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2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k

241 Ranked Colleges
9,312 Degrees Awarded
$5,300 Avg Net Price*
Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor's For Those Making $0-$30k

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking - to help you make that decision.

International Relations is the 54th most popular major in the country with 13,616 degrees awarded in 2019-2020.

At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 9,312 international relations graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,303 and $24,501 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking looked at 241 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in international relations. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great international relations programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the international relations program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k” 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. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k

The colleges and universities below are the best for bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $0-$30k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for International Relations (Income $0-$30k)

#1

Stanford University

Stanford, California
#1 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Stanford University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k. Stanford is a private not-for-profit institution located in Stanford, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 42 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Stanford, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Stanford University is $-1,387 for Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $0-$30k. A negative average net price may seem strange, but it generally means that financial aid will more than cover the cost to attend the school.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about International Relations at Stanford

#2

Yale University

New Haven, Connecticut
#3 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Yale University. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k. Yale University is a fairly large school located in New Haven, Connecticut that handed out 48 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $0-$30k list, Yale has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $2,125 for Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Yale.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about International Relations at Yale University

#3

University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
#4 in overall quality

Out of the 241 schools in the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Pennsylvania landed the #3 spot on the list. UPenn is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It awarded 44 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

UPenn not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend UPenn is $3,181 for Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read more about International Relations at University of Pennsylvania

#4

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois
#10 in overall quality

Out of the 241 schools in the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Northwestern University landed the #4 spot on the list. Evanston, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s international relations degrees to 37 students in 2019-2020.

Northwestern also made our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #10. It costs about $1,866 for bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Northwestern.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about International Relations at Northwestern University

#5

Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, Maryland
#5 in overall quality

Out of the 241 schools in the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Johns Hopkins University landed the #5 spot on the list. Johns Hopkins University is located in Baltimore, Maryland and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 100 bachelors’s international relations degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $0-$30k list, Johns Hopkins has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Johns Hopkins is $3,526 for Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Johns Hopkins University International Relations Report

#6

Brown University

Providence, Rhode Island
#13 in overall quality

Brown University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #6. Brown is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Providence, Rhode Island. It awarded 79 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $0-$30k list, Brown has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Brown University is $201 for bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about International Relations at Brown University

#7

Georgetown University

Washington, District of Columbia
#7 in overall quality

Georgetown University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #7. Georgetown University is a fairly large school located in Washington, District of Columbia that handed out 251 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Georgetown, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $5,248 for Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Georgetown University.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Georgetown University International Relations Report

#8

Claremont McKenna College

Claremont, California
#2 in overall quality

Claremont McKenna College landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Claremont, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s international relations degrees to 21 students in 2019-2020.

Claremont McKenna also made our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #2. The estimated yearly cost for Claremont McKenna College is $8,566 for Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full Claremont McKenna College International Relations Report

#9

University of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois
#15 in overall quality

University of Chicago ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 17 degrees to qualified bachelors’s international relations students in 2019-2020.

UChicago also took the #15 spot in our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UChicago is $2,712 for Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The student loan default rate at the school is 0.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 100%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about International Relations at UChicago

#10

Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, Missouri
#25 in overall quality

Washington University in St Louis landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Saint Louis, Missouri is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s international relations degrees to 1 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $0-$30k list, WUSTL has also earned the #25 rank in our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $5,273 for Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Washington University in St Louis.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Washington University in St Louis International Relations Report

#11

Middlebury College

Middlebury, Vermont
#12 in overall quality

With a ranking of #11, Middlebury College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Middlebury is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Middlebury, Vermont. It awarded 31 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

Middlebury did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Middlebury College is $6,161 for Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $0-$30k.

The 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 89%. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 8 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 Relations at Middlebury

#12

Pomona College

Claremont, California
#6 in overall quality

With a ranking of #12, Pomona College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Claremont, California, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 24 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s international relations students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $0-$30k list, Pomona has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Pomona College is $6,945 for bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Pomona College International Relations Report

#13

Tufts University

Medford, Massachusetts
#8 in overall quality

Tufts University ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Tufts is a private not-for-profit institution located in Medford, Massachusetts. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 160 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Tufts, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Tufts is $5,267 for bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a 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 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on International Relations at Tufts University

#14

Carleton College

Northfield, Minnesota
#21 in overall quality

Carleton College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #14. Located in Northfield, Minnesota, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 48 degrees to qualified bachelors’s international relations students in 2019-2020.

Carleton did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #21 on our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $9,579 for bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Carleton College.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 1.3% 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%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on International Relations at Carleton College

#15

William & Mary

Williamsburg, Virginia
#23 in overall quality

With a ranking of #15, William & Mary did quite well on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. William & Mary is a public institution located in Williamsburg, Virginia. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 88 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

William & Mary not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #23 on our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for William & Mary is $4,711 for Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%.

Read full report on International Relations at William & Mary

#16

The City College of New York

New York, New York

The City College of New York did quite well in the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #16. Located in New York, New York, this fairly large public school handed out 77 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s international relations students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend CCNY is $704 for bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full CCNY International Relations Report

#17

Florida State University

Tallahassee, Florida
Top 25% in overall quality

With a ranking of #17, Florida State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Tallahassee, Florida is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s international relations degrees to 364 students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Florida State is $5,360 for Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 3.5% 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%.

Full Florida State International Relations Report

#18

Emory University

Atlanta, Georgia
#22 in overall quality

With a ranking of #18, Emory University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Emory is a fairly large school located in Atlanta, Georgia that handed out 53 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $0-$30k list, Emory has also earned the #22 rank in our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $11,468 for Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Emory.

The low student loan default rate of 1.4% 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 school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The impressive 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.

Full Emory International Relations Report

Florida International University ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. FIU is located in Miami, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 288 bachelors’s international relations degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for FIU is $5,002 for bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on International Relations at FIU

#20

Colgate University

Hamilton, New York
#14 in overall quality

Colgate University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #20. Located in Hamilton, New York, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 41 degrees to qualified bachelors’s international relations students in 2019-2020.

Colgate also made our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #14. The yearly cost to attend Colgate University is $9,752 for bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, 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%. The impressive 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 more about International Relations at Colgate

#21

Hamilton College

Clinton, New York
#24 in overall quality

Hamilton College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #21. Clinton, New York is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s international relations degrees to 27 students in 2019-2020.

Hamilton not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #24 on our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Hamilton is $7,942 for Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $0-$30k.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about International Relations at Hamilton

#22

Wellesley College

Wellesley, Massachusetts
#20 in overall quality

Wellesley College ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Wellesley, Massachusetts, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 11 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s international relations students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Wellesley, the school also landed the #20 spot in our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Wellesley is $8,785 for Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about International Relations at Wellesley College

Top 15% in overall quality

Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #23. This large school is located in Atlanta, Georgia, and it awarded 24 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

Georgia Tech also claimed a top spot on our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools in this category. The yearly cost to attend Georgia Tech is $9,162 for bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 1.3% 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 Relations at Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus

#24

Michigan State University

East Lansing, Michigan
Top 20% in overall quality

Michigan State University ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Michigan State is a public institution located in East Lansing, Michigan. The school has a large population, and it awarded 116 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Michigan State also claimed a top spot on our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category. The yearly cost to attend Michigan State is $6,686 for bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.6% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.

Read more about International Relations at Michigan State

With a ranking of #25, University of South Florida - Main Campus did quite well on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Tampa, Florida is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s international relations degrees to 94 students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend University of South Florida - Main Campus is $3,950 for bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about International Relations at USF Tampa

Rest of the Best 37 in Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k

Not only did these schools make the top 37 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

#26

University of Virginia - Main Campus

Charlottesville, Virginia
#27

Indiana University - Bloomington

Bloomington, Indiana
#28

Lafayette College

Easton, Pennsylvania
#29

University of Georgia

Athens, Georgia
#31

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, Minnesota
#32

Northeastern University

Boston, Massachusetts
#33

The University of West Florida

Pensacola, Florida
#34

Vassar College

Poughkeepsie, New York
#36

Virginia Military Institute

Lexington, Virginia
#37

University of California - Riverside

Riverside, California

Notes and References

References

  • 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).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

Credits

  • Credit for the banner image above goes to RepubFan12.

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