2026 Best Value Other International Relations & National Security Studies Schools in California

[Other International Relations & National Security Studies](/majors/social-sciences/international-relations-national-security/international-relations-and-national-security-studies-other/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 3 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for other international relations & national security studies students.
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2026 Best Value Other International Relations & National Security Studies Schools in California
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in other international relations & national security studies, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Other International Relations & National Security Studies Schools
California State University San Bernardino tops our 2026 list of the best value other international relations & national security studies schools in California. California State University San Bernardino is a very large public school located in the city of San Bernardino. Students from in state pay about $8,088 in tuition and fees, compared with $20,688 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for other international relations & national security studies graduates is $15,149. Soon after graduation, other international relations & national security studies degree recipients from California State University San Bernardino generally make around $42,421. Set against $15,149 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. California State University San Bernardino admits about 94% of applicants.
San Diego State University came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value other international relations & national security studies schools. Located in the city of San Diego, San Diego State University is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,728, with out-of-state students paying around $21,328. Typical student debt for other international relations & national security studies graduates is $17,134. Other International Relations & National Security Studies graduates of San Diego State University earn a median of $49,617 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $17,134 median debt. The acceptance rate is 36%.
Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 3 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 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.