused on International Studies Major” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

In 2020-2021, 7,368 people earned their degree in international studies, making the major the 100th most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, international studies graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $34,198 and had an average of $21,594 in loans still to pay off.

For this year’s “Schools Highly Focused on International Studies Major” ranking, we looked at 390 colleges that offer a degree in international studies. This a ranking of the schools where the largest percentage of students has enrolled in international studies.

Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

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Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Schools Highly Focused on International Studies Major” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Schools Highly Focused on International Studies Major

The colleges and universities below are the best for international studies students.

Top 25 Most Focused Colleges for International Studies

1

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University Maritime Academy. The school came in at #1 for the Schools Highly Focused on International Studies Major. Cal Maritime is a small school located in Vallejo, California that handed out 30 ’s international studies degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full California State University Maritime Academy International Studies Report

2
Multnomah University crest
Multnomah University
Portland, Oregon

Out of the 390 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on International Studies Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Multnomah University landed the #2 spot on the list. Located in Portland, Oregon, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 14 diplomas to qualified ’s international studies students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about International Studies at Multnomah University

3
Principia crest
Principia College
Elsah, Illinois

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Principia College. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on International Studies Major list. Located in Elsah, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 7 degrees to qualified ’s international studies students in 2020-2021.

Read more about International Studies at Principia College

4
Centre College of Kentucky crest
Centre College
Danville, Kentucky

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Centre College. The school came in at #4 for the Schools Highly Focused on International Studies Major. Located in Danville, Kentucky, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 26 degrees to qualified ’s international studies students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about International Studies at Centre College

5
USAFA crest
United States Air Force Academy
USAF Academy, Colorado

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend United States Air Force Academy. The school came in at #5 for the Schools Highly Focused on International Studies Major. USAF Academy, Colorado is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s international studies degrees to 57 students in 2020-2021.

Read more about International Studies at United States Air Force Academy

6

Sewanee - The University of the South did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on International Studies Major ranking, coming in at #6. Sewanee, Tennessee is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s international studies degrees to 25 students in 2020-2021.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about International Studies at Sewanee - The University of the South

7

University of California - San Diego landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on International Studies Major ranking. La Jolla, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s international studies degrees to 585 students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Full University of California - San Diego International Studies Report

8
Macalester crest
Macalester College
Saint Paul, Minnesota

With a ranking of #8, Macalester College did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on International Studies Major list. Macalester College is a small school located in Saint Paul, Minnesota that handed out 28 ’s international studies degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read full report on International Studies at Macalester

9
Spelman crest
Spelman College
Atlanta, Georgia

Spelman College landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on International Studies Major ranking. Located in Atlanta, Georgia, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 21 diplomas to qualified ’s international studies students in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on International Studies at Spelman College

10
Warren Wilson crest
Warren Wilson College
Swannanoa, North Carolina

Warren Wilson College came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on International Studies Major ranking. Swannanoa, North Carolina is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s international studies degrees to 6 students in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read full report on International Studies at Warren Wilson College

11
Colby crest
Colby College
Waterville, Maine

Colby College ranked #11 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on International Studies Major list. Colby is located in Waterville, Maine and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 29 ’s international studies degrees to qualified students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about International Studies at Colby

12
MMC crest
Marymount Manhattan College
New York, New York

Marymount Manhattan College landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on International Studies Major ranking. MMC is a small private not-for-profit school situated in New York, New York. It awarded 18 ’s international studies degrees in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read full report on International Studies at Marymount Manhattan College

13
Kenyon crest
Kenyon College
Gambier, Ohio

Kenyon College landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on International Studies Major ranking. Kenyon College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Gambier, Ohio. The school has a small population, and it awarded 15 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read full report on International Studies at Kenyon College

14

University of California - Santa Barbara ranked #14 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on International Studies Major list. Santa Barbara, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s international studies degrees to 293 students in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on International Studies at University of California - Santa Barbara

15
Covenant crest
Covenant College
Lookout Mountain, Georgia

Covenant College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on International Studies Major ranking, coming in at #15. Covenant College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Lookout Mountain, Georgia. It awarded 9 ’s international studies degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on International Studies at Covenant

16
Holy Cross crest
College of the Holy Cross
Worcester, Massachusetts

College of the Holy Cross came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on International Studies Major ranking. This small school is located in Worcester, Massachusetts, and it awarded 29 ’s international studies degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Holy Cross International Studies Report

17
St. Lawrence crest
St Lawrence University
Canton, New York

With a ranking of #17, St Lawrence University did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on International Studies Major list. St. Lawrence is a private not-for-profit institution located in Canton, New York. The school has a small population, and it awarded 22 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read full report on International Studies at St. Lawrence

18
Bethany College West Virginia crest
Bethany College West Virginia
Bethany, West Virginia

Bethany College West Virginia ranked #18 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on International Studies Major list. Bethany College West Virginia is a private not-for-profit institution located in Bethany, West Virginia. The school has a small population, and it awarded 3 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Bethany College West Virginia International Studies Report

19
Brandeis crest
Brandeis University
Waltham, Massachusetts

Brandeis University ranked #19 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on International Studies Major list. Waltham, Massachusetts is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s international studies degrees to 67 students in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on International Studies at Brandeis

20
JBU crest
John Brown University
Siloam Springs, Arkansas

John Brown University came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on International Studies Major ranking. John Brown University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Siloam Springs, Arkansas. It awarded 15 ’s international studies degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about International Studies at John Brown University

21
Northwest University crest
Northwest University
Kirkland, Washington

Northwest University landed the #21 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on International Studies Major ranking. Northwest University is located in Kirkland, Washington and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 10 ’s international studies degrees to qualified students.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Northwest University International Studies Report

22

Saint Edward’s University came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on International Studies Major ranking. St. Edward’s University is located in Austin, Texas and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 27 ’s international studies degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about International Studies at St. Edward’s University

23

University of Oklahoma Norman Campus came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on International Studies Major ranking. University of Oklahoma Norman Campus is a large school located in Norman, Oklahoma that handed out 201 ’s international studies degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full University of Oklahoma International Studies Report

24

Northwest University - College of Adult and Professional Studies came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on International Studies Major ranking. Located in Kirkland, Washington, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 5 degrees to qualified ’s international studies students in 2020-2021.

Full Northwest University - College of Adult and Professional Studies International Studies Report

25
New College crest
New College of Florida
Sarasota, Florida

New College of Florida came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on International Studies Major ranking. New College of Florida is a small public school situated in Sarasota, Florida. It awarded 4 ’s international studies degrees in 2020-2021.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about International Studies at New College

Rest of the Best 50 in Schools Highly Focused on International Studies Major

Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

26
W&J crest
Washington & Jefferson College
Washington, Pennsylvania
27
Southern Adventist crest
Southern Adventist University
Collegedale, Tennessee
28
Elon crest
Elon University
Elon, North Carolina
29
Hawaii Pacific University crest
Hawaii Pacific University
Honolulu, Hawaii
30
Albion crest
Albion College
Albion, Michigan
31
Monmouth crest
Monmouth College
Monmouth, Illinois
32
Hanover crest
Hanover College
Hanover, Indiana
33
Haverford crest
Haverford College
Haverford, Pennsylvania
34
C of C crest
College of Charleston
Charleston, South Carolina
35
Providence crest
Providence College
Providence, Rhode Island
36
Emmanuel Boston crest
Emmanuel College Massachusetts
Boston, Massachusetts
37
Flagler St. Augustine crest
Flagler College - St Augustine
Saint Augustine, Florida
38
39
PLU crest
Pacific Lutheran University
Tacoma, Washington
40
41
Illinois Wesleyan crest
Illinois Wesleyan University
Bloomington, Illinois
42
Pitzer crest
Pitzer College
Claremont, California
43
Boston College crest
Boston College
Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts
44
St. Mary's College crest
Saint Mary's College
Notre Dame, Indiana
45
46
47
U of U crest
University of Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah
48
Hope crest
Hope College
Holland, Michigan
49
Gettysburg crest
Gettysburg College
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
50
URichmond crest
University of Richmond
University of Richmond, Virginia

Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Schools Highly Focused on International Studies Major

While not in the ‘top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

Rank College Location
51 American Public University System Charles Town, WV
52 University of Mount Union Alliance, OH
53 Pepperdine University Malibu, CA
54 Southeast Missouri State University Cape Girardeau, MO
55 University of California - Irvine Irvine, CA
56 Heidelberg University Tiffin, OH
57 University of Notre Dame Notre Dame, IN
58 University of Nebraska at Omaha Omaha, NE
59 Gallaudet University Washington, DC

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Notes and References

References

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