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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for International Relations & National Security (Income $0-$30k)

249 Ranked Colleges
9,567 Degrees Awarded
$5,300 Avg Net Price*
Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor's For Those Making $0-$30k

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

International Relations & National Security is the 65th most popular major in the country with 14,762 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. In 2017-2018, international relations and national security graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $38,051 and had an average of $28,099 in loans still to pay off.

At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 9,567 international relations and national security graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,303 and $24,501 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking looked at 249 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in international relations and national security. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great international relations and national security programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the international relations and national security program at the school. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

One Size Does Not Fit All

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 for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for International Relations & National Security (Income $0-$30k)

#1

Stanford University

Stanford, California

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Stanford University. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Stanford is located in Stanford, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 42 bachelors’s international relations degrees to qualified students.

Stanford not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $-1,387 for Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Stanford University. A negative average net price may seem strange, but it generally means that financial aid will more than cover the cost to attend the school.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 4 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 student loan default rate. It’s only 0.5%, 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 86%.

Full Stanford University International Relations & National Security Report

#2

Yale University

New Haven, Connecticut

Out of the 249 schools in the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Yale University landed the #2 spot on the list. New Haven, Connecticut is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s international relations degrees to 48 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $0-$30k list, Yale has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Yale University is $2,125 for bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 4 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 & National Security at Yale

#3

University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Pennsylvania. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this large private not-for-profit school handed out 44 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s international relations students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UPenn, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $3,181 for Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Pennsylvania.

With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 1.4% 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 student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read full report on International Relations & National Security at University of Pennsylvania

#4

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Northwestern University. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k. Evanston, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s international relations degrees to 37 students in 2019-2020.

Northwestern did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Northwestern is $1,866 for Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 0.8% 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%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full Northwestern International Relations & National Security Report

#5

Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, Maryland

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Johns Hopkins University. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Johns Hopkins is a large school located in Baltimore, Maryland that handed out 100 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

Johns Hopkins also made our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #5. It costs about $3,526 for bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Johns Hopkins.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 6 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 student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on International Relations & National Security at Johns Hopkins University

#6

Brown University

Providence, Rhode Island

Brown University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Brown is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Providence, Rhode Island. It awarded 79 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

Brown not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #13 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Brown is $201 for Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $0-$30k.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The low student loan default rate of 2.1% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on International Relations & National Security at Brown University

#7

Georgetown University

Washington, District of Columbia

With a ranking of #7, Georgetown University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Georgetown University is a fairly large school located in Washington, District of Columbia that handed out 251 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Georgetown, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Georgetown is $5,248 for bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at Georgetown University

#8

Claremont McKenna College

Claremont, California
#2 in overall quality

Claremont McKenna College came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This small school is located in Claremont, California, and it awarded 21 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

Claremont McKenna not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $8,566 for Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Claremont McKenna College.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The 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.

Full Claremont McKenna International Relations & National Security Report

#9

University of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois

With a ranking of #9, University of Chicago did quite well on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. UChicago is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 17 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

UChicago did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #15 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend UChicago is $2,712 for Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 100%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full UChicago International Relations & National Security Report

#10

Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, Missouri
#25 in overall quality

Washington University in St Louis ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. WUSTL is located in Saint Louis, Missouri and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 1 bachelors’s international relations degrees to qualified students.

WUSTL also made our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #25. It costs about $5,273 for bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend WUSTL.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, 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 94%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at WUSTL

#11

Middlebury College

Middlebury, Vermont

Middlebury College ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Middlebury is a small school located in Middlebury, Vermont that handed out 31 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

Middlebury did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Middlebury College is $6,161 for bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The 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.

Full Middlebury International Relations & National Security Report

#12

Pomona College

Claremont, California
#6 in overall quality

Pomona College came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Pomona is a private not-for-profit institution located in Claremont, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 24 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Pomona, the school also landed the #6 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Pomona College is $6,945 for Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $0-$30k.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Pomona International Relations & National Security Report

#13

Tufts University

Medford, Massachusetts

Tufts University ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Tufts University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Medford, Massachusetts. It awarded 160 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

Tufts not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Tufts University is $5,267 for Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 1.2% 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%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read full report on International Relations & National Security at Tufts

#14

Carleton College

Northfield, Minnesota

Carleton College ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Carleton is a small school located in Northfield, Minnesota that handed out 48 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Carleton, the school also landed the #21 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Carleton College is $9,579 for bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $0-$30k.

The 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 student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on International Relations & National Security at Carleton

#15

William & Mary

Williamsburg, Virginia

William & Mary came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Williamsburg, Virginia, and it awarded 88 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

William & Mary also took the #23 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $4,711 for Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend William & Mary.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The low student loan default rate of 1.0% 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 more about International Relations & National Security at William & Mary

#16

The City College of New York

New York, New York

The City College of New York ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. The City College of New York is a public institution located in New York, New York. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 77 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $704 for bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend CCNY.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at CCNY

#17

Florida State University

Tallahassee, Florida

Florida State University landed the #17 spot on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Tallahassee, Florida is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s international relations degrees to 364 students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Florida State is $5,360 for bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 3.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Florida State International Relations & National Security Report

#18

Emory University

Atlanta, Georgia

Emory University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #18. Emory is located in Atlanta, Georgia and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 53 bachelors’s international relations degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $0-$30k list, Emory has also earned the #22 rank in our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $11,468 for bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Emory.

The 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 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The 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.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at Emory University

Florida International University came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This large school is located in Miami, Florida, and it awarded 288 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend FIU is $5,002 for Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on International Relations & National Security at FIU

#20

Colgate University

Hamilton, New York

Colgate University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #20. Colgate University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Hamilton, New York. The school has a small population, and it awarded 41 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Colgate, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Colgate University is $9,752 for bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The 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. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at Colgate

#21

Hamilton College

Clinton, New York

Hamilton College ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Hamilton is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Clinton, New York. It awarded 27 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

Hamilton also made our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #24. The estimated yearly cost for Hamilton is $7,942 for bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. Since the school has a 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 & National Security at Hamilton

#22

Wellesley College

Wellesley, Massachusetts
#20 in overall quality

Wellesley College ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Wellesley is located in Wellesley, Massachusetts and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 11 bachelors’s international relations degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Wellesley, the school also landed the #20 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Wellesley is $8,785 for Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The impressive 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. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at Wellesley

Top 10% in overall quality

Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus landed the #23 spot on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus is a large public school situated in Atlanta, Georgia. It awarded 24 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on this list, Georgia Tech is in the top on our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $9,162 for bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Georgia Tech International Relations & National Security Report

#24

Michigan State University

East Lansing, Michigan

Michigan State University landed the #24 spot on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Michigan State University is a large school located in East Lansing, Michigan that handed out 116 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Michigan State is also in the top of our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Michigan State is $6,686 for bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Michigan State International Relations & National Security Report

University of South Florida - Main Campus landed the #25 spot on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This large school is located in Tampa, Florida, and it awarded 94 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend USF Tampa is $3,950 for Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 4.5% 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 & National Security at USF Tampa

Rest of the Best 38 in Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k

Not only did these schools make the top 38 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

#26

University of Virginia - Main Campus

Charlottesville, Virginia
#27

Indiana University - Bloomington

Bloomington, Indiana
#28

Lafayette College

Easton, Pennsylvania
#29

University of Georgia

Athens, Georgia
#31

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, Minnesota
#32

Northeastern University

Boston, Massachusetts
#33

The University of West Florida

Pensacola, Florida
#34

Vassar College

Poughkeepsie, New York
#36

Virginia Military Institute

Lexington, Virginia
#37

University of California - Riverside

Riverside, California
#38

Virginia Tech

Blacksburg, Virginia

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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

Footnotes

  • *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.

Credits

  • Credit for the banner image above goes to RepubFan12.

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