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2023 Best Value International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k

37 Ranked Colleges
1,355 Degrees Awarded
Best Value International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking.

In 2020-2021, 14,306 people earned their degree in international relations and national security, making the major the 67th most popular in the United States. 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.

Across the Great Lakes region, there were 1,355 international relations and national security graduates with average earnings and debt of $34,297 and $22,820 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking looked at 37 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s 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.

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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 in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k” list to help you make the college decision.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Best Value International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k

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

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for International Relations & National Security (Income $48-$75k) in the Great Lakes Region

1
Northwestern crest
Northwestern University
Evanston, Illinois

Out of the 37 schools in the Best Value International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, Northwestern University landed the #1 spot on the list. Located in Evanston, Illinois, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 42 degrees to qualified ’s international relations students in 2020-2021.

Northwestern also took the #1 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Northwestern University is $5,849 for great lakes region 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. 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 0.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at Northwestern

2
UChicago crest
University of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

Out of the 37 schools in the Best Value International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Chicago landed the #2 spot on the list. UChicago is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 162 ’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.

UChicago also took the #2 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Chicago is $8,375 for Great Lakes Region International Relations students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 100%, 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 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. 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.

Full UChicago International Relations & National Security Report

3

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Indiana University - Bloomington. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. IU Bloomington is a large school located in Bloomington, Indiana that handed out 124 ’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.

IU Bloomington did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Indiana University - Bloomington is $12,369 for Great Lakes Region International Relations students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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%.

Full IU Bloomington International Relations & National Security Report

4

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Ohio State University - Main Campus. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Ohio State is a large school located in Columbus, Ohio that handed out 176 ’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.

Ohio State also made our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #4. It costs about $13,273 for great lakes region international relations students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Ohio State University - Main Campus.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at Ohio State

5
Beloit crest
Beloit College
Beloit, Wisconsin

Out of the 37 schools in the Best Value International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, Beloit College landed the #5 spot on the list. This small school is located in Beloit, Wisconsin, and it awarded 13 ’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.

Beloit did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $10,850 for Great Lakes Region International Relations students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Beloit.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 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 90%.

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

6

University of Wisconsin - Madison ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. UW - Madison is a large school located in Madison, Wisconsin that handed out 20 ’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.

UW - Madison also made our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #10. It costs about $10,364 for Great Lakes Region International Relations students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend UW - Madison.

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 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%.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at UW - Madison

7
Oakland crest
Oakland University
Rochester Hills, Michigan

Oakland University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #7. Oakland is a fairly large school located in Rochester Hills, Michigan that handed out 16 ’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Oakland is $12,008 for Great Lakes Region International Relations students whose families make $48-$75k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at Oakland University

8

Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Indianapolis, Indiana, this large public school awarded 20 diplomas to qualified ’s international relations students in 2020-2021.

IUPUI also made our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #20. It costs about $13,306 for great lakes region international relations students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend IUPUI.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis International Relations & National Security Report

9
Wheaton College Illinois crest
Wheaton College Illinois
Wheaton, Illinois

Wheaton College Illinois ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Wheaton, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 34 diplomas to qualified ’s international relations students in 2020-2021.

Wheaton College Illinois also made our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #6. It costs about $18,373 for great lakes region international relations students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Wheaton College Illinois.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 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 0.5% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at Wheaton College Illinois

10

Grand Valley State University landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Grand Valley State University is a large public school situated in Allendale, Michigan. It awarded 36 ’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our great lakes region international relations students whose families make $48-$75k list, GVSU has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $15,277 for Great Lakes Region International Relations students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend GVSU.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Grand Valley State University International Relations & National Security Report

11

University of Southern Indiana ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. University of Southern Indiana is a medium-sized school located in Evansville, Indiana that handed out 9 ’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.

USI also made our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #19. The yearly cost to attend USI is $14,486 for great lakes region international relations students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.9% 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%.

Full University of Southern Indiana International Relations & National Security Report

12
Central Michigan crest
Central Michigan University
Mount Pleasant, Michigan

Central Michigan University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #12. Central Michigan is a public institution located in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 22 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Central Michigan also made our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #23. The estimated yearly cost for Central Michigan is $15,720 for Great Lakes Region International Relations students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at Central Michigan University

13
Denison crest
Denison University
Granville, Ohio

Denison University ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Granville, Ohio, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 17 diplomas to qualified ’s international relations students in 2020-2021.

Denison also took the #5 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $18,607 for Great Lakes Region International Relations students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Denison.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 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 0.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Denison University International Relations & National Security Report

14
Walsh crest
Walsh University
North Canton, Ohio

Walsh University came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. This small school is located in North Canton, Ohio, and it awarded 5 ’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $16,394 for great lakes region international relations students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Walsh.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.9% 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%.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at Walsh

15
Michigan State crest
Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan

Michigan State University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Michigan State University is located in East Lansing, Michigan and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 106 ’s international relations degrees to qualified students.

Michigan State also took the #9 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Michigan State University is $20,557 for great lakes region 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 91%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.6% 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%.

Read full report on International Relations & National Security at Michigan State

16

Indiana University - Southeast came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Located in New Albany, Indiana, this small public school handed out 7 diplomas to qualified ’s international relations students in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Indiana University - Southeast is $12,931 for great lakes region international relations students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at Indiana University - Southeast

17

With a ranking of #17, Wright State University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Wright State University - Main Campus is a fairly large school located in Dayton, Ohio that handed out 16 ’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.

Wright State University - Main Campus not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #21 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $16,871 for great lakes region international relations students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Wright State University - Main Campus.

Full Wright State University - Main Campus International Relations & National Security Report

18

Miami University - Oxford ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Miami University - Oxford is a public institution located in Oxford, Ohio. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 91 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Miami University - Oxford also made our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #8. The yearly cost to attend Miami University - Oxford is $23,513 for great lakes region international relations students whose families make $48-$75k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Miami University - Oxford International Relations & National Security Report

19
Dominican U crest
Dominican University
River Forest, Illinois

With a ranking of #19, Dominican University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Dominican U is located in River Forest, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 4 ’s international relations degrees to qualified students.

Dominican U not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #16 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $18,838 for Great Lakes Region International Relations students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Dominican University.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 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 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at Dominican U

20
Eastern Michigan crest
Eastern Michigan University
Ypsilanti, Michigan

Eastern Michigan University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #20. Eastern Michigan University is a fairly large public school situated in Ypsilanti, Michigan. It awarded 9 ’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Eastern Michigan University is $14,547 for great lakes region international relations students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read full report on International Relations & National Security at Eastern Michigan University

21
Northern Michigan University crest
Northern Michigan University
Marquette, Michigan

Northern Michigan University came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Northern Michigan University is a public institution located in Marquette, Michigan. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 3 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $16,017 for great lakes region international relations students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Northern Michigan University.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at Northern Michigan University

22

University of Akron Main Campus ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. This fairly large school is located in Akron, Ohio, and it awarded 7 ’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at University of Akron Main Campus, the school also landed the #25 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $18,860 for great lakes region international relations students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of Akron Main Campus.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at University of Akron Main Campus

23

University of Cincinnati - Main Campus landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. University of Cincinnati - Main Campus is a large school located in Cincinnati, Ohio that handed out 42 ’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.

UC also took the #17 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Cincinnati - Main Campus is $20,867 for Great Lakes Region 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 88%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at UC

24

Cleveland State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #24. This fairly large school is located in Cleveland, Ohio, and it awarded 25 ’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $18,468 for great lakes region international relations students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Cleveland State University.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at Cleveland State University

25
Marquette crest
Marquette University
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Marquette University landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Marquette University is a fairly large school located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin that handed out 39 ’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.

Marquette also took the #7 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $25,377 for Great Lakes Region International Relations students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Marquette University.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Marquette University International Relations & National Security Report

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