2027 Best Value International Relations Schools in the The Plains States Region
[International Relations](/majors/social-sciences/international-relations-national-security/international-relations/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 7 schools to find the best return on investment for international relations students.
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2027 Best Value International Relations Schools in the The Plains States Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in international relations, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value International Relations Schools
Our analysis ranked University Of Minnesota Twin Cities the best value for a degree in international relations in the The Plains States Region. University Of Minnesota Twin Cities is a very large public school located in the city of Minneapolis. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $17,214, compared with $38,362 for out-of-state students. International Relations graduates carry a median of $21,167 in student loans. Soon after graduation, international relations degree recipients from University Of Minnesota Twin Cities generally make around $28,596. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 80% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Bellevue University earned it the #2 place for international relations. Set in the suburb of Bellevue, Bellevue University is a large private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $12,873. International Relations graduates carry a median of $27,852 in student loans. International Relations graduates of Bellevue University earn a median of $61,548 early in their careers. Set against $27,852 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in international relations will find it at Kansas State University, which ranked #3. Located in the city of Manhattan, Kansas State University is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $11,221 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $28,568. Typical student debt for international relations graduates is $23,546. Early-career international relations graduates make about $51,543. That is a strong return on a $23,546 median debt. Kansas State University admits about 82% of applicants.
A rank of #4 makes University Of Iowa one of the best values for international relations. University Of Iowa is a very large public school located in the city of Iowa City. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,283, with out-of-state students paying around $33,371. Typical student debt for international relations graduates is $26,030. International Relations graduates of University Of Iowa earn a median of $36,376 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 84%.
Carleton College came in at #5 on our 2027 list of the best value international relations schools. Set in the town of Northfield, Carleton College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $68,892. Students borrow a median of $17,566 to complete the international relations program here. International Relations graduates of Carleton College earn a median of $45,096 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $17,566 median debt. Carleton College admits about 20% of applicants.
Webster University landed the #6 spot for international relations value this year. Set in the suburb of Saint Louis, Webster University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $31,750. International Relations graduates carry a median of $25,939 in student loans. Soon after graduation, international relations degree recipients from Webster University generally make around $66,017. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 86%.
Drake University came in at #7 for value in international relations this year. Drake University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Des Moines. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $51,960. International Relations graduates carry a median of $22,273 in student loans. Early-career international relations graduates make about $56,228. Set against $22,273 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 64% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 7 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 7 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.
