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2023 Most Veteran Friendly for International Security

15 Ranked Colleges
659 Degrees Awarded
$26,300 Avg Cost*
Most Veteran Friendly for International Security

When it comes to choosing a college, veterans have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Most Veteran Friendly for International Security” ranking is part of that endeavor.

International Security is the 548th most popular major in the country with 659 degrees awarded in 2020-2021.

For this year’s “Most Veteran Friendly for International Security” ranking, we looked at 15 colleges that offer a degree in international security. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great international security programs and a strong support system for veterans and active service members.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the international security program at the school, veteran affordability, and veteran satisfaction. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

More Ways to Rank International Security Schools

Rankings by Degree Other Award Levels
Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More International Security Rankings Other Ranking Categories

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Most Veteran Friendly for International Security” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. 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.

Most Veteran Friendly for International Security

The colleges and universities below are the best for vets studying international security.

Top 15 Best International Security Colleges for Veterans

1
Norwich crest
Norwich University
Northfield, Vermont

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Norwich University. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for International Security list. Norwich is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Northfield, Vermont. It awarded 20 ’s international security degrees in 2020-2021.

Norwich also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Our most recent data shows that 822 of the 3,975 students enrolled at Norwich were GI Bill® students, of which 569 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $6,528. To help with additional expenses, 55 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 Norwich Veteran Student Life Report

2
Liberty University crest
Liberty University
Lynchburg, Virginia

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Liberty University. The school came in at #2 for the Most Veteran Friendly for International Security. Liberty University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Lynchburg, Virginia. The school has a large population, and it awarded 37 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Liberty University, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 93,349 students enrolled at Liberty University, 13,282 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 8,897 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $4,888. In addition to receiving other benefits, 386 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

Full Liberty University Veteran Student Life Report

3
SDSU crest
San Diego State University
San Diego, California

Out of the 15 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly for International Security that were part of this year’s ranking, San Diego State University landed the #3 spot on the list. Located in San Diego, California, this large public school awarded 32 diplomas to qualified ’s international security students in 2020-2021.

SDSU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Our most recent data shows that 1,433 of the 36,334 students enrolled at San Diego State University were GI Bill® students, of which 853 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $4,806. During this same period, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 SDSU Veteran Student Life Report

4

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for International Security list. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s international security degrees to 23 students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Pitt, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 509 of the 32,277 students enrolled at Pitt were GI Bill® students, of which 364 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $16,281. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, 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 93%.

Read More…

5
Angelo State crest
Angelo State University
San Angelo, Texas

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Angelo State University. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for International Security list. Angelo State University is a fairly large school located in San Angelo, Texas that handed out 103 ’s international security degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Angelo State, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 10,775 students enrolled at Angelo State University, 507 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 225 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $4,911. To help with additional expenses, 3 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Angelo State University]](/colleges/angelo-state-university/student-life/veterans/)

6
UNG crest
University of North Georgia
Dahlonega, Georgia

University of North Georgia landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for International Security ranking. Dahlonega, Georgia is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s international security degrees to 15 students in 2020-2021.

UNG also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 19,793 students enrolled at UNG, 700 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 259 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $2,929. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. UNG offers credit for military training for eligible students.

Full UNG Veteran Student Life Report

7

University of New Mexico - Main Campus came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly for International Security ranking. Albuquerque, New Mexico is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s international security degrees to 25 students in 2020-2021.

UNM did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Of the 22,311 students enrolled at UNM, 1 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 0 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $0. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

Full UNM Veteran Student Life Report

8
ECU crest
East Carolina University
Greenville, North Carolina

With a ranking of #8, East Carolina University did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for International Security list. East Carolina University is a public institution located in Greenville, North Carolina. The school has a large population, and it awarded 11 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at ECU, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 28,798 students enrolled at ECU, 8 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 4 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $11,409. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

Full East Carolina University Veteran Student Life Report

9

With a ranking of #9, University of Akron Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for International Security list. University of Akron Main Campus is located in Akron, Ohio and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 7 ’s international security degrees to qualified students.

University of Akron Main Campus not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Of the 16,094 students enrolled at University of Akron Main Campus, 2 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 1 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $3,240. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. University of Akron Main Campus offers credit for military training for eligible students.

Full University of Akron Main Campus Veteran Student Life Report

10
Bellevue University crest
Bellevue University
Bellevue, Nebraska

Bellevue University did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for International Security ranking, coming in at #10. Bellevue University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Bellevue, Nebraska. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 13 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Bellevue University, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 1 of the 13,059 students enrolled at Bellevue University were GI Bill® students, of which 0 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $0. To help with additional expenses, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Bellevue University offers credit for military training for eligible students.

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

Read More…

11

University of Massachusetts - Lowell came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly for International Security ranking. Lowell, Massachusetts is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s international security degrees to 46 students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our vets studying international security list, UMass Lowell has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 18,150 students enrolled at UMass Lowell, 623 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 290 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $8,664. During this same period, 29 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

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

[Read full report on veteran student life at UMass Lowell]](/colleges/university-of-massachusetts-lowell/student-life/veterans/)

12
Fairmont State crest
Fairmont State University
Fairmont, West Virginia

With a ranking of #12, Fairmont State University did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for International Security list. Fairmont State is a public institution located in Fairmont, West Virginia. The school has a small population, and it awarded 28 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our vets studying international security list, Fairmont State has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 165 of the 3,848 students enrolled at Fairmont State were GI Bill® students, of which 63 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $5,903. In addition to receiving other benefits, 1 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Fairmont State offers credit for military training for eligible students.

Read More…

13

Utah Valley University ranked #13 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly for International Security list. This large school is located in Orem, Utah, and it awarded 10 ’s international security degrees in 2020-2021.

UVU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.According to our most recent data, Utah Valley University supports 40,936 students, and 813 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 379 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $4,550. To help with additional expenses, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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…

14

California State University - San Bernardino came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly for International Security ranking. CSUSB is a public institution located in San Bernardino, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 7 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our vets studying international security list, CSUSB has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 19,689 students enrolled at CSUSB, 400 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 170 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $5,274. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

[Read full report on veteran student life at CSUSB]](/colleges/california-state-university-san-bernardino/student-life/veterans/)

15

The University of Texas at El Paso landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for International Security ranking. UTEP is located in El Paso, Texas and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 38 ’s international security degrees to qualified students.

UTEP also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 24,879 students enrolled at The University of Texas at El Paso, 1,873 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 942 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $5,990. In addition to receiving other benefits, 2 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

Full The University of Texas at El Paso Veteran Student Life Report

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

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