2026 Best Value International Security Schools in the New England Region

[International Security](/majors/social-sciences/international-relations-national-security/international-security/) 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.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 4 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for international security students.
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2026 Best Value International Security Schools in the New England Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in international security, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value International Security Schools
Harvard University earned the #1 spot for value among international security schools in the New England Region. Harvard University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Cambridge. Students from in state pay about $61,676 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for international security graduates is $16,616. International Security graduates of Harvard University earn a median of $95,207 early in their careers. Set against $16,616 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 4% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Massachusetts Lowell earned it the #2 place for international security. Located in the suburb of Lowell, University Of Massachusetts Lowell is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $16,966, while out-of-state students pay about $36,264. Students borrow a median of $25,574 to complete the international security program here. Soon after graduation, international security degree recipients from University Of Massachusetts Lowell generally make around $67,146. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 83%.
Students looking for strong value in international security will find it at Norwich University, which ranked #3. Located in the rural area of Northfield, Norwich University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $49,740. International Security graduates carry a median of $16,850 in student loans. Early-career international security graduates make about $54,985. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 74% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of New Haven earned it the #4 place for international security. Located in the suburb of West Haven, University Of New Haven is a large private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $47,332. Students borrow a median of $26,244 to complete the international security program here. International Security graduates of University Of New Haven earn a median of $49,615 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $26,244 median debt. The acceptance rate is 60%.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 4 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 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.