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

20 Ranked Colleges
933 Degrees Awarded
$15,000 Avg Net Price*
Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor's in California For Those Making $0-$30k

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking is part of that endeavor.

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.

Across California, there were 1,659 international relations and national security graduates with average earnings and debt of $35,623 and $23,466 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 933 international relations and national security graduates with average earnings and debt of $37,907 and $21,546 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking analyzed 20 colleges that offered a degree in international relations and national security. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality international relations and national security programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the international relations and national security program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

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 in California For Those Making $0-$30k” 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. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

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

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

Top 20 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for International Relations & National Security (Income $0-$30k) in California

#1

Stanford University

Stanford, California

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Stanford University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k. Stanford University 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 in California” list. It costs about $-1,387 for california bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Stanford. The negative number means the student will receive more financial aid on average than it costs to attend the school.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 4 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 86%. The low 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%.

Read full report on International Relations & National Security at Stanford

#2

Claremont McKenna College

Claremont, California
#2 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Claremont McKenna College. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k. Located in Claremont, California, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 21 degrees to qualified bachelors’s international relations students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Claremont McKenna, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Claremont McKenna College is $8,566 for California Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $0-$30k.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Claremont McKenna International Relations & National Security Report

#3

Pomona College

Claremont, California
#3 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Pomona College. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Claremont, California, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 24 degrees to qualified bachelors’s international relations students in 2019-2020.

Pomona not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend Pomona College is $6,945 for california bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $0-$30k.

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. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at Pomona College

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - Davis. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k. University of California - Davis is a large school located in Davis, California that handed out 169 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

UC Davis also made our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #5. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - Davis is $9,842 for California Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 1.9% 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 freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on International Relations & National Security at UC Davis

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Riverside. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. UCR is a public institution located in Riverside, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 79 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UCR also took the #14 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UCR is $8,366 for california bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $0-$30k.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.

Read full report on International Relations & National Security at University of California - Riverside

#6

San Diego State University

San Diego, California

San Diego State University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This large school is located in San Diego, California, and it awarded 80 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

SDSU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #13 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend San Diego State University is $8,870 for California Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $0-$30k.

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 school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at San Diego State University

#19 in overall quality

California State University - Bakersfield landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Bakersfield, California, this fairly large public school awarded 1 degrees to qualified bachelors’s international relations students in 2019-2020.

CSUB not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #19 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for CSUB is $3,423 for california bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at California State University - Bakersfield

#8

University of Southern California

Los Angeles, California

University of Southern California came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of Southern California is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 194 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

USC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Southern California is $14,668 for California 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. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full USC International Relations & National Security Report

#9

Occidental College

Los Angeles, California

Occidental College came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Oxy is located in Los Angeles, California and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 39 bachelors’s international relations degrees to qualified students.

Oxy not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend Occidental College is $13,146 for California 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 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at Occidental College

#10

San Francisco State University

San Francisco, California

San Francisco State University landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. San Francisco, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s international relations degrees to 77 students in 2019-2020.

SFSU also took the #16 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for SFSU is $11,123 for california bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full San Francisco State University International Relations & National Security Report

California State University - Chico landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Chico, California, this fairly large public school awarded 33 degrees to qualified bachelors’s international relations students in 2019-2020.

Chico State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #17 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Chico is $10,260 for California Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at Chico State

#12

Mills College

Oakland, California
#18 in overall quality

Mills College came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Mills College is located in Oakland, California and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 4 bachelors’s international relations degrees to qualified students.

Mills did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #18 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for Mills College is $15,749 for California Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. 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.

Read full report on International Relations & National Security at Mills College

#13

University of Redlands

Redlands, California
#15 in overall quality

University of Redlands came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Redlands, California 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 2019-2020.

University of Redlands not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Redlands is $21,763 for california bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at University of Redlands

#14

University of San Diego

San Diego, California

University of San Diego landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. USD is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in San Diego, California. It awarded 39 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

USD did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of San Diego is $22,263 for California Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive 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 & National Security at USD

#15

University of the Pacific

Stockton, California
#12 in overall quality

University of the Pacific did quite well in the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #15. Located in Stockton, California, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 14 degrees to qualified bachelors’s international relations students in 2019-2020.

Pacific not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of the Pacific is $21,972 for California 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 87%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full University of the Pacific International Relations & National Security Report

#16

California Lutheran University

Thousand Oaks, California
#20 in overall quality

With a ranking of #16, California Lutheran University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. Thousand Oaks, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s international relations degrees to 7 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at CLU, the school also landed the #20 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $18,173 for California Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend CLU.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at CLU

#11 in overall quality

Saint Mary’s College of California landed the #17 spot on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Moraga, California, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 2 degrees to qualified bachelors’s international relations students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at SMC, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for SMC is $25,057 for California Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $0-$30k.

The impressive 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. 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 Saint Mary’s College of California International Relations & National Security Report

#18

Loyola Marymount University

Los Angeles, California
#8 in overall quality

Loyola Marymount University ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s international relations degrees to 34 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Loyola Marymount, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $32,367 for california bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Loyola Marymount.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Loyola Marymount International Relations & National Security Report

#19

Azusa Pacific University

Azusa, California
#21 in overall quality

Azusa Pacific University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #19. Azusa, California is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s international relations degrees to 1 students in 2019-2020.

Azusa Pacific also took the #21 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Azusa Pacific is $21,179 for california bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at Azusa Pacific University

#20

University of San Francisco

San Francisco, California

University of San Francisco came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. San Francisco, California 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 57 students in 2019-2020.

USFCA also made our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #9. The yearly cost to attend University of San Francisco is $27,690 for California Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 2.5% 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 University of San Francisco

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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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