2023 Best Value Colleges for International Relations in the Plains States Region
19
Ranked Colleges
382
Degrees Awarded
$22,600
Avg Net Price*
Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value International Relations Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking is part of that endeavor.
In 2020-2021, 13,117 people earned their degree in international relations, making the major the 63rd most popular in the United States.
Across the Plains States region, there were 382 international relations graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value International Relations Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking analyzed 19 colleges that offered a degree in international relations. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality international relations programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.
When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the international relations program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. See our ranking methodology to learn more.
More Ways to Rank International Relations Schools
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 in the Plains States Region” list, to help you choose the best school for you.
To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.
Best Value International Relations Schools in the Plains States Region
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value International Relations Schools in the Plains States Region.
Top 19 Best Value Colleges for International Relations in the Plains States Region
Out of the 19 schools in the Best Value International Relations Schools in the Plains States Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Webster University landed the #1 spot on the list. Webster University is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Saint Louis, Missouri. It awarded 48 ’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.
Webster did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best International Relations Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Webster is $23,248 for Plains States Region International Relations students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on International Relations at Webster
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Minnesota - Duluth. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools in the Plains States Region list. UMN Duluth is a medium-sized public school situated in Duluth, Minnesota. It awarded 12 ’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our plains states region international relations students list, UMN Duluth has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best International Relations Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $18,505 for plains states region international relations students per year to attend University of Minnesota - Duluth.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on International Relations at University of Minnesota - Duluth
Out of the 19 schools in the Best Value International Relations Schools in the Plains States Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Saint Cloud State University landed the #3 spot on the list. Saint Cloud, Minnesota is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s international relations degrees to 23 students in 2020-2021.
St. Cloud State University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #13 on our “Best International Relations Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $14,581 for Plains States Region International Relations students per year to attend Saint Cloud State University.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.6% 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%.
Read more about International Relations at Saint Cloud State University
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Minnesota State University - Mankato. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools in the Plains States Region list. Minnesota State University - Mankato is a fairly large school located in Mankato, Minnesota that handed out 13 ’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.
Minnesota State Mankato not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #17 on our “Best International Relations Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Minnesota State University - Mankato is $17,159 for plains states region international relations students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full Minnesota State Mankato International Relations Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Lindenwood University. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value International Relations Schools in the Plains States Region. Lindenwood University is a medium-sized school located in Saint Charles, Missouri that handed out 8 ’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.
Lindenwood University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #16 on our “Best International Relations Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Lindenwood University is $17,366 for Plains States Region International Relations students.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.0% 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 full report on International Relations at Lindenwood University
Kansas State University ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools in the Plains States Region list. Located in Manhattan, Kansas, this large public school awarded 10 diplomas to qualified ’s international relations students in 2020-2021.
K -State also made our “Best International Relations Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #12. The estimated yearly cost for K -State is $18,433 for Plains States Region International Relations students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, 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.
Read more about International Relations at Kansas State University
University of Iowa came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Relations Schools in the Plains States Region ranking. University of Iowa is located in Iowa City, Iowa and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 33 ’s international relations degrees to qualified students.
Iowa also took the #5 spot in our “Best International Relations Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $19,401 for plains states region international relations students per year to attend Iowa.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.2% 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%.
Full University of Iowa International Relations Report
University of Minnesota - Twin Cities landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools in the Plains States Region ranking. UMN Twin Cities is a public institution located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The school has a large population, and it awarded 99 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
UMN Twin Cities also took the #4 spot in our “Best International Relations Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $17,878 for Plains States Region International Relations students per year to attend University of Minnesota - Twin Cities.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about International Relations at University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Loras College came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Relations Schools in the Plains States Region ranking. Loras College is located in Dubuque, Iowa and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 8 ’s international relations degrees to qualified students.
Loras not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best International Relations Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Loras is $21,629 for plains states region international relations students.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.8% 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 Loras International Relations Report
University of Missouri - St Louis ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools in the Plains States Region list. UMSL is a public institution located in Saint Louis, Missouri. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 2 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
UMSL did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #19 on our “Best International Relations Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend UMSL is $12,232 for Plains States Region International Relations students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about International Relations at University of Missouri - St Louis
Bethel University Minnesota ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools in the Plains States Region list. Bethel University Minnesota is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Saint Paul, Minnesota. It awarded 5 ’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our plains states region international relations students list, Bethel University Minnesota has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best International Relations Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Bethel University Minnesota is $28,178 for Plains States Region International Relations students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.9%, 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 85%.
Read more about International Relations at Bethel University Minnesota
Creighton University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #12. Creighton is a private not-for-profit institution located in Omaha, Nebraska. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 8 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Creighton also took the #7 spot in our “Best International Relations Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Creighton is $31,218 for plains states region international relations students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, 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 92%.
Read more about International Relations at Creighton
Augsburg University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Relations Schools in the Plains States Region ranking. Augsburg is a small school located in Minneapolis, Minnesota that handed out 6 ’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.
Augsburg also made our “Best International Relations Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #15. It costs about $23,898 for plains states region international relations students per year to attend Augsburg University.
Full Augsburg University International Relations Report
Drake University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #14. Des Moines, Iowa is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s international relations degrees to 12 students in 2020-2021.
Drake also made our “Best International Relations Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #6. It costs about $29,903 for plains states region international relations students per year to attend Drake.
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 excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on International Relations at Drake
University of St Thomas Minnesota came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Relations Schools in the Plains States Region ranking. University of St Thomas Minnesota is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Saint Paul, Minnesota. It awarded 5 ’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.
UST MN did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best International Relations Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for UST MN is $31,066 for plains states region international relations students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, 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.
Read full report on International Relations at University of St Thomas Minnesota
With a ranking of #16, Cornell College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools in the Plains States Region list. This small school is located in Mount Vernon, Iowa, and it awarded 9 ’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.
Cornell College also made our “Best International Relations Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #18. The yearly cost to attend Cornell College is $23,694 for plains states region international relations students.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.3% 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 full report on International Relations at Cornell College
Saint Louis University came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Relations Schools in the Plains States Region ranking. Located in Saint Louis, Missouri, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 13 diplomas to qualified ’s international relations students in 2020-2021.
SLU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best International Relations Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Saint Louis University is $25,039 for Plains States Region International Relations students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%.
Full Saint Louis University International Relations Report
With a ranking of #18, Carleton College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools in the Plains States Region list. Carleton College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Northfield, Minnesota. It awarded 38 ’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.
Carleton also made our “Best International Relations Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #2. The estimated yearly cost for Carleton is $28,928 for Plains States Region International Relations students.
The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 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. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Carleton International Relations Report
Washington University in St Louis did quite well in the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #19. Located in Saint Louis, Missouri, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 5 degrees to qualified ’s international relations students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our plains states region international relations students list, WUSTL has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best International Relations Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Washington University in St Louis is $26,921 for plains states region international relations students.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 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 WUSTL
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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
- *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.
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