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2023 Best Value International Relations Schools For Those Making $48-$75k

223 Ranked Colleges
14,306 Degrees Awarded
Best Value International Relations Schools For Those Making $48-$75k

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value International Relations Schools For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking - to help you make that decision.

International Relations & National Security is the 67th most popular major in the country with 14,306 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. In 2019-2020, international relations and national security graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $41,288 and had an average of $21,455 in loans still to pay off.

For this year’s “Best Value International Relations Schools For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking, we looked at 223 colleges that offer 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.

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. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

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When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value International Relations Schools For Those Making $48-$75k” list to help you make the college decision.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. 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.

Best Value International Relations Schools For Those Making $48-$75k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value International Relations Schools For Those Making $48-$75k.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for International Relations & National Security (Income $48-$75k)

1
Stanford crest
Stanford University
Stanford, California

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Stanford University. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools For Those Making $48-$75k list. Stanford is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Stanford, California. It awarded 66 ’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.

Stanford also made our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools” list, coming in at #2. The estimated yearly cost for Stanford is $7,081 for International Relations students whose families make $48-$75k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 4 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 Stanford

2
Yale crest
Yale University
New Haven, Connecticut

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Yale University. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools For Those Making $48-$75k list. Yale is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in New Haven, Connecticut. It awarded 88 ’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.

Yale also took the #4 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Yale is $2,815 for international relations students whose families make $48-$75k.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, 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

3
Harvard crest
Harvard University
Cambridge, Massachusetts

Out of the 223 schools in the Best Value International Relations Schools For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, Harvard University landed the #3 spot on the list. Harvard University is a large school located in Cambridge, Massachusetts that handed out 149 ’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.

Harvard also made our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools” list, coming in at #9. The yearly cost to attend Harvard is $2,669 for International Relations students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at Harvard

4
Duke crest
Duke University
Durham, North Carolina

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Duke University. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools For Those Making $48-$75k list. Durham, North Carolina is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s international relations degrees to 53 students in 2020-2021.

Duke also made our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools” list, coming in at #10. It costs about $7,160 for international relations students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Duke.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.3%, 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. Since the school has a undergrad 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 Duke

5
Johns Hopkins crest
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, Maryland

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Johns Hopkins University. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value International Relations Schools For Those Making $48-$75k. Johns Hopkins University is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Baltimore, Maryland. It awarded 686 ’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our international relations students whose families make $48-$75k list, Johns Hopkins has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Johns Hopkins University is $8,457 for international relations students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at Johns Hopkins

6
Northwestern crest
Northwestern University
Evanston, Illinois

With a ranking of #6, Northwestern University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools For Those Making $48-$75k list. Northwestern University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Evanston, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 42 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our international relations students whose families make $48-$75k list, Northwestern has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools” ranking. It costs about $5,849 for International Relations students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Northwestern.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.6%, 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 undergraduate students. The impressive undergraduate 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.

Full Northwestern International Relations & National Security Report

7

Columbia University in the City of New York ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools For Those Making $48-$75k list. Columbia is located in New York, New York and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 156 ’s international relations degrees to qualified students.

Columbia did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #20 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools” list. It costs about $8,106 for International Relations students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Columbia University in the City of New York.

Since the school has a undergrad 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 impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at Columbia University in the City of New York

8
UChicago crest
University of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

University of Chicago did quite well in the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #8. University of Chicago is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 162 ’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.

UChicago did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #17 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Chicago is $8,375 for International Relations students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a freshman retention rate of 100%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full UChicago International Relations & National Security Report

9
Rice crest
Rice University
Houston, Texas

With a ranking of #9, Rice University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools For Those Making $48-$75k list. This medium-sized school is located in Houston, Texas, and it awarded 16 ’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our international relations students whose families make $48-$75k list, Rice has also earned the #22 rank in our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools” ranking. It costs about $6,152 for International Relations students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Rice University.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The impressive undergraduate 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 undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at Rice University

10
Tufts crest
Tufts University
Medford, Massachusetts

Tufts University landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Medford, Massachusetts is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s international relations degrees to 478 students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Tufts, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Tufts is $19,827 for international relations students whose families make $48-$75k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad 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 Tufts

11
Brown crest
Brown University
Providence, Rhode Island

Brown University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Relations Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Providence, Rhode Island is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s international relations degrees to 39 students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Brown, the school also landed the #15 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools” ranking. It costs about $10,219 for international relations students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Brown.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default 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. Since the school has a undergrad 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 Brown

12
UPenn crest
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

University of Pennsylvania did quite well in the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #12. This large school is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 44 ’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UPenn, the school also landed the #12 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Pennsylvania is $12,020 for International Relations students whose families make $48-$75k.

The impressive undergraduate 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 low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% 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 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on International Relations & National Security at UPenn

13
Georgetown crest
Georgetown University
Washington, District of Columbia

Georgetown University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #13. This large school is located in Washington, District of Columbia, and it awarded 572 ’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.

Georgetown also took the #6 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools” ranking. It costs about $12,505 for International Relations students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Georgetown.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at Georgetown University

14
University of Virginia crest
University of Virginia - Main Campus
Charlottesville, Virginia

University of Virginia - Main Campus did quite well in the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #14. University of Virginia - Main Campus is a large public school situated in Charlottesville, Virginia. It awarded 208 ’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.

University of Virginia not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Virginia is $16,019 for International Relations students whose families make $48-$75k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.7% 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 University of Virginia - Main Campus

15
Florida State crest
Florida State University
Tallahassee, Florida

Florida State University ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Tallahassee, Florida, this large public school handed out 341 degrees to qualified ’s international relations students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on this list, Florida State is in the top on our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools” list. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. The yearly cost to attend Florida State University is $11,506 for International Relations students whose families make $48-$75k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.8% 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%.

Read full report on International Relations & National Security at Florida State University

16
William & Mary crest
William & Mary
Williamsburg, Virginia

William & Mary landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. William & Mary is located in Williamsburg, Virginia and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 72 ’s international relations degrees to qualified students.

On top of its placing in this ranking, William & Mary also did well on our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend William & Mary is $10,995 for international relations students whose families make $48-$75k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full William & Mary International Relations & National Security Report

17
Pomona crest
Pomona College
Claremont, California

Pomona College came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Relations Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Pomona is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Claremont, California. It awarded 9 ’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Pomona is also in the top of our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools” ranking. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The estimated yearly cost for Pomona is $9,365 for international relations students whose families make $48-$75k.

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

18

Indiana University - Bloomington landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. IU Bloomington is located in Bloomington, Indiana and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 124 ’s international relations degrees to qualified students.

On top of its placing in this ranking, IU Bloomington also did well on our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Indiana University - Bloomington is $12,369 for international relations students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.4% 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 school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Indiana University - Bloomington International Relations & National Security Report

19

With a ranking of #19, University of Washington - Seattle Campus did quite well on the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools For Those Making $48-$75k list. University of Washington - Seattle Campus is a large school located in Seattle, Washington that handed out 13 ’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for UW Seattle is $8,393 for International Relations students whose families make $48-$75k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at UW Seattle

20

Florida International University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #20. FIU is a public institution located in Miami, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 317 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $7,292 for international relations students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Florida International University.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

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

21

University of California - Davis came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Relations Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Located in Davis, California, this large public school handed out 151 degrees to qualified ’s international relations students in 2020-2021.

UC Davis also claimed a top spot on our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend UC Davis is $14,193 for international relations students whose families make $48-$75k.

The undergrad 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 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 UC Davis

22

With a ranking of #22, University of South Florida - Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools For Those Making $48-$75k list. USF Tampa is a large public school situated in Tampa, Florida. It awarded 75 ’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend USF Tampa is $9,669 for International Relations students whose families make $48-$75k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of South Florida - Main Campus International Relations & National Security Report

23
VMI crest
Virginia Military Institute
Lexington, Virginia

With a ranking of #23, Virginia Military Institute did quite well on the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools For Those Making $48-$75k list. VMI is a public institution located in Lexington, Virginia. The school has a small population, and it awarded 56 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $13,613 for International Relations students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend VMI.

The low undergrad 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%.

Full Virginia Military Institute International Relations & National Security Report

24
Claremont McKenna crest
Claremont McKenna College
Claremont, California

Claremont McKenna College did quite well in the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #24. Claremont McKenna College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Claremont, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 24 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Claremont McKenna, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Claremont McKenna College is $15,962 for International Relations students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.3% 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 undergraduate 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 undergraduate students.

Full Claremont McKenna College International Relations & National Security Report

25
UGA crest
University of Georgia
Athens, Georgia

University of Georgia came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Relations Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. UGA is a large public school situated in Athens, Georgia. It awarded 286 ’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on this list, UGA is in the top on our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Georgia is $15,037 for International Relations students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low undergrad 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 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at UGA

Rest of the Best 34 in Best Value International Relations Schools For Those Making $48-$75k

Not only did these schools make the top 34 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

26
USC crest
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California
27
28
29
Colgate crest
Colgate University
Hamilton, New York
30
31
32
Carnegie Mellon crest
Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
33
34
Beloit crest
Beloit College
Beloit, Wisconsin

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