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2023 Most Focused Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for International Relations

352 Ranked Colleges
8,848 Degrees Awarded
$34,500 Avg Cost*
Schools for a Bachelor's Highly Focused on International Relations Major

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Relations Major” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

In 2020-2021, 13,117 people earned their degree in international relations, making the major the 63rd most popular in the United States.

At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 8,848 international relations graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,682 and $26,217 respectively.

This year’s “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Relations Major” ranking analyzed 352 colleges that offered a degree in international relations. The colleges and universities that top this list are recognized because their international relations program is one of the largest majors offered at the school.

For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

More Ways to Rank International Relations Schools

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Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Relations Major” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Relations Major

The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Relations Major”.

Top 25 Most Focused Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for International Relations

1

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Schiller International University. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Relations Major list. Schiller International University is located in Largo, Florida and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 2 bachelors’s international relations degrees to qualified students.

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. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 100%.

Read full report on International Relations at Schiller International University

2
VMI crest
Virginia Military Institute
Lexington, Virginia

Out of the 352 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Relations Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Virginia Military Institute landed the #2 spot on the list. Virginia Military Institute is a small public school situated in Lexington, Virginia. It awarded 56 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on International Relations at Virginia Military Institute

3

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Prescott. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Relations Major list. Prescott, Arizona is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s international relations degrees to 82 students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.1% 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 Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Prescott

4
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American University
Washington, District of Columbia

Out of the 352 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Relations Major that were part of this year’s ranking, American University landed the #4 spot on the list. American University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Washington, District of Columbia. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 415 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% 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 American University

5
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Carleton College
Northfield, Minnesota

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Carleton College. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Relations Major list. Carleton College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Northfield, Minnesota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 38 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Carleton College International Relations Report

6
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Agnes Scott College
Decatur, Georgia

With a ranking of #6, Agnes Scott College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Relations Major list. This small school is located in Decatur, Georgia, and it awarded 18 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about International Relations at Agnes Scott College

7
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Hampden - Sydney College
Hampden-Sydney, Virginia

Hampden - Sydney College ranked #7 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Relations Major list. Hampden - Sydney is a private not-for-profit institution located in Hampden-Sydney, Virginia. The school has a small population, and it awarded 15 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.7%, 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.

Full Hampden - Sydney College International Relations Report

8
Oxy crest
Occidental College
Los Angeles, California

Occidental College landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Relations Major ranking. Oxy is located in Los Angeles, California and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 31 bachelors’s international relations degrees to qualified 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 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%.

Full Oxy International Relations Report

9
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Lafayette College
Easton, Pennsylvania

Lafayette College ranked #9 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Relations Major list. Lafayette is a small school located in Easton, Pennsylvania that handed out 41 bachelors’s international relations 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. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on International Relations at Lafayette College

10
GWU crest
George Washington University
Washington, District of Columbia

George Washington University landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Relations Major ranking. Washington, District of Columbia is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s international relations degrees to 563 students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%.

Read more about International Relations at George Washington University

11
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Claremont McKenna College
Claremont, California

With a ranking of #11, Claremont McKenna College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Relations Major list. Located in Claremont, California, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 24 degrees to qualified bachelors’s international relations students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, 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 87%. The impressive undergraduate 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 more about International Relations at Claremont McKenna

12
Rhodes College crest
Rhodes College
Memphis, Tennessee

Rhodes College came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Relations Major ranking. This small school is located in Memphis, Tennessee, and it awarded 26 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.1% 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 undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on International Relations at Rhodes College

13
Hamilton crest
Hamilton College
Clinton, New York

Hamilton College landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Relations Major ranking. This small school is located in Clinton, New York, and it awarded 29 bachelors’s international relations degrees 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. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.4%, 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 92%.

Read more about International Relations at Hamilton College

14
Conn College crest
Connecticut College
New London, Connecticut

Connecticut College landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Relations Major ranking. Conn College is a small school located in New London, Connecticut that handed out 23 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Conn College International Relations Report

15
The College of Idaho crest
The College of Idaho
Caldwell, Idaho

The College of Idaho landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Relations Major ranking. Caldwell, Idaho is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s international relations degrees to 12 students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.7% 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 The College of Idaho

16
Hollins crest
Hollins University
Roanoke, Virginia

With a ranking of #16, Hollins University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Relations Major list. Located in Roanoke, Virginia, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 10 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s international relations students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.7% 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 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 Relations at Hollins University

17
West Point crest
United States Military Academy
West Point, New York

United States Military Academy did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Relations Major ranking, coming in at #17. United States Military Academy is a small public school situated in West Point, New York. It awarded 46 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on International Relations at United States Military Academy

18
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Dickinson College
Carlisle, Pennsylvania

Dickinson College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Relations Major ranking, coming in at #18. This small school is located in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 27 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.

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%. The impressive undergraduate 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 Dickinson

19
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Colgate University
Hamilton, New York

Colgate University ranked #19 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Relations Major list. Colgate is a private not-for-profit institution located in Hamilton, New York. The school has a small population, and it awarded 37 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about International Relations at Colgate University

20
Mt. Holyoke crest
Mount Holyoke College
South Hadley, Massachusetts

Mount Holyoke College came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Relations Major ranking. Mount Holyoke College is a small school located in South Hadley, Massachusetts that handed out 28 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.

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. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.5% 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%.

Read more about International Relations at Mt. Holyoke

21
Georgetown crest
Georgetown University
Washington, District of Columbia

With a ranking of #21, Georgetown University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Relations Major list. Washington, District of Columbia is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s international relations degrees to 289 students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.7% 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 94%.

Read full report on International Relations at Georgetown University

22
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Beloit College
Beloit, Wisconsin

Beloit College landed the #22 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Relations Major ranking. Beloit is a private not-for-profit institution located in Beloit, Wisconsin. The school has a small population, and it awarded 13 bachelors’s degrees 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 school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Beloit International Relations Report

23
Wheaton College Illinois crest
Wheaton College Illinois
Wheaton, Illinois

With a ranking of #23, Wheaton College Illinois did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Relations Major list. Wheaton College Illinois is a private not-for-profit institution located in Wheaton, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 34 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

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 school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.5% 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 Wheaton College Illinois International Relations Report

24
Principia crest
Principia College
Elsah, Illinois

With a ranking of #24, Principia College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Relations Major list. Principia College is located in Elsah, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 4 bachelors’s international relations degrees to qualified students.

Read full report on International Relations at Principia

25
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Tufts University
Medford, Massachusetts

Tufts University landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Relations Major ranking. 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 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. 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about International Relations at Tufts

Rest of the Best 50 in Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Relations 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
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Middlebury College
Middlebury, Vermont
27
SUNY Geneseo crest
SUNY Geneseo
Geneseo, New York
28
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Lewis & Clark College
Portland, Oregon
29
30
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Lake Forest College
Lake Forest, Illinois
31
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Rollins College
Winter Park, Florida
32
33
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Transylvania University
Lexington, Kentucky
34
Cornell College crest
Cornell College
Mount Vernon, Iowa
35
Denison crest
Denison University
Granville, Ohio
36
Wheaton College Massachusetts crest
Wheaton College Massachusetts
Norton, Massachusetts
37
Bucknell crest
Bucknell University
Lewisburg, Pennsylvania
38
Allegheny crest
Allegheny College
Meadville, Pennsylvania
39
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Skidmore College
Saratoga Springs, New York
40
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Knox College
Galesburg, Illinois
41
42
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Wells College
Aurora, New York
43
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Goucher College
Baltimore, Maryland
44
Florida State crest
Florida State University
Tallahassee, Florida
45
William & Mary crest
William & Mary
Williamsburg, Virginia
46
University of Virginia crest
University of Virginia - Main Campus
Charlottesville, Virginia
47
Pomona crest
Pomona College
Claremont, California
48
DU crest
University of Denver
Denver, Colorado
49
Oglethorpe crest
Oglethorpe University
Atlanta, Georgia
50
Gettysburg crest
Gettysburg College
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Relations Major

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

Rank College Location
51 Wofford College Spartanburg, SC
52 Seton Hall University South Orange, NJ
53 University of Pittsburgh - Bradford Bradford, PA

Notes and References

References

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