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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for International Relations & National Security (Income $30-$48k)

249 Ranked Colleges
9,567 Degrees Awarded
$6,900 Avg Net Price*
Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor's For Those Making $30-$48k

When it comes to choosing a college, students 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 “Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k” 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.

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.

For this year’s “Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, we looked at 249 colleges that offer a degree 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.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the international relations and national security program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

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. 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 $30-$48k

The colleges and universities below are the best for bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for International Relations & National Security (Income $30-$48k)

#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 $30-$48k list. Stanford University is a fairly large school located in Stanford, California that handed out 42 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Stanford, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Stanford is $1,145 for Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

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

#2

University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Pennsylvania. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. UPenn is a large school located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that handed out 44 bachelors’s international relations degrees 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 $4,833 for Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UPenn.

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 student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, 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 95%.

Read full report on International Relations & National Security at UPenn

#3

Yale University

New Haven, Connecticut

Out of the 249 schools in the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Yale University landed the #3 spot on the list. This fairly large school is located in New Haven, Connecticut, and it awarded 48 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Yale, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Yale is $1,647 for Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

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. The student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

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

#4

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois

Out of the 249 schools in the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Northwestern University landed the #4 spot on the list. Located in Evanston, Illinois, this large private not-for-profit school handed out 37 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s international relations students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $30-$48k list, Northwestern has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Northwestern is $3,995 for bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 0.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. 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 Northwestern

#5

Brown University

Providence, Rhode Island

Out of the 249 schools in the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Brown University landed the #5 spot on the list. Brown University 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.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $30-$48k list, Brown has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Brown University is $6,684 for Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

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

#6

Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, Maryland

With a ranking of #6, Johns Hopkins University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Johns Hopkins University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Baltimore, Maryland. The school has a large population, and it awarded 100 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Johns Hopkins, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Johns Hopkins is $8,210 for Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. 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%.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at Johns Hopkins University

#7

Pomona College

Claremont, California
#6 in overall quality

Pomona College ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Pomona is a small school located in Claremont, California that handed out 24 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

Pomona not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $8,655 for Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Pomona College.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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.

Read full report on International Relations & National Security at Pomona

#8

Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, Missouri
#25 in overall quality

Washington University in St Louis ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Saint Louis, Missouri 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 1 students in 2019-2020.

WUSTL did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #25 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $6,248 for bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Washington University in St Louis.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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%.

Full Washington University in St Louis International Relations & National Security Report

#9

University of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois

University of Chicago landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of Chicago 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 University of Chicago is $2,800 for Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. 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.

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

#10

Claremont McKenna College

Claremont, California
#2 in overall quality

Claremont McKenna College came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Claremont McKenna is a small school located in Claremont, California that handed out 21 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

Claremont McKenna also made our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #2. The yearly cost to attend Claremont McKenna is $6,591 for bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

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

Full Claremont McKenna College International Relations & National Security Report

#11

Tufts University

Medford, Massachusetts

Tufts University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Medford, Massachusetts, and it awarded 160 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

Tufts did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Tufts University is $6,516 for bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

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. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 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.

Full Tufts International Relations & National Security Report

#12

Middlebury College

Middlebury, Vermont

Middlebury College ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Middlebury is located in Middlebury, Vermont and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 31 bachelors’s international relations degrees to qualified students.

Middlebury did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $8,616 for bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Middlebury College.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at Middlebury

#13

Colgate University

Hamilton, New York

With a ranking of #13, Colgate University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Colgate is a small school located in Hamilton, New York that handed out 41 bachelors’s international relations 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 estimated yearly cost for Colgate is $8,958 for Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, 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 2.4%, which is much lower than the national 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 Colgate International Relations & National Security Report

#14

Georgetown University

Washington, District of Columbia

Georgetown University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #14. Georgetown University is located in Washington, District of Columbia and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 251 bachelors’s international relations degrees to qualified students.

Georgetown did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Georgetown is $8,678 for bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full Georgetown University International Relations & National Security Report

#15

Hamilton College

Clinton, New York

With a ranking of #15, Hamilton College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Clinton, New York is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s international relations degrees to 27 students in 2019-2020.

Hamilton also took the #24 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Hamilton College is $11,385 for Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

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. With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at Hamilton

#16

William & Mary

Williamsburg, Virginia

William & Mary came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Williamsburg, Virginia is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s international relations degrees to 88 students in 2019-2020.

William & Mary not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #23 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for William & Mary is $4,963 for bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

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

Read full report on International Relations & National Security at William & Mary

#17

University of Virginia - Main Campus

Charlottesville, Virginia

University of Virginia - Main Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #17. University of Virginia - Main Campus is a large public school situated in Charlottesville, Virginia. It awarded 270 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

University of Virginia also took the #11 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Virginia - Main Campus is $11,696 for Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 1.6% 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 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

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

#18

Wellesley College

Wellesley, Massachusetts
#20 in overall quality

Wellesley College came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Wellesley College is a small school located in Wellesley, Massachusetts that handed out 11 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

Wellesley also made our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #20. The yearly cost to attend Wellesley College is $4,519 for Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 7 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 Wellesley

#19

Emory University

Atlanta, Georgia

With a ranking of #19, Emory University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Emory University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Atlanta, Georgia. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 53 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Emory not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #22 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Emory is $9,629 for Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

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 1.4% 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%. 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.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at Emory University

#20

Northeastern University

Boston, Massachusetts

Northeastern University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #20. Northeastern is a large school located in Boston, Massachusetts that handed out 78 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on this list, Northeastern is in the top on our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The estimated yearly cost for Northeastern University is $12,823 for Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at Northeastern

#21

The City College of New York

New York, New York

The City College of New York did quite well in the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #21. 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.

The yearly cost to attend CCNY is $2,947 for bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on International Relations & National Security at CCNY

With a ranking of #22, Florida International University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. FIU is a large school located in Miami, Florida that handed out 288 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $6,683 for Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Florida International University.

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 FIU

#23

Florida State University

Tallahassee, Florida

Florida State University landed the #23 spot on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Tallahassee, Florida, this large public school awarded 364 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s international relations students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $6,816 for bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Florida State.

The low student loan default rate of 3.5% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at Florida State

#24

Lafayette College

Easton, Pennsylvania

Lafayette College came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Easton, Pennsylvania, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 48 degrees to qualified bachelors’s international relations students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $30-$48k list, Lafayette has also earned the #16 rank in our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Lafayette College is $11,360 for Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.2%, which is much lower than the national 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. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full Lafayette College International Relations & National Security Report

#25

Indiana University - Bloomington

Bloomington, Indiana

Indiana University - Bloomington ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. IU Bloomington is a large public school situated in Bloomington, Indiana. It awarded 100 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Indiana University - Bloomington is $6,192 for bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, 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 91%.

Read full report on International Relations & National Security at IU Bloomington

Rest of the Best 38 in Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k

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

#26

The University of West Florida

Pensacola, Florida
#30

Boston University

Boston, Massachusetts
#31

Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
#32

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, Minnesota
#33

University of Georgia

Athens, Georgia
#34

Dickinson College

Carlisle, Pennsylvania
#35

Carleton College

Northfield, Minnesota

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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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